Make sure you remove anything red from the garage. Apparently hummingbirds
can't resist that particular attraction. I had hummingbirds fly into my
porch attracted to a red-pattern table cloth. I would usually be successful
getting them out clinging to the bristles of a straw broom. Got rid of the
table cloth, and anything else red, and keep the outside door shut.

Hilke Breder, Brattleboro

On Mon, May 16, 2016 at 5:55 AM, Stephen Antell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I was very happy to see a male hummer visiting our feeder this morning.
> However, when I went into the garage an hour later, I heard an unusual
> buzzing noise overhead and quickly ascertained that two male hummingbirds
> were flying about in the rafters, apparently unable to figure out how to
> exit through the wide open door.  I figured if I gave them some time they
> would figure it out, but an hour later they were still frantically flying
> back and forth, not even close to figuring out how to head for daylight.
> Hard to believe that after flying across the Gulf of Mexico and making
> their way all the way up the east coast, they couldn't figure out how to
> fly out the same way they came in.  I guess hummingbirds are only wired to
> go up to escape danger.  So, I finally grabbed a ladder and climbed into
> the rafters hoping to shoo them out with a broom.  Didn't work.  My wife
> was able to find a fish net, and after a while I was finally able to net
> one, which I lowered to her.   She took the net outside, extracted the
> hummer and watched it fly away.  The second was apparently so tired by then
> that I was able to approach the bird after it perched and pick it with my
> hands.  My skills are very limited when it comes to handling hummingbirds,
> but I was able to climb down the ladder with the poor guy and put it
> outside.  I thought I might have had done permanent damage but after a
> minute or two, it revived and took off.  I again have hummingbirds at my
> feeder along with a closed garage door.
>
> In the  interest of full disclosure, this episode took place at our summer
> place in Maine.  I'm sure Vermont hummers are much more resourceful
>
> Steve Antell
>