I posted this over in the hummingbird forum and it was suggested you guys might like to see my photo. I took this photo of a pair of babies yesterday (Wednesday). You can see the baby on the bottom of the photo is further along than the one on the top. It's eyes are beginning to open and the pin feathers on its head are more developed.
This message was edited Jun 12, 2008 12:09 PM
Great job Jackie! Very sweet!
What a lovely nest too, thanks for posting it!
adorable!
How wonderful to be able to watch them grow.
Can't wait to see the progression!
Very very sweet Jackie. And the nest is perfectly round. How in the world do they do it?
Ohhhh... that is a wonderful pic! So cute!!!
Mrs. Ed, not sure how closely I will watch the progression. I've done this before, got too attached only to have one baby snatched from the nest by a scrub jay. I plead ignorance. I set up a feeder to attract scrub jays not knowing that they raid nests for baby birds and they found the baby hummingbirds :-( After a scrub jay snatched the first one and returned for the second, for three days I got up at 5:00 -5:30 a.m. and sat at my station armed with a water hose set on stream to save the second baby. Every time a scrub jay or crow came into the yard hunting babies, I let 'em have it. By the third day, they lost interest (and I had lost a lot of sleep).
So I'm a bit hesitant to get too involved because I take it personally. But I have a new camera and I couldn't resist getting at least a few photos of these adorable creatures. I'm not "professional" enough to remain emotionally uninvolved. So I'm sort of pretending they aren't there :-) Sort of.
This is a picture from the baby three years ago. The mother built the nest on a dragonfly wind chime four feet from our back door (I have lots of pictures). Looks like he's ready for take-off :-)
Beautiful images, Jackie. Please remain involved. Of course you'll take it personally. How couldn't you.
Oh Jackie, I feel for you and understand your dilemma. But how lucky that you have the opportunity if you want it.
Oh, I will be watching them :-) I will try to take a picture once in a while. Just not 1000 + like I did before (that nest was not only four feet from my back door, but just inches from my kitchen window). The baby got very used to me. Here's one taken of that baby a few days before it fledged....
What a privilege. Thanks
That would just be so cool...
I think this is so wonderful. I had a wonderful second nest in the court yard. The babies were hatched, just barely. I am so stupid. I talked to them everyday because they were just about at eye level in the fig vine. Unfortunately, I had the slate walkway power washed and sealed. Of course, with all the noise and smell, she moved the babies. She had here first nest higher in the fig at the upper level of the second story. But you could see her and the babies from the patio upstairs. I checked there but they asre not there. There are four old nests and one nest from this year up there. . That happened on Tuesday and I keep looking for them but no luck. Next year I will be more careful.
What a wonderful thrill to watch them grow and change with each day.
I was blessed with watching and even getting to feed 5 baby robins this year. So glad they left the nest before the grass got too high. I didn't want to mow by that hedge for fear of sending from the nest too soon. (past experience has taught me this) :... ~ (
Ck your message box...
Janet
Good news. I cleaned the wall yesterday where all the little poop was from the hummers. Lo and behold, this morning the poop was back. I looked in that area. She had moved lower into the nest. I was so happy you would think I had won the lottery.
Yeah!!
What a wonderful opportunity you have to be able to help these small creatures get a start in life, Jackie and SK. Fabulous pics. You are very lucky.
That is the coolest hummingbird nest picture I have ever seen.
Thanks for posting!
What an amazing thing to be able to watch first hand. Thanks for posting the adorable pictures. I think you may be confused though in the first picture. The one on top has its head bent backwards and you are seeing the underside of its throat, not the top of its head. Both babies appear to be at same stage of development, as should be.
You're correct wingz. I realized that later. I expect these will fledge in about 2 to 2 1/2 weeks.
Looking forward to hearing and seeing more of their progress.
