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A Joyful Noise

hummingbird hatchlings 2014

Samara Faith takes wing

March 19, 2014 by Melodye Shore

Hope's tiny nest is lashed to a Pidocarpus tree in my backyard, way above eye-level. My little neighbor-friend Sara has a better view, because her house was built on higher ground. So with her mommy's permission, I climbed a step stool and angled my camera over our shared fence.

I stayed for a good long while on the 22nd day, in part because I knew we'd entered the final countdown. But it's also true that I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity (the privilege!) of absorbing the hatchling's miraculous transformation from egg to full grown hummingbird. It wasn't long for the nest, and I knew it.

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By this point, it's quite possible that Hope is preparing another nest, in anticipation of a second brood. Even so, she brought food to her nearly grown hatchling, several times a day. Between meals, her baby used its long, thin tongue to grab a quick bite for itself.

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It was a warm, sunny day, and the nest was soft. No surprise, the baby bird got sleepy.

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Oh hey, are you still here?

In this light, you can see for yourself that the hummingbird hatchling is nearly grown. It's got iridescent green feathers, just like Hope, and is about 1-1/2 inches long. Much tinier than it appears in these pictures! Oh, and have you heard? Its name is Samara Faith!

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Sunshine warmed the nest, but bathed as it was, in a pool of light, the hatchling was vulnerable to predators. Thank goodness, Hope instinctively knew where and how to camouflage her brood.  For most of the day, the nest was cloaked in shade. That, plus variegated foliage, did the trick.

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Heavy winds and rains have battered the nest. It's ragged now, and tilted downward. Even so, it's proven itself a reliable shelter for the just-right amount of time.

While I was watching, short wind gusts made the branches sway and bounce. When that happened, the hatchling tucked itself deep into the tufted nest and wind-surfed.

Oh hey…do you see what those tiny wings are doing?

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The baby hummingbird seemed just as surprised by that wing display as I was.

Truth is, for several days now, the hatchling has been clutching the bottom of the nest with its feet and test-piloting those tiny wings. I think all those strength exercises are paying off!

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A few hours after posting this picture to Facebook, I visited the nest again, in hopes of taking one last measurement before our naming contest. Maybe the hatchling was nudged forward by a breeze, or maybe it caught wind of this paparazzo. But in any case, its wings whirred, and off it went, helicoptering over my head as confident as could be!

I don't know who was more surprised–Samara Faith or me. But I stood quiet for the longest time, blinking back the wetness that threatened to spill down my cheeks. I was sad, of course, but also very happy.

Samara Faith beat the odds. Hope, realized. Faith, made manifest. How fortunate I was, to bear witness to such a miracle!

Hope will stick close by for at least a few days, teaching Samara Faith how and where to forage for food. I'm keeping fresh nectar at the ready…

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I visited the nest once more that afternoon, to take the measure of it.

Soft yet strong, this nest supported Hope. It withstood heavy winds, rain and hail, and provided safe harbor for her tiny brood until one of the hatchlings eventually fledged. Tiny as it may be, and humble, the importance of a nest can't be overstated. Isn't that a rule, written down somewhere? If not, it should be.

Missed the previous posts about Hope and her hatchlings? Here you go: Hope's Hatchlings, Part One; Hope's Hatchlings: Part Two: Hope's Hatchlings: Part Three (and a naming contest); and Hope's hatchling gets a name.

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: hope, hummingbird hatchlings 2014, nests, samara faith

Hope’s hatchling gets a name

March 18, 2014 by Melodye Shore

At around 23 days after hatching, a baby hummingbird fledges, never again to return to its nest. Given how attached I'd grown to this tiny miracle, I decided we should grace Hope's hatchling with a suitable name–a talisman of goodwill that would carry it through the skies. And so it was that I announced a naming contest last Friday, on this blog.

Each of the submitted names was beautiful in its own way…all of them, befitting such a beautiful creature. Danny Boy, Samara, Faith, Emerald, Flitterbaby, Flit, Jewel, Whimsy…

My neighbor-friend Sara helped me choose the winning entry.

She decorated a basket, filled with colorful plumage. Each paper feather represented one of the contest entries.

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Sara decided we should choose the hatchling's name at the base of the tree where Hope had built her nest. And so, we did.

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She closed her eyes and drew a name from the basket.

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Samara it is! And after reading Barb Etlin's explanation, I think that name is perfect!

Samara, a Hebrew and Latin female name. The Latin name means "helicopter seed of an elm or maple tree," which reminds me of the helicopter-like wing beating of a hummingbird. The Hebrew meaning is "guardian, protected by God, or night talk." ~Barb Etlin

As contest winner, Barb will receive a copy of Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas. Many thanks to author Jeanette Larson, who donated a copy of this beautiful book as a prize.

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But wait, we're not finished here, yet!

As you no doubt know, little girls reserve the right to mull things over, alter course or change their mind. All of the above, whenever.

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Two people submitted Faith as a possibility: Margaret Buffie and Charline Profiri. Turns out, Sara loved it, too. So much so, that she decided it should be Samara's middle name!
And so it is.

Meet Samara Faith. Isn't she (or he) a beauty?

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Day 22. On my next blog (posted later today)–Samara Faith fledges!

Missed the previous posts about Hope and her hatchlings? Here you go: Hope's Hatchlings, Part One, Hope's Hatchlings: Part Two, and Hope's Hatchlings: Part Three (and a naming contest).

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: hope, hummingbird hatchlings 2014, naming contest, samara faith

Hope’s Hatchlings: Part Three (and a naming contest)

March 14, 2014 by Melodye Shore
I'm youth, I'm joy, I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg.
James M. Barrie

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Taking the measure of things, from the day we started this journey…

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Day 17. Basking in the afternoon sun. Meanwhile, Hope is sipping nectar from the citrus blossoms, on the other side of my backyard. Do you see the shimmery green, peeking out from the hatchling's folded wings? Before long, he'll be covered with iridescent feathers! He should fledge within a week, plus or minus a couple of days.

