Hummingbird Morning Miracle

Well that may explain while mine was covered in spider webs. only he/she was so tangled it could not fly.

I wonder what kind of spider web it was? Some are stickier than others! Glad you were able to rescue the little one. ^_^
So how did you remove the spider webs? I'm curious and it might come in handy to know.
Thanks for sharing your experience, marie.
WIB,
SW

SW, thanks for the update! I am also so glad to see your photos of the hummingbird nest, and learn that your hummer continued to build onto it and use it each year. I had been watching a little hummer sit on her nest, and was even able to see and photograph her eggs from an upstairs window. Unfortunately, this recent storm we had blew the little eggs right out of the nest. It was so sad, and I'm really hoping that the mama will lay another clutch. It would be wonderful if she did it in the same nest (we don't normally have this much wind this time of year, so I doubt they would meet the same sad fate).

That is so cute! Love those pics!

SW, maybe you could set Mom up on the porch (or inside a window if it's too cold out) with a pair of binoculars and a notepad & get her started on the birds while she convalesces? Might be fun & give her something different to think about! I've been amazed at how many different varieties I've seen thru our windows since the sun came out. Makes it hard to concentrate on spreadsheets for work....sigh.

sunnyg,
Is the nest still there? She may come back and use it again. That is sad that she lost her clutch. Especially since you had such a great vantage point. I don't dare trying to look inside the nest. I'd fall down and hurt myself! I do hope that your feathered friend comes back to her old nest.
imapigeon,
That is such a great suggestion. It might keep Mom awake during the day, instead of keeping me up all night. Mom is sad that I am trying to get the Hummer out of the green house. I'm thinking of hanging the feeder on the back porch so she can see the hummers better.
The ramp gets built on Saturday, and then I can take her outside so she can enjoy the weather when sunny, and perhaps she'd enjoy doing some birdwatching from one of the windows when it is too cold out, too. Now where did we hide the binoculars from the kids? LOL!
Adina, and all of you, thanks for sharing your thoughts with me. It's raised my spirits too!
It's been fun to have something to share, be sure to tell the girls hi from me 'Chelle. Still trying to get better photos, and a proper ID, but the flying fellow is fast!
WIB,
SW

Oh SW - thanks for all the photo's. I've never seen a hummer nest before. Love it!! Big hugs to you and mom!
~chele

SW does it have a screechy little song? Anna's hummingbirds are the only ones that sing. What a lovely story. I'm so glad that you found the little bird and rescued it.

Actually it was more of a twittering sound. Take a tiny fairy make it scream, yup that would be the sound. LOL! It definitely had a voice and was using it. Also remember a ruby colored spot on his throat. I'll try to get more photos of it tomorrow as it's feeder moves closer to the door.
Ima, doss, you've convinced me it is a juvenile male Anna's Hummingbird. Brave little warrior was making straffing runs at me when I got too close to the feeder this afternoon. He was fine if I was on the other side of the green house though! Tonight, it was pretending to be a guava leaf.
I didn't find the bird, Lone Wolf (one of DH's employees) did, and he brought it to me. Those are his hands in the first few photos. All I did was provide the sugar water, and suggest that the greenhouse would be better for him to recover in than the house, due to our cats. I did get to carry the lil guy out to the green house though. Big smile on my face. It was a real treat!
WIB,
SW

Hey, SingingWolf, just how many tiny fairies have you made scream? Hmmmm?

Ummm, None, but I've got a good imagination? Or maybe it was watching FERN GULLY all those times with the kids when they were little? Honest, I've never tortured any bugs, birds or fairies. Except ants! I've even been known to rescue spiders and scorpions. LOL!
WIB,
SW

Whew, I'm glad to hear you aren't torturing fairies. LOL

The hummingbird nest is still up in the bush, and I did see a hummer in the redwood tree above the nest today. I've got my fingers crossed for more babies :-).

The mama hummer I was watching had a red spot on the neck as well...does yours look like this?

I've heared Anna's HB songs described as sounding like rusty gate hinges, and that's what mine sound lilke. The behavior of yours definitely sounds male, SW. The females around here are pretty mellow, but the males are extremely territorial. I am always amazed at these photos of multiple hummers on a feeder----the ones who live here will barely let each other eat one at a time without dive-bombing the feeder. And if it's getting empty and I'm outside they hover 2 feet away from my face and chew me out at the top of their little lungs. Like a fairy having a tantrum....LOL!

SW I used some damp kleenex. I know not probably the right way but it was all I had at the time.

SW, hard to tell until he/she sits still for a portrait, but the red dot you describe on the throat makes me think it's a female Anna's. They are quite petite.

BTW, sources say not to put coloring in the water. Just 4:1 water to sugar.

KC, Won't do the food coloring anymore. Don't like making them food, but I did get the ratio right. I've been working on supplementing their natural food sources by planting things they like to eat. Then I don't have to worry about the feeder running dry.
Here is another photo of the lil guy. I finally found it last night when I was going through the day's photos. Since he has his back to me it's hard to say. He twitters, when he sees me around the feeder the rest of the time he is swooping around at the top of the green house.
Marie, glad to hear back from you. If it works it works, damp kleenix couldn't possibly hurt the hummer. I was thinking that those new dust catcher cloths would probably work too. I'd hate to have to unravel the spider web one strand at a time. I wonder if it flew into a spider web? Black widow webs are incredibly sticky and hard to remove. Thumbs up girlfriend you did a great job! ^_^
sunnyg, the thought of torturing anything (besides ants, ok even ants) is totally repugnant to me. Besides the little people help me out. They are my friends! Yes, I BELIEVE. I'm a huge Tinkerbell fan. LOL!
I like your photo, and hope the one I'm sending helps some. I really can't tell. I'm going to have to have one of you come out and look if I can't get better photos. It is promising that your hummer friend is perching near the old nest, she could very well try again. Fingers crossed for you! ^_^
Speaking of which, I should get out and open the green house door and move the feeder closer to it.
WIB,
SW

What a cutie! Your photo here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=6157749 reminded me of my little mama, with her red dot. Kaper helped me with her ID (Anna's).

