Hummingbird

[James Newman]

I was out watering in my backyard this afternoon when a pretty little hummingbird flew back and forth the spray from my hose. Then it flew into my Texas Ebony tree. I lost sight of it but never did see it fly out again. Walking behind the tree I was pleased as punch to find her sitting on the tiniest little nest I have ever seen. I guess I am now an expectant father but until I actually get a look into the nest I can't be positive.

I live in Southern Arizona very near a place called Madera Canyon. It is a very big site for birders especially hummingbird watchers. There are 19 or 20 different species that live there and there is a big migration every year. This may very well be one of those trekkers. Anyway, I plan on watching her closely and hopefully soon get a look inside to see what we have going. I will keep you posted.

This is the nest. You can see spider webs, one of their favorite building materials, sticking out of it and also how well disguised it is. It is very small and the looks are deceiving. Hopefully I can show something beside it to give a better scale reference. Later. James

 

[Asher Kelman]

James,

I love hummingbirds and admire them too! They're such busy creatures and it amazes me how specialized they are and how advanced their flying skills are. I wonder what the maximum size for hovering like that it. Looks like a be a physics-engineering problem for Doug Kerr! Probably defines how large hummers can be.

So what camera and lenses are you planning to use and would you use any triggers?

Asher

 

[James Newman]

I'm still shooting with Nikon D3 and will probably use either my 70-200 f2.8 or the 105mm. She is very fussy when I get anywhere near her nest and tends to buzz all around my head and face when I try. I really don't want to disturb her too much so I don't know if I will do anything other than just watch her. I still have not even seen inside the nest. I need to use an inspection mirror to see down in it. Some sort of remote trigger would be useful but I don't have anything like that. Any suggestions from someone who has done this before? James

 

[James Newman]

The nest had two jelly bean sized eggs in it the day we left for the Grand Canyon. We get back home and we are the proud parents of two brand new fuzzy little hummers. I am honoring my wife's wishes and leaving the new mother and babies alone. Maybe once they get a little bigger and can stick their heads up over the edge of the nest I will try to get some photos. I am just enjoying watching all that goes on out there. She is a very attentive mother.
James

 

[James Newman]

The baby hummers are doing well and growing very quickly. They just sit there like this, with their beaks pointing up, waiting for their mother to bring them dinner. The nest is actually expanding with them as they grow.

Lazy Afternoon

Up Close and Personal​

 

[Don Cohen]

Very cool shots - must be exciting to watch them grow!

 

[Murray Foote]

Wonderful shots and story.

 

[Asher Kelman]

The baby hummers are doing well and growing very quickly. They just sit there like this, with their beaks pointing up, waiting for their mother to bring them dinner. The nest is actually expanding with them as they grow.

Up Close and Personal​

James,

Does the nest expand as it's elastic or else is it reworked by the parents and do both parents.


Not often I'm jealous, but humming birds are missing from my life! so I really appreciate the picture. Mike Spinak has done a series in Kickstarter and I got a picture of the little birds being fed.

Asher

 

[Mike Spinak]

Lovely shots, James. What a wonderful experience!

"She is very fussy when I get anywhere near her nest and tends to buzz all around my head and face when I try."

Some mothers and chicks are habituated to human presence, others are not.

Note the thorny branch the mother built this nest upon - she did that so the prickles would deter predators.

I photographed, wrote, and published a book about Anna's hummingbird chicks growing up on the nest. I find a lot of hummingbird nests, but for the book, I specifically chose a nest that was by the side of a busy road, next to a children's Summer camp - knowing that any mother hummingbird building a nest in such a peopled location was comfortable with human presence.

In your case, I would recommend truly keeping your distance, and keeping the photography to a minimum. Th mother obviously is not comfortable with people. You could be having an impact on them in any of several ways, when your'e photographing them.

"...70-200 f2.8 or the 105mm."

Also, please try to borrow a longer lens and keep a greater distance.

