The young hummingbirds are growing fast. Both of their heads are now above the edge of the nest which is getting crowded. The bigger of the two is even fluttering his wings in anticipation of lift-off and both are furiously preening their fast-growing plumage. There is a white crescent behind their eyes, a black mask under the eye, a sparkling green plumage on the head, some light streaking on the throat and a black undertail with white tips, features that are starting to resemble their mother's plumage. When mama comes in to feed them, I can often hear her soft twittering before I see her and she seems to be getting somewhat adjusted to seeing me and my camera-man partner as she is much less nervous, perching on dead stubs and generally hesitating a lot less before coming in. She was however not so happy when a small flock of B-c Chickadees came into the Red Cedar (to work the branches for insects). This got her dander up and she immediately appeared out of nowhere to attack them fearlessly and ferociously in order to drive them away.
Did I say cameraman? Yes, Professor Paul Adams, he of the Baiting Hollow Hommingbird Sanctuary (and the Stony Brook biology department) was back with a different camera. Here are two videos, one showing a feeding, the other. the much greater activity of the chicks in the nest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zikv9w3_Gdw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psmfKJyyu2w
Watch this space for further postings of The Great Hummingbird Nest Adventure.
Eric Salzman
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