Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Hummingbird production facility
I've admired many of the high quality, crystal clear hummingbird photos taken by Baja photographers on Nomad. They are amazing birds, and I love
seeing them while traveling.
While I don't have the same quality equipment to capture clear images of them in flight, feeding etc., I have had the chance to see them under very
different circumstances in recent years.
Since 2011, I've had hummingbirds build nests outside my bedroom doorway in San Diego. Last year only 2 chicks were produced. The record was 2014,
when 6 chicks showed up, in 3 separate "batches" from January to June.
Here are the latest two. They are 12 days old- practically teenagers in hummingbird development!
In another week they will be testing their wings and ready for lift off. Then, if all goes well, mom might start the process again.
So, while I haven't been able to return this spring, to see baby whales growing quickly in the lagoons, it's been fun to watch these hummingbirds
develop at record clip.
Enjoy!
Mom is very attentive. I'm taking this photo thru a window with a screen, so it's not very clear- but you get the idea:
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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ehall
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 3-29-2014
Location: Buckeye, Az
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Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
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That's cool. Never seen a hummingbird nest.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13165
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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nature at her best!
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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Me too. So impressive. At home some of those little guys come to within a foot or so of my face, which just makes my say.
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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They are brilliantly camouflaged- you can look right at one and not see it at times.
I spend a lot of time in my garden, and have developed a good sense of when a bird is nesting from observing her behavior.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Quote: Originally posted by Bajahowodd  |
Me too. So impressive. At home some of those little guys come to within a foot or so of my face, which just makes my say. |
Yes, they are bold and fearless. When the chicks first emerge from the shells (about the size of jellybeans) the mom will not let me leave thru the
doorway- she gets in my face, and makes sure I'm not a danger. Even when I sit on the patio nearby she will buzz over to keep an eye on me.
Now, with the chicks on week 2, she's more relaxed. I still get buzzed, but not so aggressively. (Apparently I passed the threat test.)
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Yes...I love these little guys- makes my day to peek out and see them in the morning.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15937
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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COOL. it seems our resident male has been replaced by a new guy with a totally different song. the old guy has been guarding my feeder for about 4
years. kinda sad but life rolls on. I've gotta start looking in my trees. last two nest built last year were abandoned.
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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| Quote: Originally posted by woody with a view | | COOL. it seems our resident male has been replaced by a new guy with a totally different song. the old guy has been guarding my feeder for about 4
years. kinda sad but life rolls on. I've gotta start looking in my trees. last two nest built last year were abandoned. |
They are territorial! I'm not sure what the lifespan is for these little birds, but this seems to be the same mom who has been nesting outside my
bedroom for the last 3 years.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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crash landings...
Not every first flight is a success. This little one crash landed twice, and I replaced her in the nest each time I was able to find her. Mom kept
feeding her, and encouraging her to depart and follow her older sibling.
Finding her in the garden was easy. Fortunately, the chicks make a distinct, hi-pitched "peeeeep" at this stage, sort of a sonar location ping that
moms can use to locate them when they get lost.
I hope she made it on the 3rd try...
And here's mom, building a second nest, this one under the patio in a night blooming cereus:
[Edited on 3-15-2016 by Whale-ista]
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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gringorio
Senior Nomad
Posts: 812
Registered: 4-10-2004
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Member Is Offline
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so cool! thanks for the great photos! hummingbirds are the best ...
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: thriving in Baja
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Hummingbird Producion Facility
This is the Hummingbird production faciity in Racine, WI where my hummingbird fishfinder was made:
(sorry for that )
Bob Durrell
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