Hummingbird and babies

[OrvSal]

Hi all, sorry for not being very active here, too much work and no time to play, but I do get to monitor and really love the images that are posted here. It helps keep my sanity when I can't go out shooting for long periods of time.

I'd like to share some shots of our local Hummer that just decided to come to me instead of me searching for them.. I've shot a lot of Hummers at a feeder but have never seen a nest let alone to see the eggs and watch two babies being hatched. Please forgive the lack of artistic quality but rather please enjoy the experience. All were taken with a P&S and had to use on camera flash as the nest was in a dark area just outside my front door of the apartment. We did not even know the nest was there till Mamma started to be a bit protective of this bush.


#1 2-08-09 outside our front door, momma flying close at hand.

http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/photos/482896154_f8Hsc-M.jpg (http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/1967942_zQVBm#482896154_f8Hsc)

#2 2-08-09 One egg in the nest. The next day there were two.

http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/photos/471894820_ua4b5-M.jpg (http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/1967942_zQVBm#471894820_ua4b5)

#3 2-11-09 Momma sitting on the nest full time.

http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/photos/471894832_sfBMK-M.jpg (http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/1967942_zQVBm#471894832_sfBMK)

#4 2-28-09 The eggs have hatched!

http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/photos/482651039_VTS5a-M.jpg (http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/1967942_zQVBm#482651039_VTS5a)

#5 3-01-09 Using a ruler and a quarter for size comparison!
http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/photos/482896144_Xpjkt-M.jpg (http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/1967942_zQVBm#482896144_Xpjkt)

#6 3-11-09 in the nest and growing fast.

http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/photos/490777308_mzeYq-M.jpg (http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/1967942_zQVBm#490777308_mzeYq)

#7 3-17-09 They are very alert and getting anxious to go!

http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/photos/494915364_2akWh-M.jpg (http://osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/1967942_zQVBm#494915364_2akWh)

On 3-18-09 They were out flying on their own. I was able to see them on a nearby Bird of Paridise plant, could not get a shot of them, then they were gone... This was quite a thrill for me to be able to watch and capture a part of their life like this. I hope someone else can enjoy this series. Please feel free to download these photos from here or my web site to show the kids. Thanks for looking.

[darkdragon]

What a great series! How amazing to have them nest where you could take some photos, that is wonderful. :thumb

[DsrtVW]

That is incredible that you had the access, I have never seen a hummer nest location before. So cool. Thanks for the documentary.:clap

[OrvSal]

Thanks for the comments. The eggs were about the size of a Tic-Tac. I just hope they come back and hang around a while.

[Netgarden]

Oh what a joy to observe! :clap Great shots and thanks for sharing it. I had the opportunity to photgraph one at the park for a few weeks. Hard to say goodbye to them! Isn't it weird how they stay in a comatose state in between feedings! I gather it's for their safety to lie still from preditors.

[R.Jay]

Hi. This series is absolutely incredible - beautiful :clap
Cheers, Richard.

[aj986s]

Great series! Thanks for sharing.
Amazing how quickly they matured; from just hatched to flying in less than a month...WOW!

[dlplumer]

:bow :bow Wonderful. Thanks

[OrvSal]

Thanks again for looking and the comments. The nest is really interesting how it was made. It looked like mostly clothes dryer lint and paper strips, and as the babies grew, it was able to stretch to let them fit in it. I wonder if the momma will ever reuse a nest again?

[Cygnus Studios]

What an incredible series. All I can say is Wow.

[Cuong]

What an incredible series. All I can say is Wow. :agree:thumb

Cuong

[raptorcaptor]

Nice set, Orv! Like the size comparison!

[jonh68]

Oh what a joy to observe! :clap Great shots and thanks for sharing it. I had the opportunity to photgraph one at the park for a few weeks. Hard to say goodbye to them! Isn't it weird how they stay in a comatose state in between feedings! I gather it's for their safety to lie still from preditors.

Its also a way to conserve energy. Hummingbirds have very high metabolisms so any rest they get conserves energy.