Hummingbird and babies

OrvSalOrvSal Registered Users Posts: 461 Major grins
edited March 26, 2009 in Wildlife
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.

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

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

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

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#5 3-01-09 Using a ruler and a quarter for size comparison!
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#6 3-11-09 in the nest and growing fast.

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

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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.
Have a great day!
Orv

Thomson, Ga. USA
www.Osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com

Comments

  • darkdragondarkdragon Registered Users Posts: 1,051 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2009
    What a great series! How amazing to have them nest where you could take some photos, that is wonderful. thumb.gif
    ~ Lisa
  • DsrtVWDsrtVW Registered Users Posts: 1,991 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2009
    That is incredible that you had the access, I have never seen a hummer nest location before. So cool. Thanks for the documentary.clap.gif
    Chris K. NANPA Member
    http://kadvantage.smugmug.com/
  • OrvSalOrvSal Registered Users Posts: 461 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2009
    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.
    Have a great day!
    Orv

    Thomson, Ga. USA
    www.Osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com
  • NetgardenNetgarden Registered Users Posts: 829 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2009
    Oh what a joy to observe! clap.gif 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.JayR.Jay Registered Users Posts: 974 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2009
    Hi. This series is absolutely incredible - beautiful clap.gif
    Cheers, Richard.
  • aj986saj986s Registered Users Posts: 1,100 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2009
    Great series! Thanks for sharing.
    Amazing how quickly they matured; from just hatched to flying in less than a month...WOW!
    Tony P.
    Canon 50D, 30D and Digital Rebel (plus some old friends - FTB and AE1)
    Long-time amateur.....wishing for more time to play
    Autocross and Track junkie
    tonyp.smugmug.com
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2009
  • OrvSalOrvSal Registered Users Posts: 461 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2009
    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?
    Have a great day!
    Orv

    Thomson, Ga. USA
    www.Osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com
  • Cygnus StudiosCygnus Studios Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2009
    What an incredible series. All I can say is Wow.
    Steve

    Website
  • CuongCuong Registered Users Posts: 1,508 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2009
    What an incredible series. All I can say is Wow.
    15524779-Ti.gifthumb

    Cuong
    "She Was a Little Taste of Heaven – And a One-Way Ticket to Hell!" - Max Phillips
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited March 25, 2009
    Nice set, Orv! Like the size comparison!
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • jonh68jonh68 Registered Users Posts: 2,711 Major grins
    edited March 26, 2009
    Netgarden wrote:
    Oh what a joy to observe! clap.gif 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.
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