empty hummingbird nest
Just 3 days ago all was sweetness and light in Hummerville. Bickering twins, dutiful working mother, geeky observant naturalists (that’s us!) Just when you think everything is right in the world…
I came home from Taco Thursday with the family, brushed my teeth and prepared to crawl into bed for my nightly read. I took one last look at the twins and scampered back to the bathroom for my glasses – just as I feared, the nest only held ONE baby bird!!! Yikes, I was certain the other one had fallen into the garden below. I quickly dressed and went outside into the gloam and spent the following 1/2hour picking and sifting through the stinky geranium macrorhizome looking for one lost hummingbird. Really, this plant is a stellar groundcover for dry shade, nearly evergreen in our climate, tough as nails but Whew! the foliage stinks to high heaven; probably the secret to it’s pest free nature.
My husband – I think I’ve mentioned before that he’s the sane one in the family – calmly sat on the back steps and tried to assure me that “it probably just flew off.” HA! Boys… Everyone knows birds don’t fly at night and besides the fat, lazy cat was stalking behind me looking guilty and strangely self-satisfied. I finally gave up my search when it got too dark to even see, came inside, scrubbed the stink off me and went to bed with a very heavy heart, hoping I would never, EVER, be put through such a wildlife wringer again!
The following morning, still just one sassy baby bird hogging the entire nest all to himself. I went to my office and prepared to write this post…Nature red in tooth and claw…blah…blah…blah… But then J called to me from our bedroom to “Come quick” I flew into the next room and there was the remaining little bird – out of the nest on an adjacent branch of the Eucryphia! J ran for his camera so he hogged the good viewing spot but by craning my neck from another window we both were watching when the little one fired up his wings with a “let’s-hope-this-works” kinda spirit and took off on his maiden flight!!!! How. Cool. Is. THAT!!! We watched it fledge!
I’ll spare you the blurry photo of the little one right before takeoff. I still scout around looking for the first baby… but I figure it just fledged (in the early evening while we were making tacos) the day before – that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!!! Occasionally while I’m out watering in the garden I’ll hear the other baby working his new pipes with that characteristic clicking sound hummers make. His long suffering mom now has to chase him down to feed him, but I imagine he’ll learn the flower-sipping ropes quickly enough. There’s much to choose from in bloom just now.
I’m emotionally exhausted! Thanks for listening…
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I had to skip to the end of this post because my heart was in my mouth. Once I saw the happy ending I was able to read the whole thing. I love the story and the picture of the fat babies crammed into the nest is hilarious.
I like knowing that there are other tender hearted people out their who suffer through fledging season too.
-Jean
jean’s last blog post..Not a Has Bee – Remembered Forever
Hi Jean,
I sense a kindred spirit! After all that anxiety and vigilance, I find the garden strangely empty in their absence…L