Our Seasonal Guests
I could argue that this is nominally on-topic, because I often see this little beauty flitting about outside my kitchen window as I am baking. Last year her nest was directly in front of said window; this year it took me a while to discover its location, once she started making daily appearances in late January.
Happily, the tiny nest turns out to be still well within easy viewing (and photographing) range if I step outside. But I didn’t discover it until the eggs were already hatched, so I’m not sure exactly how old the two hatchlings are. By the look of them, only a few days at most. Their black, shriveled heads are about the size of small blueberries, each with a bright orange beak hardly wider than the tine of a fork.
This is Ms. Hummingbird’s third season with us. I believe she is an Anna’s hummingbird. If there are any hummingbird experts out there who can confirm or refute this, please pipe up. The red at her throat is visible only when she is in flight, and she makes a chit-chit sound, more loudly than I’d have believed possible from such a small creature. The exterior diameter of the nest is less than two inches.
The top photo is a bit blurry because the nest is almost always moving. It’s nearly at the end of a very flimsy branch, so even the slightest breeze sets it to bobbing, and in more substantial winds, it’s astonishing that the birds are able to stay fast in the nest as it whips wildly about. My theory is that this location, turbulence notwithstanding, is safest because it foils rodents and cats and others who might have designs on mama or hatchlings.
What amazing creatures do you see outside your kitchen?
Trish March 3 2008 at 05:14 am 1
We have a finch feeder in easy view of the kitchen window. Some mornings I get up and it’s like watching a birdy “starbucks” everyone is flitting around and waiting their turn. Very entertaining…
Happy Monday Susan!
Trish
mimi March 3 2008 at 09:18 am 2
what a beautiful photo and great way to welcome warmer weather! i have no window in my kitchen per se (welcome to the city!) but i can look out my back window from the kitchen. we get nice visits from various birds (including ruby hummers in the summer) but usually just a pair or two of annoying grey squirrels, hardly amazing at all!
katy March 3 2008 at 10:18 am 3
how amazing! no creatures outside my kitchen window… although there is a guy who loves to sit out on his balcony in the building across from mine, and my dogs *love* to bark at him. Not quite as cool as baby hummingbirds!!!
MyKitchenInHalfCups March 3 2008 at 10:39 am 4
Love your hummingbirds. You are so lucky to be able to see the nest! I love the way animals are so creative in hiding nest. This seems like such a sturdy nest!
Our nature watching is in our backyard where our herbs grow and we have a fountain that attracts the birds. We also have a neighborhood cat who sleeps/watches for the birds on an arbor where wisteria is about to bloom.
Laura March 3 2008 at 12:21 pm 5
Only a Californian could ask this in early March and expect to get interesting answers!
Wow what colors–everything is still grey and brown here.
But I did see some very large wild birds the other day–the picture is on my blog because I am interested to see if anyone can identify them for me (although the photo is a bit small and blurry–they did not come anywhere near as close as you got). Wild turkeys maybe?
Caramella Mou March 3 2008 at 12:47 pm 6
Hi Susan!
You are so lucky, your Ms Hummingbird is beautiful and well done - if she keeps coming back to nest.
I’ve only seen hummingbirds once in Napa and they were quick to fly off again.
We have a family of robins this year and I hope they’ll make it. I haven’t been able to find their nest though.
I hope the babies fledge.
Jessica March 3 2008 at 01:22 pm 7
Aww thats so cute! I love to watch humming birds!
ejm March 3 2008 at 02:32 pm 8
How cool is that?!
The only creatures that build homes in view of our kitchen window are garden spiders. We don’t usually really notice them until September when their webs by the garden hose spigot get alarmingly large (for here - their bodies are not much more than half an inch long. The webs are often at least a couple of feet in diameter. When they build their webs across the garden path, I’m always reminded of that great Gary Larson comic depicting the spider web at the bottom of a slide and the spiders saying something like “if we pull this off, we’ll eat like kings for days”). We try not to disturb them; we’re convinced they keep the mosquitoes at bay.
-Elizabeth
Mer March 3 2008 at 05:31 pm 9
I love hummingbirds! Thanks for sharing those great pics. :0)
baking soda March 4 2008 at 02:49 am 10
How wonderful to have such exotic (at least to me) beauty in view! What I see from my kitchen window? Not much yet (pigeons blergh), but I hope the finches and robins will nest again soon.
Susan March 5 2008 at 06:32 am 11
Trish, my dad was forever in search of, and never found, a bird feeder that the squirrels couldn’t figure out. I think that’s why I’ve never had one, because my dad was always fretting over his. Maybe one day I’ll overcome that and get one.
Mimi, lucky you! In all the time I spent living on the east coast I think I saw a hummingbird maybe once.
Katy, I think people definitely qualify as creatures. People-watching can be great amusement.
Tanna, the wildlife my herbs (when I have tried to grow any) have attracted has been mostly snails. Not my favorite, but I suppose they have to eat too.
Laura, you stumped me! Cool photo, whatever they are.
Caramella, I’ll be rooting for your robins!
Jessica, they’ll be even cuter in a couple of weeks, I’ll try to get more photos.
Elizabeth, spiders are supposed to very good luck. I don’t kill them when I find them in the house, but I’m OK with putting them outside.
Mer, you’re welcome, thanks for stopping by!
Baking Soda, she’s still exotic to me too.
Abbey March 8 2008 at 10:35 am 12
We have three cats. They frequently peer into our house through our sliding glass doors (my daughter says they treat us like we’re on a sitcom). Our 5 month old kitten in particular, seems to like to watch me while I bake. She’ll climb up the screen door to peer down at what I’m doing, as my countertop is a few inches away from the door. I love her company!
marybeth July 15 2008 at 07:17 pm 13
Hi I also have a hummingbird nest on a tiny metal star that I hung over my koi pond… there are two babies… I used to see the mom all of the time in the nest now that they are born I hardly see her I am worried…. I know she must be busy but it is dark now and seh is not in it….. What did you notice about your mom.s behavior after babies hatched… did you see less of her?