A Birth Announcement!

It's twins!

In my last post two weeks ago I showed you our new backyard resident: a hummingbird that built a nest in the ivy growing around our back door. Well, today we have two more! Today I spotted mama bird feeding her two young ones. A very exciting event, because I was afraid the bird had flown. I guess as a working mother, the mom needed to run some errands from time to time!

Hummingbirds are already very small, but these babies are really tiny! The photos make them seem much larger than they really are. With the naked eye you can barely see the beaks peeking over the edge of the nest.

It is interesting to see Mama Bird perched on the edge of the nest, feeding the young birds. Maternal instincts tell her how to take care of them. The little beaks are wide open for her, ready to take in whatever nourishment she brings them. Nature is a beautiful thing!

Mama Bird is also an excellent builder, because her nest stayed firmly in place through several strong gusts of wind. The babies are real troopers, having to sit in a wildly moving nest! At least the weather has been beautiful these last few days. I'm sure they are warm and cozy together, especially when Mama Bird comes back to join them.

I don't know how much longer how long they will grace us with their company, but we'll enjoy it while it lasts. Meanwhile, I'm keeping my camera close at hand to record any new developments!

-ai


all images © Anna Irwin | do not use without permission

Who's That Hummingbird in the Window?

Has it really been 9 months since my last posting? Oh my! I've been very neglectful in my self-imposed photography duties, but perhaps therein lies the problem. It shouldn't be a "duty," should it?

It's difficult to take the time for going out just to take photos, but sometimes opportunities present themselves without even having to leave the house. Such an opportunity came up a little over a week ago, when my son suddenly pointed to the backyard and remarked: "There is a hummingbird in a nest!" My husband and I looked out the window and tried to locate the tiny bird, without success.

© Anna Irwin

Sure enough, after some help, we spotted the new resident. It was easy to overlook the nest, as it was built in the ivy that hangs over the backdoor. Not a very good place for it, because we open the door frequently and the nest could be knocked down, or at the very least, the bird could be scared away.

It was not the first time a hummingbird family chose our backyard to settle down. Twice before we have found hummingbird nests in bushes and trees; some abandoned, some occupied—though they never stayed long enough to produce a family. Fortunately I was able to snap some shots without disturbing the peace.

© Anna Irwin

For the last 10 days we have been keeping an eye on the hummingbird. Occasionally she is gone, but she always comes back (we assume it's the mama-bird that occupies the nest). We haven't used the backdoor at all and we've been careful not to come to close to it either. It's a minor inconvenience for such an enjoyable experience. We hope to be able to see new life peeking over the edge of the nest soon!

-ai