Happy Birthday, baby birdies!

It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.

C.S. Lewis

 

Sometime overnight, a miracle happened. Actually, two.

 

I snapped this photo quickly, so it’s a bit blurry. Look closely, though, and you’ll see a newborn hummingbird resting beside its discarded shell! Its tiny twin is tucked under the rim of the nest.  

 

Thank you, Mama Hummingbird, for allowing us the extraordinary privilege of welcoming your hatchlings into the world.

How does a hummingbird celebrate its birthday? You can learn about hummer hatchlings here. Also, if you want a recap of my earlier hummingbird entries and pictures, visit here, here, and here.

Site Meter 

58 Comments

    • The earth stood still on its axis, or at least that’s what it felt like, when I first caught a glimpse of the babies.

      Any chance we could have a Waste-not Wednesday post that’s dedicated to the preservation of bird habitats?

      🙂

    • Wondrous is the perfect descriptor, Lorraine.

      Thanks for sharing the picture with your son. I like that so many people are stopping by for the hummingbirds’ birthday party! 🙂

  24. Awwww… Happy Birthday little guys!

    Thank you for posting the photo Melodye and thanks to Mama Hummingbird for sharing her babies with us all.

    Thanks for the great hummer hatchling link! Watching them grow is going to be such an adventure for you! I can’t believe that in 22 days they will be flying!

    • I can’t believe it, either! I was reading a bird book in Borders tonight, and I read that the Mama Hummingbird can brood 2 – 3 times in a season. WOW. I wonder if they use the same nest. Guess I’ll find out soon enough. 🙂

      • Yes,they do! Because their nests are so tightly built, hummingbirds use the same nest over and over again, year after year. So if Mama Hummer is not bothered by your presence, you’ll get to see many more tiny babies! Neat, huh?

        • Really!?! Oh, Sharon, my heart just skipped several beats. I’m so, so excited to learn this.

          I’ve been very careful not to disturb the nest itself, and I limit my visits to a single, in-and-out-quickly peek every few days. She doesn’t seem especially ruffled (after warning me away, she comes right back to the nest). And in a few days, I’ll stay away altogether, so her babies don’t try to fledge too soon. I hope Mama Hummer feels I’ve been a good, if not invited, guest.

    • That C.S. Lewis quote was a miraculous find, an amazing fit…I was so excited when I discovered it. I’m glad you liked it (and the photo!!), too. 🙂

      Happy weekend!

      • All’s well in my nest over here – rearranging the furniture and redecorating (so perusing catalogs for ideas) and have a number of writing assingments this weekend.

        I’m heading to DC soon to get the feel of where my WIP takes place. I know the city well, but I want to pick up more details of some of the neighborhoods.

        Thank you for the thoughts and good vibes – I’ve been thinking of you and watching your post for updates – from hummingbirds to writing to politics to kitchen (sounds like a talk show, no?)

        Love,
        L

  27. Very awesome photos, Melodye!!! If it’s not raining tomorrow, I’m hoping to get some pics of mine to share. They get so big so fast!!!

    That’s just too awesome!

    • I think it is supposed to rain. Good for us, good for the plants, but not so hot for taking pictures. But whenever the skies clear, I’d love to see your hatchlings, too.

      You’re right: It *is* awesome — a reminder of what’s most important, right?

Comments are closed.