 

[James Newman]

Thanks Mike. I will take your advice and keep any interaction to a minimum. I understand that sometimes they will return to a nest the next season. They may re-use the same nest, build a new one right on top of the old one, or build a new one somewhere nearby. I want her to feel safe and comfortable in her neighborhood selection. When I go out into the yard now she is not so nervous. She usually flies about 20 feet to another tree and sits there watching until I go back in the house. When I took the photo of the chicks she was off hunting, getting away from the kids, or whatever it is they do when they leave. I put a feeder nearby with nectar and she drinks from it all the time but I also read that this is not so much what the chicks need. They need protein for growing so she flies off looking for insects I guess. Anyway, I appreciate your input and I also ordered your book. It looks fabulous and I can't wait for it to arrive.

Asher - Thank you too. If you are ever in Southern Arizona you will be in hummingbird heaven. This is a hot spot for watching. I do feel really lucky to have this little miracle going on right in our backyard. It is a lot of fun to watch it unfold. As for the daddy hummingbird, I have no idea if he even plays a part anymore in this whole deal. I have only seen one adult and I have to believe it is the mother. I want to figure out what species it is first and then I can learn more about their particular habits.

James

 

[James Newman]

And just as I said I would keep the photography to a minimum, I went outside to try and get a photo of the mom. This is her sitting in the other tree keeping an eye on things. I was standing on the patio using my 70-200 with a TC. I don't think she cared. I know it's probably impossible to tell by this brightly lit, too far away shot, but I would sure appreciate if Mike or anyone else might help identify the species.
James

mama​

 

[Mike Spinak]

"...I will take your advice and keep any interaction to a minimum...."

I appreciate it.

"I also ordered your book. It looks fabulous and I can't wait for it to arrive."

Thank you! I hope you enjoy it. When you're ready, please leave a review on Amazon. Good or bad, any honest, thoughtful reviews are appreciated.

"As for the daddy hummingbird, I have no idea if he even plays a part anymore in this whole deal. I have only seen one adult and I have to believe it is the mother."

In some hummingbird species, the father just inseminates and then journeys on, without participating in raising the chicks. In others, the father patrols the area and drives off other hummingbirds, so the mother can collect plenty of food for the chicks without competition or interference. I don't know of any species where the father lands on the nest, feeds the chicks, etc.

"I would sure appreciate if Mike or anyone else might help identify the species."

I'm not able to make a positive ID based on this photo - especially within the context that I'm not familiar enough with your area and what kinds live there. Sorry.

 

[James Newman]

I think it may be the Black Chinned hummingbird.

 

[Mike Spinak]

...Mike Spinak has done a series in Kickstarter and I got a picture of the little birds being fed.

Asher

I hope you enjoy the photo.

I appreciate the support.

P.S. I thought you were going to call back. Maybe I was supposed to call back. I'll call you, soon.

 

[James Newman]

The first chick left the nest while I was at Augusta for the Masters. The second one at least had the decency to wait until I got back home to fly the coop. They both hung around in the tree where the nest was, with the mother, for a couple of days and then took off to start their lives. I now have a number of others flying around the yard, in the same tree, and drinking from the feeder. There seems to be a male and female couple that spends time together so who knows what will happen. It may be too late in the season for more eggs but we will see. If so, maybe they will like my yard enough to come back next season. Here is the male, another black-chinned, doing the usual pose at the feeder.

By the way Mike, your book is wonderful.

​

 

[Asher Kelman]

Thanks Mike for the pictures.

@James and Mike,

I so love hummingbirds and yours are great. I get a special thrill by this creatures as they are much tinier than their flying form and long beaks might suggest. I wonder if they have as much wing control as the dragonfly which is a master at hovering rotation in XYZ directions and even feeding on the go.

Asher

 

[Mike Spinak]

Good catch with this black-chinned. Well done.

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy my book.

If you don't mind, please consider leaving a review for it on Amazon, here -
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1480165220/

Also, if you're on Goodreads, please consider leaving a review for my book, here -
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16170910-growing-up-humming

Reviews from readers are important for the success of independently published books.

(To be clear, I'm not asking for a biased favorable review. I'll appreciate any thoughtful review, positive or negative.)

Thank you for your consideration.

 

[Mike Spinak]

Asher,

Hummingbirds have remarkable wing control with their hovering abilities. I watched a documentary about them a few months ago, and it showed a series of tests which demonstrated their flight control. In one test, there was a sugar water feeder mounted on an eccentrically rotating arm. The hummingbird casually sipped from the feeder continuously, while flying, without missing a beat.