Thursday, June 4, 2009

Hummingbird Nesting

Addendum: And at the beginning . . . or second beginning.

My dear sister, Janet, was so sweet to email these pictures so that I could share them with you! She pointed out that the wire the nests are built on, actually provides power for her patio lights. And if you look REALLY closely, you'll see that the nest located near the center of the photo is built directly atop a switch--which can't be much more than an inch long. So, we're talking minuscule nest, here.

She further explained that the nest to the right side of (most of) the pictures is actually one from a couple of years ago. That one, according to her report, contained two little eggs approximately the size of little almonds (shelled almonds, I'm sure). I'm impressed. I've always wanted to see a hummingbird nest close-up and this might be the only chance I get to do that! (She lives like a two-day trip from me--a LONG two days! Dang it!)




Notice the rapidly moving wings up there?

See the switch the nest is built on?
Isn't this just sweet?!!
* * * * * *
I have a sister who took a picture of a hummingbird on its nest. It's under the patio cover at her house. The nest was constructed on an electrical wire, of all things, and she, my sister, now has limited access to her patio (the nest is really close, she said, to her access door). The little jewel's chosen spot is just over the BBQ grill, so grilling, for a bit, will be curtailed.

I've got to see if she'll email me a copy her picture and post it. It's just so cute! And who doesn't need "cute" right now in this world? So, IF she'll email me a copy of her great picture, I'll share it with you. (She did, as you might have noticed at the beginning, the new beginning of this post.) Otherwise, you'll have to be like I was yesterday, and be completely oblivious to what a hummingbird on its nest looks like. (Unless, of course, you've already been so privileged.)

Best to you all, and to all little, glittery hummers wherever you are! (Not the rugged 4-wheeler version vehicles. Rather, the high-energy, feathered, acrobatic masters of flight ones!)

4 comments:

Mary O. Paddock said...

I've never seen a humming bird nest. Thanks for posting the pics.

We have really enjoyed our humming birds this spring. This is the first time we've been faithful about keeping the feeders full. And I've discovered that they know where the food is coming from too. The one time we let it run dry, the little bird went around to the front window and hovered, pecking at the boys through the screen, much to their delight.

Pencil Writer said...

Mary, you're right about them knowing where the food coomes from! We learned in an odd way more than 30 years ago. We lived in Northern CA in a neat old house with a fabulous yard full of flowers, etc. One day, my husband was working on the veg garden and was continually dive-bombed by a hummingbird or two.

A few days later we were talking with a next-door neighbor and the hummingbird experience came up. The sweet neighbor said it was her fault. She'd forgotten to fill her feeder!

And we've had various experiences here where the first hummers back in the spring will hover close to the windows to get out attention to get busy and feed them! It never ceases to amaze me!

BB said...

This is soooo sweet. Wow. Smaller than my willy wagtails by the look of it! At least you didn't need sticky tape to keep it in place!!

Thank your sister for us...
:-)
BB

Unknown said...

nice blog you have...what a little cute birds....and they are so sweet...




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