Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933) "Hummingbird" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. Wildlife of the 50 States 22c Hummingbird/Ohio stamp issued June 13, 1987. One of the great pleasures of a summer's day is the sight of a Hummingbird sipping eagerly from lush, full blooms. Hovering gracefully above the garden flowers, the lovely little Hummingbird sips deeply of the blossom's sweet nectar, deriving energy from its sugar, and protein from tiny insects found therein. These feeding flights account for its amazing activity rate and its seemingly nonstop action as it flits from meal to meal. The Hummingbird has the fascinating ability to fly forward or backward or even to hover in mid-air, as it beats its wings furiously some eighty times a second. This beating produces the "hum" referred to in its name. Tiny in size, the Hummingbird displays tremendous endurance and stamina and some migrate all the way to Central America each winter for sustenance in the warmer climates. Breeding occurs in the north in woven nests built with care and precision. Within these nests females nurture their young which mature quickly. The several Hummingbird species indigenous to North America are scattered across a wide range. Image Size: 13.5 x 14.5 in. Overall Size: 14 x 17 in. Unframed. (B11076)