Here's a movie I captured of the nest (from a distance) https://youtu.be/Q49XETLwpxI and if you want to jump ahead to momma showing up to feed the hatchlings, https://youtu.be/Q49XETLwpxI?t=609
Wish I could find the video I made of their first flight.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, for now.
Facts:
1. Hummingbirds are mammals. 2. Hummingbirds humm ALL the time. 3. The purpose of the hummingbird is to flip out and eat flowers.
Hummingbirds are sooooooooooo sweet that I want to crap my pants. I can't believe it sometimes, but I feel it inside my heart. These guys are totally awesome and that's a fact. Hummingbirds are fast, smooth, cool, strong, powerful, and sweet. I can't wait to start yoga next year. I love hummingbirds with all of my body (including my humm humm).
Nice documentary about hummingbirds: https://youtu.be/vGMJZSfVW1M?si=m-LmIO9vgt7l-nV4
I actually put up one-way/reflective film on the window to block some harsh light that was being reflected straight into my face and it had the great side effect that the hummingbirds can't see me watching them. So now I can get right up to the window and watch them hang out.
I'm in the Bay Area and in terms of native flora the hummingbirds like the monkey flower (both red and orange), California fuchsia, and Pacific bleeding hearts I've got planted. They also go for the Christmas cactus and fuchsia (neither of which are native but both of which are currently in full bloom). As an added bonus the carpenter and bumble bees both frequent all of the above (as well as the California poppies).
Same here! We see them practically every day where I live - no feeder necessary, just flowers in bloom, preferably red[dish] ones.
Hummingbirds would be my favorite birds of all, except for the existence of owls. We have many owls in our neighborhood, including two that nest nearby. We know that mostly from hearing, since they do their best to stay hidden during daylight. However, they are pleasantly loud at night. That's why we know there are two of them or rather two nests--it's easy to pick up the direction of the sound.
I see RTHUs in the wild quite often during the summer here in upstate NY.
> The National Geographic Photo Ark uses the power of photography to inspire people to help protect at-risk species before it’s too late. Explorer, photographer, and founder of the Photo Ark Joel Sartore has taken portraits of 17,000 species — and counting — in his quest to document our world’s astonishing biodiversity! He’s over half way to his goal of documenting all of the approximately 20,000 species living in the world’s zoos, aquariums, and wildlife sanctuaries.
* https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/our-programs/phot...
* https://abc7.com/post/endangered-species-day-photo-ark-joel-...
Also:
> In late 2023, 70-year-old birder Peter Kaestner was within striking distance of a goal that had never been accomplished: seeing more than 10,000 different species of birds in the wild.
[…]
> Just as Kaestner approached the finish line for his record 10,000 birds, though, a previously unknown competitor by the name Jason Mann flew in out of nowhere to snatch the record out from under him.
* https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/24/birding-...
> I want to photograph all of them.
Birders are really a different kind.
Watching the documentaries and interviews, their motivation is always so simple and plainly stated; Then what would sound like a cute wish actually results in epics quests that span the globe, people going into completely remote areas, crazy hard to access deserts, even war zones, all to spot with their own eyes the birds they're after.
I find it hard to understand how they can eat enough calories to sustain such an incredibly energetic lifestyle.
With the right flowers you can have a flutter of hummingbird hawk-moths, creating a similar appearance to the bird.
I remember one particularly enterprising bird had hit on the idea of claiming a whole feeder for itself, so while the others bickered and traded places, this one calmly perched on top of the feeder and chased away anyone else who got too close.
Absolutely magical.
