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. ( )

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. ( )

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. ( )

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 ( )

I love books about wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, so I was eager to read Terry Masear’s first-hand account of rescuing hummingbirds in Southern California; after all, that’s where I live, and hummingbirds are very common sights in this part of the world.

This is the first rescue and rehab book like this I’ve read about birds. I’ve read many about various types of mammals and found everyone endearing and unforgettable. Typically, those books focused on the individual animal being rescued. As a result, you really got close to the animal and the rescuer. I didn’t know what to expect with a book about rescuing hummingbirds. I knew that I loved these awe-inspiring little jewels with jet engines; I’ve been mesmerized by them countless times in my garden. But would these gorgeous and often very aggressive little creatures prove interesting subjects for a full-length book?

I needn’t have worried. The book almost instantly worked its way into my heart and I found I could not put it down. I read it almost nonstop and finished it in a little more than 10 hours over two days. The book is filled with warm-hearted stories about these absolutely amazing birds and their equally awesome rescuers. It’s almost all text. There is a small section of black and white photos in the middle.

I expected the book to be mainly about the hummingbirds. So, I was surprised to see that actually the lion’s share of the book was devoted to telling about the human rescuers…especially the dedicated people from all different backgrounds, cultures, educational, and economic levels who were willing to drop everything important in their lives to rescue a hummingbird and get it to Masear for emergency care and rehabilitation. I had no idea how uplifting and captivating these humans rescuing hummingbird stories would be. That was the endearing eye-opener about this book.

Masear seems to have a natural gift for storytelling. Her stories about the birds and their rescuers come alive off the page. In particular, she has a gift for dialog and remembering exactly how a person talked and presented themselves when they turned up in her life with a hummingbird needing rescuing. When she tells us each story, it is as if we are there when it happens. Of course, she’s able to describe the little hummers with equal skill. I marveled at her incredible memory, but I assume she made detailed written records for each arrival and graduate.

There are two very special hummingbirds that carry the arc of the storytelling along though to the end; i.e., it is their stories that make you want to turn the pages to find out what becomes of them. She spreads out the stories of these two birds in bits and pieces throughout the book. Both of these two hummingbirds were especially difficult rehab cases. I had no idea what to expect with the stories about their unique cases, and I refuse to ruin it for you by telling you anything more. The two special hummers are Gabriel and Pepper. By the end of the book, you will know and love them, too. She gives both of these birds personalities and you learn every detail about their trauma, care, and rehabilitation.

If you love wildlife rescue and rehabilitation stories, this one is definitely captivating and extremely enjoyable. I can’t think of any way that Masear could have made this book better short of filling it up with expensive full-color photographs. ( )