3/25/2005: Hummingbird nest documented

xoB points to this page documenting the hatching and development happening in a hummingbird's nest. If you go, keep clicking through; the first set is taken in 2003, but there is a new, sharper set for 2005, of which this is one image.

If it doesn't seem interesting, it's just the scale of the picture. You don't realize just how tiny this is! On the last page they have a toothpick marked at 1/2 inch segments, and a US penny, to show how small this chick really is. The chicks are smaller than that penny and the entire nest is about the size of your cupped palm (NOT including your fingers)!

Eww. That's a face only a mother could love. The eyes are all skinned over.

glatt wrote:

Eww. That's a face only a mother could love. The eyes are all skinned over.

Haven't spent much time around really young birds, eh glatt?

Birds is ugly. (Even African greys, I weaned mine.) But if you miss that initial 'this sucker looks undercooked' stage, they're not so bad.

Can someone post the link for the 2005 set?

Hyper little birds...

Really cool! I'm sorry the one chick got thrown out of the house, though. Mean baby!

Yes please post the 2005 link. All I get is 2003.

Very cool.

The last page of the 2003 has a link to the 2005. Direct link is:

http://community.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM

Anyone know what the white stuff lining the nests is? Cotton they found, or something else? Looks snuggly.

What a great picture!! Another one our whole family will enjoy.

About the baby bird comment--Even baby chicks are pretty ugly when they are first hatched out but after a couple hours they dry off & are cute.

Sandra

Humans don't look that great.....fresh out. :eek3:

I do love hummingbirds.

And now a message from my cat, when she saw this pic!

"I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight"

http://www.privatehand.com/infinite/

Saknussem wrote:

I do love hummingbirds.

And now a message from my cat, when she saw this pic!

"I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight"

http://www.privatehand.com/infinite/

As cool as the hummingbirds are. Saknussem sight with the cats is kinda like the nightmares I have of actually being a character on a multi-dimensional television show. One where what I am doing is watched by what the next me is doing and so on and so on.....

Meaning to say the site is just plan cool, BTW

Saknussem wrote:

I do love hummingbirds.

And now a message from my cat, when she saw this pic!

"I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight"

http://www.privatehand.com/infinite/

Uh,...welcome to the Cellar, :) But damnit Man, I clicked on your link and started on the flash, then the Tom Lehrer offerings. It took me an hour to get back.
AND, the other night I got into the comics and never did get back here! :hafucking

Really cool pics, Love humming birds and we have plenty here

The little guy in the first picture...he got fed. :D
No, it's not the same nest.

Quick note for LabRat: The "white stuff" in a hummer's nest is SPIDER WEBS :) It's a really soft and strong building material, they almost sculpt with it. The little critters eat the spiders too (small ones, obviously) as a large part of their protein. Sometimes they weave the down from milkweed pods and similar soft plant fibers, but mostly they build up a cup with lichens and the webs. What's really cute is when they hang the nest from a twig like a big swing. Hummers are fascinating to watch, we have 9 feeders at our house and it's like sitting on the runway at a busy airport if you are outside around dusk!