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Terry Masear has been rescuing hummingbirds since 2005. Over the past ten years, she and a network of rehabbers in Southern California have rescued 5,000 hummingbirds, the majority of which have been released back into the wild. Terry received her Ph.D. from UCLA, where she teaches English as a mehr anzeigen Second Language. She has taken time off from teaching to focus on researching and writing about hummingbirds. weniger anzeigen

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This memoir of rehabber Terry Masear is a must-read for anyone who is fascinated with hummingbirds. I've loved these tiny living jewels since I was quite small, seeing ruby-throated hummingbirds visit my grandmother's flower garden. The day I moved to Arizona was the first time I'd ever seen one perch in a tree and being able to observe them every day in my own desert garden is a delight I never tire of.

Masear includes many facts in her memoir that people with differing levels of expertise will appreciate, but what I enjoyed the most was her account of the day-to-day care involved with rescuing and rehabilitating these little marvels. In four months, she took in 160 hummingbirds in various stages of need. With feedings every thirty minutes during the day and a phone that never stopped ringing, readers can feel Masear's exhaustion. But we can also feel her love and dedication, especially with hummingbirds like Gabriel and Pepper, birds that were gravely injured and not expected to live. Yes, this is a book in which both your mind and your heart will be engaged.

Don't be surprised if you read Fastest Things on Wings and discover that your sense of wonder has been reawakened-- and that if you're lucky enough to have hummingbirds in your neighborhood that you look at them in a brand-new light. These little jewels are enough in and of themselves to make me believe in miracles, and I am so glad I read Masear's book.
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cathyskye | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Jan 6, 2019 |
Full disclosure: I don't like birds. They terrify me.

Hummingbirds being the exception, and even more so now that I've devoured this book.
(I've read it three times in the past year!)

Fastest Things on Wings is a rare glimpse into this hidden wonderland of the lives of hummingbirds, and a California woman's heroic efforts to rescue and rehabilitate them. The care, compassion and love Terry has for these almost mythical creatures is astounding, and my heart is ten times bigger after reading of some of these stories, including that of Garbriel, a male rescued in the middle of Rodeo Drive, and female hummingbird Pepper, who was injured on a movie set. You come to admire these tiny little birds stories of tenacity and strength, mixed in with dash of science, a whole lot of heart and honestly, a bit of magic.

It takes a lot of time, energy and strength to rehabilitate any animal. There are some very sad losses, but some delightful, and charming wins throughout this book and you relish in the fact that this type of job actually exists, and how quickly you are pulled in and charmed by it's tight knit community.
I learned so much about the migration, mating, and eating habits of these creatures, and it has me hungry to learn more about this splendid, beautiful bird that enamors so many.

5 Stars - without a doubt.
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Bookapotamus | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Jun 27, 2018 |
I was not at all expecting this book to captivate me the way it did. I picked it because I needed the Dewey Decimal number for a reading challenge, so it wasn't one I would normally go for, but I fell in love with it instantly. You so rarely find nonfiction books that draw the attention this way. It was entertaining, educational, and refreshing.

The author explains the need for the care of wild hummingbirds by telling personal stories about the emergency rescue care she gives to wild hummingbirds who have come into peril in one way or another. A book like this is sure to be full of emotion for all animal lovers, but it is also fun and educational. We have a humming bird feeder at our house, but now that we know the importance of it, I am going to work much harder on keeping it exactly as the birds need it to be.

Reading this book I found myself laughing at parts, surprised at miraculous stories, and saddened by the obvious reality that not all lives can be saved. It is the most rounded storytelling a book about hummingbird rescue can be.
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mirrani | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Jun 24, 2017 |
I'm a birder. Birds in the wild fascinate me, and I am certain that watching the song and shore birds that populated my yard when I was in recuperation mode after being placed on medical leave were crucial to my healing. It was a thrill for me to learn the different species that came past my window, but a true milestone when I realized I could identify different individual birds by their habits, markings, and personality. But to care for them, in my home? I don't think I have what it takes.

I've now read two memoirs written by people who have rescued birds. In each case, the species are ones I love (the first was a barn owl and now this book on hummingbirds). And, in each case, the authors have sacrificed much of their lives and personal freedoms to care for the birds that the winds of fate have blown their way. Their dedication, and that of people who rehab hurt animals, amazes me. I'm a nurse, but as a caregiver to ill or hurt humans, I could put in my 8 hours and go home. For author Terry Masear and others who run rehab centers for injured, it's a 24/7 commitment during fledgling season. Wow.

This book taught me a lot. I will admit that when I heard Masear speak on a radio talk show, I thought she was anthropomorphizing a lot. But reading the situations, rather than hearing a brief radio chat, threw her observations and assumptions into a bit clearer light. I've always liked seeing hummingbirds buzz about, but now I shall look at them with different eyes.

tags: heard-interview-with-author, i-heard-about-it-on-npr, i-liked-the-pictures, made-me-look-something-up, made-me-think, read, read-in-2015, taught-me-something, thank-you-charleston-county-library
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bookczuk | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Sep 7, 2015 |

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1
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74
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#238,154
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½ 4.3
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5
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