wish i could send the pix

[Guest guest]

of the hummingbird on her nest ten feet outside my office window..but

ah well

 

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/community/14102693.htm

 

Beating the breeding rushBy Denis CuffCONTRA COSTA TIMESWALNUT CREEK - Sick bay

at one of California's largest wildlife hospitals is nearly empty of babies

during winter, with one tiny exception.

One of the smallest of birds -- the Anna's hummingbird -- undertakes the rigors

of hatching and raising young in the harsh cold in January, February and March,

when most wildlife is lying low.

You might think it would take a bigger being to challenge nature's clock.

But once again this year, Anna's hummingbirds, which newly hatched are about the

size of a human fingernail, are the first wildlife babies of the season to show

up at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek.

" The smallest hatch the earliest, " said Susan Heckly, wildlife rehabilitation

director of the museum, which sees 6,000 animals a year. " The hummers are very

hearty. Sometimes they need our help, though. "

Young birds fall or are blown out of nests woven from leaves, plants and spider

web silt.

People pruning trees or cleaning walls and windows inadvertently knock down

nests clinging to branches or houses.

Anna's hummingbirds, a common Bay Area bird, are most easily recognized by the

brilliant ruby throat and head of the male.

These small birds have a method behind their odd timing for parenthood: It

minimizes competition. Baby hummingbirds are less likely to be eaten by larger

birds that are less active during the coldest and wettest months, biologists

say.

Babies are less likely to starve, too. Adult hummingbirds face less competition

from other birds in the hunt for small insects and flower nectar to feed babies.

" Hummers need to find a lot of food to raise their young. The babies eat about

every 20 or 30 minutes, " said Pam Nave, a Lindsay wildlife rehabilitation

supervisor.

The small birds may also be adjusting to the proliferation of non-native trees

and plants that blossom in California in January and February.

" From an evolutionary standpoint, the Anna's hummers are hedging their bets, "

said Doug Bell, wildlife biologist with the East Bay Regional Park District. " If

they don't succeed early in breeding, they can try later. They're taking full

advantages of the opportunities afforded by our temperate climate. "

Many hummingbirds leave the Bay Area to breed.

The Anna's, however, sticks around year-round, making itself a familiar figure

at backyard feeders.

The Lindsay typically gets about 200 Anna's hummingbirds a year, most of them

babies.

A brother and sister at the museum last week were typical refugees.

Someone remodeling a Concord house didn't see the nest until scraping it off a

window.

The nests are easy to miss because their opening is about the size of a silver

dollar.

As she fed the birds through a syringe, Nave was surprised when one of the

youngsters took off in the hospital exam room.

" First flight, " she called out. " Turn off the lights. Close the door. "

Someone else shouted, " Don't let it get near the air vent. "

Hospital workers scurried about, netted the bird and returned it to a counter

for more feeding.

Lindsay wildlife experts say it's OK for people to try to put fallen babies back

in their nests but advise against trying to feed the young hummingbirds.

The babies need to eat every 30 minutes or less with a special, high-protein

diet.

When they reach 25 or 26 days old, Anna's hummingbirds are mature enough to

leave the nest in the wild.

Lindsay uses home-care volunteers to keep the birds a little longer, letting the

youngsters practice flying in aviaries before being released.

" They're very curious, very sociable birds, " Nave said. " They're also very

tenacious. They will fiercely defend their territory. If a (backyard) feeder

runs out of nectar, the hummers will fly up to people and let them know with

loud clicks. "

 

 

" NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National Security Agency may

have read this email without warning, warrant, or notice. They may do this

without any judicial or legislative oversight. You have no recourse nor

protection save to call for the impeachment of the current President. "

[Guest guest]

awwwwwww!

there was one I think, but It came and went so fast that

I'm not sure it was a large flying insect?!?

 

 

 

, fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote:

>

> of the hummingbird on her nest ten feet outside my office window..but

> ah well

>

> http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/community/14102693.htm

>

> Beating the breeding rushBy Denis CuffCONTRA COSTA TIMESWALNUT CREEK

- Sick bay at one of California's largest wildlife hospitals is nearly

empty of babies during winter, with one tiny exception.

> One of the smallest of birds -- the Anna's hummingbird -- undertakes

the rigors of hatching and raising young in the harsh cold in January,

February and March, when most wildlife is lying low.

> You might think it would take a bigger being to challenge nature's

clock.

> But once again this year, Anna's hummingbirds, which newly hatched

are about the size of a human fingernail, are the first wildlife

babies of the season to show up at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in

Walnut Creek.

> " The smallest hatch the earliest, " said Susan Heckly, wildlife

rehabilitation director of the museum, which sees 6,000 animals a

year. " The hummers are very hearty. Sometimes they need our help, though. "

> Young birds fall or are blown out of nests woven from leaves, plants

and spider web silt.

> People pruning trees or cleaning walls and windows inadvertently

knock down nests clinging to branches or houses.

> Anna's hummingbirds, a common Bay Area bird, are most easily

recognized by the brilliant ruby throat and head of the male.

> These small birds have a method behind their odd timing for

parenthood: It minimizes competition. Baby hummingbirds are less

likely to be eaten by larger birds that are less active during the

coldest and wettest months, biologists say.

> Babies are less likely to starve, too. Adult hummingbirds face less

competition from other birds in the hunt for small insects and flower

nectar to feed babies.

> " Hummers need to find a lot of food to raise their young. The babies

eat about every 20 or 30 minutes, " said Pam Nave, a Lindsay wildlife

rehabilitation supervisor.

> The small birds may also be adjusting to the proliferation of

non-native trees and plants that blossom in California in January and

February.

> " From an evolutionary standpoint, the Anna's hummers are hedging

their bets, " said Doug Bell, wildlife biologist with the East Bay

Regional Park District. " If they don't succeed early in breeding, they

can try later. They're taking full advantages of the opportunities

afforded by our temperate climate. "

> Many hummingbirds leave the Bay Area to breed.

> The Anna's, however, sticks around year-round, making itself a

familiar figure at backyard feeders.

> The Lindsay typically gets about 200 Anna's hummingbirds a year,

most of them babies.

> A brother and sister at the museum last week were typical refugees.

> Someone remodeling a Concord house didn't see the nest until

scraping it off a window.

> The nests are easy to miss because their opening is about the size

of a silver dollar.

> As she fed the birds through a syringe, Nave was surprised when one

of the youngsters took off in the hospital exam room.

> " First flight, " she called out. " Turn off the lights. Close the door. "

> Someone else shouted, " Don't let it get near the air vent. "

> Hospital workers scurried about, netted the bird and returned it to

a counter for more feeding.

> Lindsay wildlife experts say it's OK for people to try to put fallen

babies back in their nests but advise against trying to feed the young

hummingbirds.

> The babies need to eat every 30 minutes or less with a special,

high-protein diet.

> When they reach 25 or 26 days old, Anna's hummingbirds are mature

enough to leave the nest in the wild.

> Lindsay uses home-care volunteers to keep the birds a little longer,

letting the youngsters practice flying in aviaries before being released.

> " They're very curious, very sociable birds, " Nave said. " They're

also very tenacious. They will fiercely defend their territory. If a

(backyard) feeder runs out of nectar, the hummers will fly up to

people and let them know with loud clicks. "

>

>

> " NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National

Security Agency may have read this email without warning, warrant, or

notice. They may do this without any judicial or legislative

oversight. You have no recourse nor protection save to call for the

impeachment of the current President. "

>