Wednesday, February 8, 2012

8 Feb 2012 - Anna's Hummingbird Nest

I've been watching an Anna's Hummingbird nest in my RV park, just across the street from me. I first noticed the nest shortly after I got back from California, on the 17th of January. At first all I saw was the mother hummingbird sitting on the nest. She would sit on the nest for awhile, then leave briefly, then get back on the nest again, throughout the day.

Then on the 22nd of January, I noticed a difference in her behavior - before she got back on the nest she would stop at the side of the nest and feed two babies! [You can clearly see one baby's head in the photo on right if you enlarge it - click on any picture to see a bigger view then click on your "back" button to return.]

Then I got a surprise, when looking at my pictures on the 31st, to see there were clearly three little mouths! [left] Three is unusual; most of the time there are two eggs in a hummingbird nest. [On this photo you can also see that she is "flashing" a few of the bright pink feathers at her throat that help to identify her as an Anna's Hummingbird.]

When I told a ranger at a local park about the three babies, she warned me that it isn't unusual for one of the babies to get pushed out of the nest, when there are three. And, in fact, it appears that is what happened, as I never saw three babies again - only two. :-(

The babies are getting bigger and growing fast. It's been a joy to watch them, but I don't know how much longer they will be here. As fast as they are growing, they may be fledging soon.



Post Script - 12 Feb: This photo on the right, taken 12 Feb, is the last one I took before the remaining two babies fledged. The larger one (in front) had been doing a lot of preening,and flapping its wings, and I knew they would be gone soon. I have mixed feelings about that. Sad that I won't get to watch them any more. But happy that they have successfully fledged.



28 Feb - Post Post Script: I thought that was the end of the story. But I decided this afternoon to measure the hummingbird nest, and take a couple pictures of the tree, to give you a better perspective on just how tiny this nest is. I've read that hummingbirds don't re-use their nests, so I didn't figure Mama Hummingbird would mind if I examined it, now that she's through with it. I took a picture of the tree that the nest is in. Can you spy the nest? I'll give you a clue. It's on one of the bottom branches on the left. Still can't find it? I'll give you a little closer view, and see if that helps. Can you see it now?

Due to my mother's recent illness, I haven't been home for a couple weeks. But this afternoon when I was measuring the nest (1 inch high, 1 3/4 inch across), I heard the sound of a hummingbird "chattering", and, to my surprise, I saw a hummingbird in Mama Hummingbird's favorite spot, at the top of the tree next to my house. Not only did it seem to be talking to me, like she so often did, as I went to and fro from my RV's front door to my car, but it gave the little dance in the air, that I've come to associate with a greeting, similar to "I'm glad to see you". I was very surprised, but, especially so, when I realized it wasn't Mama Hummingbird that was greeting me, but one of the juveniles!!! :-) [photo above] Did my heart good. What a wonderful experience this has been.

And, finally, this is a photo I took last year of a male Anna's Hummingbird, flashing his bright pink colors. If one of the juveniles is a male, this is what he will look like when he grows up! :-)

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