Hummingbird Sitting on Nest!

We discovered this little hummer defending her nest last night. I've never seen a nest before, and was not expecting to see one so early in the year! Between the recent rain, and a little freeze that crisped up my fuchsias etc., there just isn't much food out there for her to eat. We made an emergency hummingbird feeder run today (I usually just stick to flowers), and hope she and her eggs survive okay, as it's a bit stormy out there again tonight.

Here are a few pics from this afternoon...I'm not able to get decent shots with my point and shoot camera, but will continue to try :-).

another shot

another...

Great pictures, Sunnyg! Wait until you see those little guys - they are so bitty. We have friends who have them nest in a favorite bush every year and they are lots of fun to watch.

Last one for tonight. Can you spot the nest? ;-).

Does anyone know if they usually nest so early here in CA?

That is amazing! How exciting for you : ) Keep the picture coming if possible, I wish I could see that firsthand!

Not sure about up north, but here they nest pretty much any time of the year.

Thanks!!! I am really excited (as you can probably tell. LOL). I'll definitely keep trying to get pics, but the nest is up pretty high, so I don't know how much luck I'll have with baby shots. We accidentally scared the mom away for a bit last night when we discovered the nest, so I hope the eggs didn't get too cold (I'm guessing there are eggs in there now?) As you can probably tell, I don't know much about hummingbirds or their nesting habits....I'm off to go google :-).

Thanks Kaper :-)

That is so exciting cause that is something that we rarely see around here. We have hummers but never seen a nest b4.

Her nest looks so small! maybe she's still building it. That must be a good omen.

Congrats, Sunny. wow, thats my first time to see a hummingbird nest.

They really are that small, nannipb! I was bowled over the first time I saw one up close. The amazing thing is when the babies are in there it looks like it will bust. And they poop over the side of the nest. LOL!

Oh Sunny, what a blessing to get such a lovely surprise just outside your home. Please keep the pictures coming!!

Wow! Good eye, Sunny! I probably would've walked right past it! Great shots - thanks for sharing :) :)

That is adorable!

Thanks for all the kind comments! I’m so happy to be able to both record and share this, and will keep this post up to date with all the latest developments :-).

Here’s today’s update (and yes, I’ve spent a bit of time spying on the nest LOL). Mama hummingbird found the hummingbird feeder, so that is good. It’s sunny and very windy today, and it’s amazing how she is able to hold onto the nest while it sways madly in the wind…very neat to watch! Here’s a pic of her from this morning:

I’ve also discovered that I can take pics through the upstairs window, and while the window doesn’t open so I’m shooting through glass, I will be able to check out the babies from up there. I was able to take a peek at the eggs when she left the nest for a few minutes….wow, they are so, so tiny!

Unfortunately, this is the best quality I’m able to record right now, from my upstairs spying spot (1 pm). Hopefully different light conditions and less wind will allow for some clearer pics in the future, especially when the babies hatch!

How many?? Don't remember if they lay all at once or with a gap between. Have to get my hummer book out. Do you know what type hummer you have?

Hmmmm....I'm thinking there are two eggs in there, and from the little I've read so far, that appears to be the norm. I'm not sure what type she is. Does anyone have any ideas? The last shot shows she has a tiny red patch on her throat...

That's what I was looking at - that little red dot. I should know, but I can never remember which of ours has that. Either Anna's or Costa's, I think.

OK, checked my book. It's probably an Anna's, unless you get different species up there I'm not used to. Between now and May is the height of their breeding season, though they can start as early as mid-December. Two eggs, generally 2 (poss 1-3) days apart, but if she starts incubating them after the second one, they will hatch the same day. Eggs are less than 1/2 inch and weigh less than 1/2 gram. 15-20 days incubation, during which she will sit on the eggs 60-80% of the time. She'll turn the eggs now and again and sit especially tight if it is cold or rainy. You might see her turning them with her feet and bill, or with her bill while hovering outside the nest.

Fascinating little creatures. The book I have is "Hummingbirds - Their Life and Behavior - a Photographic Study of the North American Species" by Esther Quesada Tyrrell and Robert A. Tyrrell. It has the most fantastic photos.

Shes so cute. You are so lucky. I notice that they don't come to the feeders at my house on cold days. I was wondering if they like there food warmer. We have the same kind down here (anna's).

Those are great pics. I have marked this as a 'watched thread" so I can keep up with mom and the babies when they come. Thank you for sharing with us!

Sunny
Thank you for this thread!! Great work!!
Robin

How special to get to watch from the top via the window. I don't think your shots could be any better if the window did open. Those are great! Definately going to keep an eye on the progress.

