I found this Red-winged Blackbird nest woven into the reeds near the island where the geese were nesting. My favorite story for this nest is when the chicks fledged. Sadly, I don't have a picture of that :( The nestlings were covered in tufts of fluff and didn't have all their flight feathers so they couldn't manage more than a frantic fluttering leap from clump to clump of reeds as they followed their mother's encouraging calls to leave the nest.
The Red-winged Blackbird male. Every time we got too close to the nest, he would scold us until we left and follow us along the path until we were far enough away to satisfy him. **
After the female Red-winged Blackbird fed the chicks, she would fly off with a loud call to lure away any predators. I named the nestlings Chirp, Song, and Call.
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Cedar Waxwings
Cedar Waxwings are such beautiful birds that we were greatly pleased when we found a nest. I loved many things about this family but my favorite was seeing the parents' bright colors lit up by the morning sun while shading the babies from the heat.
Cedar Waxwing, adult **
Cedar Waxwing parent shading its little ones from the morning sun. **
American Kestrels
We have always loved kestrels; they are very beautiful and acrobatic birds! So, it was a great pleasure when Mom and Dad spotted a family of kestrel fledglings. They were such a fun family that we stopped to see them on almost every walk. One time, my parents saw a kestrel adult feed its chick a huge spider!!!!! We could often tell when the kestrels were around because they had quite a lot to say calling "Keeeee! Keeee! Keeeee!"
Three of the kestrel fledglings: Flip, Dive, and Twirl. Male kestrels have blue on their wings and females don't. **
Doesn't she look like a perfectly behaved fledgling? **
Someone needs to tell this young kestrel to behave more like his sister. Preening in public, honestly! No wonder his sister has turned her back on the whole scene.
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Mallard Ducks
One time, my Mom and I were walking around Viele Lake when we saw the most adorable family of ducklings ever! They were dabbling in the water by the reeds. Mama Mallard looked like a good and protective parent and seemed to have very well behaved ducklings.
Aren't mallard ducklings too cute!?!?! This is Peep.
Mama Mallard with her 6 ducklings: Fluff, Tuft, Muff, Peep, Fuzz, and Alexander.
Once upon a time, my Mom, Dad and I were walking along a hidden path at Viele Lake that wound up the slope and through the trees. It was a very nice day and the sun shining through the trees had an underwater effect on the ground. Suddenly, a flash of glimmery-green caught our eyes…a hummingbird!! We hurried after her until she began to flit around one particular pine tree. Using the binoculars, my Mom followed her movements and then the unbelievable happened…the hummingbird landed on a nest!!!!
June 4, 2016: Mother Hummingbird on the nest **
On the nest, she was barely distinguishable from the surrounding pine tree. If we had not watched her land, we would never have known she was there. Looking through the binoculars, her emerald-green back, moss green wings, cream belly, pale rufous sides, and speckled throat were beautiful and flawless. Then, as if she had never been there, she was gone.
We watched the female leave and return to the nest several times that day. Each time she left it was like she vanished and each return was heralded by the slight hum of her wings and her small chirp. In contrast to our quiet and inconspicuous female, her mate was always getting our attention. With a loud, cricket-like trill and a flash of his scarlet throat patch, he would dive-bomb any intruders in his territory, and then, perch at the very top of trees to stand guard. I guess opposites do attract :)
June 4, 2016: We were lucky enough to catch the female leaving the nest but her camouflage makes her hard to spot! **
June 4, 2016: Father Hummingbird standing guard at the top of a tree. **
We returned to the nest almost daily and marveled at the elegant construction. With shimmering lichen and bits of bark on its sides, the cup-shaped nest blended in perfectly with its branch. We learned that female hummingbirds bind the moss and feather nesting materials with spider silk that provides an in-built stretching ability to accommodate the growing nestlings. Then, the nest is lined with cotton-soft plant down. A comfortable home and a work of art.
June 4, 2016: Can you spot the ingeniously camouflaged nest? **
About two weeks
after we first spotted this remarkable nest, the unbelievable happened
again! The mother landed on the nest and
two little orange beaks stuck straight up into the air opening and closing like
they were calling “Mom, Mom, Mom!” while the female craned her neck to feed
first one, and then the other, hungry chick.
When the chicks stretched up to reach their mother, theylooked rather strange with featherless,
purple heads and overly large eyes that could not yet open. But,
they were still adorable!
June 18, 2016: After feeding the chicks, Mother Hummingbird promptly sat upon them to shield them from the summer heat.
**
June 18, 2016: You can see the nest moving and stretching as the nestlings shift about panting in the summer heat.
**
We did some
research and learned that hummingbird mothers feed their nestlings some nectar
but mostly insects, like mosquitoes, flies, and spiders, to give them enough
protein to grow. On this diet of insects
and nectar, the babies grew astonishingly fast.
Each time we visited the nest, they were bigger and looked more like an adult. It was such a pleasure to see the hummingbird siblings snuggled up together in the nest that it came as a slight shock when, one morning, there was only one nestling, and a day later, the nest was completely empty. We had been waiting for this moment when the nestlings would fledge the nest. But, it was bittersweet because we would miss seeing them almost every day.
June 28, 2016: Sibling Sweetness **
July 5, 2016: The remaining nestling looked so much like its mother that, for a moment, we could not tell them apart.
**
Now, I am sad to
say that we must say good-bye to the fledgling hummingbirds because they will soon leave for Mexico. I am glad to have met them and to have
learned so much about hummingbirds, their nests, and their chicks! I also enjoyed sharing what I learned with
you. But, don’t be too sad because up next is Neighborhood Nestlings: Part Three!!!!!!!!
Image Credits: ** Dan Getman
View of the nest without optical aids **
Editor's Note: No hummingbirds were disturbed in the filming and photography for this blog post. The details we observed were only possible with binoculars and the zoom lens on our camera. We learned that it is helpful to stay at a distance when viewing nests as the mother will not approach if you are too close.
