Taking Flight...

I was ever so pleased to go out at first light this morning and find, despite the 26F (-3.5C) temperature, the hummingbird chick sitting serenely in the ruined nest that I gently put under it last night.
Mid-morning I checked again and found the chick on the ground at the base of the adjacent tree.
Mom came and fed it, but stayed and hovered around.
Her behavior gave me the distinct impression that she was imploring the chick to get up and get going.
When she left, the chick seemed to understand and, after several trials of "humming" its wings, as I watched the chick rose an inch or two above the ground in a stable hover.
I came back at noontime and quickly realized the two were off on the adventure of the rest of their lives.
I have no words to say how touched I am to have shared a bit of life with these birds.