Well we had an exciting day. First thing this morning I went out to see the babies and all was well. I had two friends that came over at 9am and they were just delighted. I have a ladder there and go up and talk to them all the time. The mother now knows me and is not having a problem with my visits. Around 11am I made another visit and one baby was hanging on the side and was breathing very quickly. I googled my problem and they said it was normal but keep an eye on them. The one left in the nest had taken over the total nest. About one hour later I observed that the one out of the nest was now resting it's backside on the fig vine for support and appeared to be calm. Now we are at 4pm and I visit again. The one out of the nest is mostly back in the nest and actually partially on the other hummer. I have pictures which I will post tomorrow. The gardener stopped by to deliver something and I told him to go up the ladder and look. This a man in his mid 40's and he actually giggled he was so delighted.
that's cute. I don't want to be a party pooper… BUT Maybe since they are so close to fledging you should not go up the ladder any more??? I know they might be used to them, but if they are startled might they fledge early like bluebirds???
Just a thought. No idea really. Certainly no experience, which you clearly have.
Good thinking mrs. ed. You never know. Very exciting sk!!
Well you are probably right. I just got so excited I wasn't using my god given good judgement. The next messages I hope will include the pictures. They will be in order of time taken. Hummer was back in nest late yesterday and today is back out. We have a hugh nest of bees next door. The owners are in Europe so I am in charge of getting the bee keepers to get rid of the bees. I will send a picture of that also. They are suppose to remove the bees after dark but they are bothering the hummers. The mother is giving battle. I am afraid of the bees because there appears to be about 10,000 next door. Only about twenty in my court yard.
Next picture
Next picture.
Next picture. The bees.
cute birds!
interesting about the bees. I'm assuming you believe them to be honeybees since a beekeeper is coming? I have a friend who keeps bees and is always going along country roads to gather them.
Given the collapse in bee populations in the last year or two, those bees could be quite valuable!
Resin
Oh my I would be so dead, (I'm VERY allergic) if those bees were on my house.... My next door neighbor wanted to have some bee hives and thank goodness he happen to say something when I was over as I would not have ever been able to go outside in my yard. Not to mention how many stings my collies would have gotten.
I'm not against bees as they are vital to our garden life cycle (which is why I carry my epi pen when I'm out in my yard working on my new flower beds) as I wouldn't be able to enjoy the flowers without them. I've spent two times in the hospital for several weeks due to stings.
Didn't the owners notice they were building before the hive got that large????
Janet
my gosh!! Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I sent the owner['s an e-mail with the pictures. He was amazed. The bee guy said they had been there over a month. In Las Vegas with 100 plus degrees, you spend a lot of time early in the morning or later, near dark in the garden. The bee guy said they are rather calm during those times. My neighbor is a great gardener at 43 years old and does it all himself. He called from England this morning and was relieved that we found the nest because his daughter was in the property with the Nanny. He said last week before he left he was putting out the garbage and there was a bucket next to the garbage container that was full of dead bees. He couldn't figure out why all the bees got into the bucket and died. DUH. The bucket was directly under the hive. Boy I had fun this morning at 5a.m. giving him a bad time.
The hummer babies are fine and the ladder has been removed. They are both still in the nest. I have a Laurel tree next to the nest. Mommy sits in the tree and keeps an eye on them. The bees are gone. That was a relief ecause they made me nervous and I was worried about the babies. The high here today was 108. I started gardening around 6a.m. and that was too late. I need to start a 5a.m. I can only garden until 10a.m. because of the heat. I am now working on this year's gardening journal. Until tomorrow, everyone have a great day.
Wow, Janet, you do have it bad. Scary stuff.
My name is Sharon. Today is another good day with momma looking after the two babies. She seems to be staying closer so they must be going to fledge. I talk to them every morning before I start my gardening. I will miss them when they are gone. If any one saw me they would think I was talking to the fig vine.
skwinter, I love it talking to the fig vine....LOL It is sad to see them go isn't it. I enjoyed watching 5 baby robins this spring. Up close and personal with them and even feeding them. Mom ever watchful but I think she knew I was ok. I would bring worms and leave them on the drive way and talk to her telling her to come get them.... So I'm sure the folks across the street think I'm crazy.....LOL
babies, whether human or animals make us silly....
Janet
Sorry to Janet and Sharon for misidentification
