The links are IE7YmJFZrdg (Quogue Nest 1), W8B5AfQ9soc (Quogue Nest 2), and stgGCOx8lAY (Quogue Nest Poop). If you can't get these to work by simply clicking on them, you can copy the links and put them in the address line in your browser.
Quogue Nest 1 shows the female coming to the nest and after looking around, she feeds both chicks by jabbing her long beak down their open bills to feed them with a pre-digested slurry of food (insects mainly) that she has gathered: chick #1 once, chick #2 twice and then chick #1 again before she looks around and flies off. Quogue Nest 2 features another feeding; as before she checks the environment nervously before every move (there are two of us watching plus the camera on a tripod) and the video shows a little more of her astounding flying ability before she takes off. The third video (Quogue nest poop) has one of the chicks sticking his tail up and rear end over the edge of the nest in order to project his packet of white poop clear of the nest rim. This amazing bit of genetically inbred behavior keeps the nest clean and sanitary. Taking in the food involves nothing much more difficult for these tiny chicks than lifting up their heads and opening their beaks. Pooping out the waste is a little more complicated as it requires getting the backside well over the edge of the nest in order to void in the clear. And they don't get any practice at it either; they just do it!
Another way to access these three videos is to go to Paul Adams' Hummingbird Sanctuary blog at http://bhhummer.blogspot.com/. All three videos are posted here and are easy of access (Quogue Nest 2 and Quogue Nest Poop are near the beginning of today's blog entry but you have to scroll down a bit to find Quogue Nest 1 which was posted yesterday). The site also comes with a somewhat more detailed explanation of what you're seeing and how it was obtained. It also includes information on the Sanctuary including how and when to visit.
I managed to post two of three videos on this blog site but I'm not sure how well they work (and I couldn't post the poop video at all!). Apparently too raunchy for Youtube!
Whatever method you use to view the videos, I highly recommend going to full screen which will give you a wonderful, life-size (maybe larger than life) view of one of nature's miracles! It also places the events in their environment: the lilliputian lichen-covered cup nest almost invisible amidst the branches of a battered (and slightly wind-blown) Red Cedar, a tree that has a lot of lichen to serve all of Ms Hummingbird's decorating (and camouflaging) needs!
Thanks, Paul.
Eric Salzman
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