Awesome. those are nice clear pictures!

Outstanding news and photos! I've had just 2 males and 1 female here all winter, but have too many trees to ever find their nests. Mine have been doing the mating ritual of going up very high and diving down, so hopefully there's a nest somewhere close. I usually average around 25 or more from early spring until mid-fall, with just a few staying all year.

I'd guess that's an Anna's hummer. I take a lot of my photos through the windows, you've done great. Looking forward to seeing more!

Amazing! Can't wait to see the babies!!

Thanks for the ID and info on my little friend! I am so happy to know a little bit more about who and what I am watching. I’m so glad you are all having fun spying on mama hummingbird right along with me, and I love hearing about other experience with these little critters :-).
It’s been raining and I’ve been sick, so don’t have much of an update for yesterday and today. I can say she is out there right now sitting on the nest, so that is a good thing.

The day before yesterday, I learned what happens when I get too close to the nest. The way we originally discovered the nest, was when this one hummingbird kept flying at me somewhat aggressively over and over again. It was just getting dark, and we were out front getting ready to transplant a tree. I’ve never seen a hummingbird act that way before, and it really seemed like she was protecting something. In fact, we were standing right below her nest! She seems to generally tolerate my presence so far, but when she gets riled up she will even fly up and buzz the second story window and “get in my face” through the glass. I also have a hummingbird fly over and peek in the bedroom balcony door on occasion (different side and level of the house from my spying spot). Just who is actually spying on whom, I wonder? ;-)

I was down below taking pics of her the day before yesterday, and tripped, which startled her. She flew straight up, high over me….and then pooped directly on my head! I got the message loud and clear, and went back into the house. I snuck up to the window and peeked out to make sure everything was okay, and she buzzed the window! After showering (hummingbird poop, remember?), I spied on her again, she was right back on her nest, like nothing had happened. I deliberately left her alone the rest of the day because I don’t want to traumatize her, and between being sick and all the stormy weather we’ve been having, I haven’t gone out the front door since. It’s a good thing we have a garage door too, that’s all I can say, otherwise we’d be trapped in our house by a hummingbird! LOL.

Here is a pic I took, seconds before she pooped on my head!

LOL. Note to self; wear hat.

Hmmmm....you make a good point, Mrs. Ed. LOL.

That last photo is outstanding!!

Once the babies are older, you'll be busy keeping up with making the sugar water. We're actually able to walk right up to our feeder and the birds will sit right on their feeder perch. Yours will get used to you pretty quickly. They seem to love our voices, so do start talking to her and the babies each day. You'll be able to sit very close to your feeder in no time for all the pictures.

Yes, excellent photo! Our hummers sometimes come to the window when I've let their feeder go empty, as if to tell me what a baaaaad birdie momma I am! And I know what you mean about being buzzed. DH was snoozing in a chair outside one day and hummer came up and buzzed his ear like it was a flower. They are charming little creatures to have around.

Sunny, that HAS to be good luck!! Being pooped on by a hummer.. kinda like the "may the bird of paradise fly up your nose". (for those who know the song I'm referring to!!)

Excellent pic.. send that in to Birds and Blooms!

Great pictures sunny! I think these little critters do learn to "talk" with us. Mine fuss at me something awful if I let their feeders get empty and they sit in trees all around the porch while I get them refilled :-}

Thanks so much everyone! :-). Yes, I'm going to just take hummingbird poop on my head as a sign of good luck...much better than seagull poop or something like that. LOL.

The bush where mama hummer built her nest is technically on HOA property (townhouse), and the landscapers came this morning with their leaf blowers and other assorted scary and potentially dangerous items. When I heard the leaf blowers start up, I ran outside and tried to explain to them to leave the bush alone. After a call to their boss, I think the area is now safe. Whew. We're finally getting some much needed rain here on and off, and even got some hail today. Mama is hanging tight, and I managed to take a hurried pic of her drinking from the feeder we put up for her, but that's about it for today's pics.

Good thing you were home when the yard guys came. That would have been very painful to find the nest disrupted.
I had forgotten about the close call with the sea gulls and our gnome buddy down your way! LOL!

Sunny - you sure are taking good care of her! :) Do you have any hummingbird plants in your yard? I put up a feeder last year but the hummers ignored it and went straight for the firebush and coral honeysuckle!

I'm sorry to hear you're under the weather.

I'll show my ignorance here, but don't the hummers eat something besides the sugar water that we put in the feeders?

Sunny...those are amazing shots. Youve outdown yourself..as usual. =) I'd love to know what kind of camera youre using.