IF it's an attack hummingbird then it definitely is an Anna's. Have you noticed the wonderful photos of a flock of hummingbirds at one feeder? You won't see that with an ANna's. Anna's are territorial because they don't migrate. Iv'e seen mine dive bomb blue jays!

We have had rare occasions late in summer or early fall when we will see several hummers at the feeders - and there must be an Anna's in there somewhere. But you're right, Doss, they are combative characters! The male bullies the female something awful, and the juvies only a little less. I often scold him through the kitchen window - as if it does any good! LOL

I know I have at least a couple of pics of our hummers, but darned if I can find them!

To whet everyone's appetites, I can't wait for the Orioles to arrive - they were here in March last year.

We have a pair of Bullard's orioles that have been coming to our yard for several years. I just love them---don't get to see them often (they're shy), but it's such a treat when I do. It will be interesting to see if they like the new landscaping. They left last fall just about the time we got it done.

The Hummer has left the green house! DH decided to hurry along the process, so he moved the feeder outside.
See photo. Which kinda upset me, so I went on a long walk, and when I came back I found this. So maybe I'll forgive DH.

Awwww----but s/he came to you for rescue, and you've done your job as a foster mom!

Here is a photo I cropped so you can see him better.

I had always intended to release him, but wanted to be there to see him leave. So I was pretty happy when he came back. Here is another photo.

After he fed, he perched on my Potato bush.

Then I noticed that Blackbeard the cat was exhibiting too much interest in the feeder so I moved it from where DH had left it in between the green house and the table the cat is laying on. This photo shows the current position that the feeder is in, and Mom can see from the window easily. I'll have to hang it higher, rats!!
It's worth it though. Mom is really cheered up by watching the little guy!

He has returned to visit the new position and eat before it got too dark. I'm hoping it is him, but I did see another one earlier today, out in the front yard.
This is my favorite photo of him for the day.

Aren't his wings lovely? Irridescent in color! While I was on my walk, I was looking to see how much natural forage is available. I was heartened to find more than I thought, and thought you'd like to see what they eat this time of year when foraging for their own food.
This is a photo of Monkey flowers. They like to grow in the cracks of the big boulders, was expecting to see more of them. Crazy weather we've had this year.

Close up of the same flower.

Our recent rains will bring the Monkey flowers into gorgeous displays of color.
Normally there would be more blossoms open on this wild tobacco bush. You can see a couple bloomed out but the rest aren't quite open. This one volunteered in my yard, so I let it stay for the hummers. I have lots of these around my place, but not very many blooms were present today.

(((SingingWolf))) thanks so much for sharing this with us.

Last and weirdest photo of the day. I think someone is really confused here.
WIB,
SW

oh, too funny!!!

Oh, SingingWolf, that last photo's a cracker. You should enter that one in a competition.

Well done on the rescue, recovery and release of the Hummingbird. Just perfect.

Yep, I'm pretty happy, even if DH did rush things a bit. I forgive him.
Mom is happy because she thinks he is just a precious jewel, and it looks like he'll be a frequent visitor. Even better she thinks I take really great photos, every time. LOL! She doesn't get to see how many come out blurred. I've been showing her the photos I take on my walks and I think that cheers her up too. She was saying today that she'll be happy when I can get her outside and into some sunshine.
Still haven't figured out who is the most confused in that last photo. My old Henny Penny? Or the young peacock? Spring is definitely in the air. I noticed it when I went to pick up the kid from school and all the people were honking their horns and racing their cars away from the school! Then this just floored me. Probably have a bruise where I landed on my hinney from laughing so hard.
Have a great weekend!
WIB,
SW

I just love your monkey flowers. We have yellow ones growing all around our stream and pond, and I love the red, too. They are the happiest flowers.

Ima, we get hooded orioles here. Do you put a feeder out for them? We have one of those flat ones and if I don't move, I can watch them out the window. They are so noisy, I always know when they are visiting. This pic is through the window.

Dad always got orioles too, but I've never seen one here. Sigh. They are so pretty! Good thing Dad took lots of pictures of them and posted them here at DG.
Great photo, even through the window KC. I've seen the yellow Monkey flowers, just not here. I like them both. They are happy flowers.
WIB,
SW

Jules, I love your pics too! Wow , you have a peacock!That is too funny! I hope you can take your mom outside to see all these beauties!
Hugs,
Adina

SW - great photo-tour! I think you should crop the one with the iridescent wing and turn it into art---it's just fabulous!

Ka, the first time I saw an oriole, this big-ol' colorful bird I didn't recognize was hanging on the side of one of my hummingbird feeders, swinging it back and forth like a pendulum. It was quite a sight! I've tried feeding them fruit, but all the stuff I read says to put out jelly and things like that. It would be inundated with ants in a heartbeat. I have lots of blooming trees, and my neighbor has a eucalyptus that blooms this time of year and feeds a lot of birds. The orioles seem to like that. I also make sure I have lots of nice juicy organic bugs for them...LOL! I have at least one pair of California phoebes that nest here; I swear I can hear their wings snap when they maneuver to grab a bug out of the air.