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Day 18. The Santa Ana winds are blowing, so the hummingbird hatchling is hunkered down in the nest. So many fewer pinfeathers than yesterday–lots of fluffy feathers in their place! Fun fact: The nest is built, in part, of extremely strong, very stretchy spider silk, so the nest expands as the nestling grows. When it appears to be outgrowing the nest, it's almost ready to fledge.

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Day 19. Check out those wings!! It's as if they sprouted overnight. The sun was warm & bright this afternoon, which made picture-taking a bit of a challenge. It blanketed the hatchling's back, radiating light, and before long, those dark little peepers drifted shut.

NAMING CONTEST! Hope's hatchling will likely fledge next Tuesday,  23 days after breaking free of its shell. With that in mind, I'm hosting a naming contest.

Naming Contest Rules:

1) Drop your entry into the comments section, below. Alternatively, leave your suggestion on the link I post to my Facebook page.
2)  All entries must be received by 11:00 a.m. (Pacific) on Sunday, 3/16
3)  My neighbor-friend Sara will help me select the winning entry
4)  In the event of duplicate submissions, we will draw the winner's name from a hat (metaphorically speaking).
5)  I'll announce the hatchlings name on Monday, 3/17.
6) The prize? Amazing! Author Jeanette Larson is donating a copy of her beautiful book, HUMMINGBIRDS: Facts and Folklore from the Americas, to the winner. Exquisite illustrations, fun and informative text…this is one of those books that quickly assumes a prominent position on your bookshelf or coffee table.

At some point early next week, the hummingbird hatchling will wing its way into the world, graced with a befitting name. I'll post more pictures in the meantime. Stay tuned…

Missed the previous posts about Hope and her hatchlings? Here you go: Hope's Hatchlings, Part One and Hope's Hatchlings: Part Two.

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: hope, hummingbird eggs 2014, hummingbird hatchlings 2014, hummingbirds: facts and folklore from th, naming contest

Hope’s Hatchlings: Part Two

March 14, 2014 by Melodye Shore
Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.
Rabindranath Tagore

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(Missed the previous days' entries? Here's the link. )

Day 9. "It's Nature's way," I am told. And it's statistically true that only 50% of hummingbird hatchlings grow iridescent wings and fledge. But numbers count for nothing, when you're trying to reconcile wishes with reality…reality being that one of the baby hummingbirds fell from the nest this morning. I don't know the how or why, but it was already dead when I found it.

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Day 11. At this point, the hatchling is covered with pinfeathers, so Hope broods less often, even at night. To avoid attracting the attention of predators, she steers clear of the nest, save for the few seconds it takes to feed her hatchling. Feeding intervals vary, from less than ten minutes to more than an hour and a half.

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Day 12. Look in the upper left corner: you can see one of the hatchling's tiny wings!

The nest is slanted, thanks to the heavy winds and rains, but it's not going anyway. That's because hummingbirds lash their nests to nearby branches with spider silk, which is at once flexible and super-strong. Hope brooded last night, and again today. I think she's trying to keep her hatchling warm while the nest dries.

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Day 14. Hope allowed me a couple of pictures before she buzzed past my head, clicking and helicoptering her tiny wings.

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As you can see from this second picture, the hatchling's pinfeather casings are breaking open now, and the beak is much darker. Before long, we'll see its iridescent feathers. Hope's baby must surely have a neck ache by now, what with staying in that position for lo, these many days. But I'm pretty sure it has something to do with balancing itself on a downward-tilted nest.

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Day 15. Hope's hatchling has all its pinfeathers now, and is beginning to sprout real feathers. It lies motionless for much of the time, so as not to attract predators, but it raises its beak whenever it senses Hope is near.

Within the confines of its nest, the hatchling strengthens its flying muscles. It does this by gripping the floor with its feet and flapping its wings. Random fact: from the time they first hatch, baby hummingbirds do everything they can to drop their waste over the side of the nest (FYI, in case you hadn't already noticed).

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Day 16. Look! The hummingbird hatchling's got tiny tail feathers! This picture also shows the downward slant of the nest–quite the balancing act, no? Time to fledge: 7 days and counting…

Missed the first set of pictures? Go back to Hope's Hatchlings, Part One

Want to see more? Hope's Hatchling's, Part Three (and a naming contest)

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: faith, hope, hummingbird eggs 2014, hummingbird hatchlings 2014, hummingbirds, rabindranath tagore

Hope’s Hatchlings: Part One

March 14, 2014 by Melodye Shore
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
When we last saw Hope, our Mama Hummingbird, she was sitting on two eggs. So much has happened since then, much of which I’ve posted to Facebook. But I’ll reprise the highlights on my blog, so that we can enjoy them all over again.
P1020045Hope leaves the nest for short periods, to forage for nectar and insects.

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2/24 It’s hardly recognizable as a baby hummingbird, but ta da! The first hatchling made his grand appearance today. (The second hummingbird pecked his shell open that same afternoon.)

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Within just a couple of days, Hope’s baby hummingbirds have almost doubled in size. Their beaks are slightly darker (barely visible at the 4:00 and 8:00 positions), and they’re growing fuzzy little pinfeathers. At this stage, they’re very much a work in progress…

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Day 3. Hope braces herself on the edge of the nest—it’s a windy afternoon, but her hatchlings are hungry!

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Hope’s hummingbird hatchlings are 4 days old! She feeds them a slurry of nectar & insects about every 20 minutes. In this blustery rainstorm, however, she’s hunkered down on the nest more than usual.  (I set up my camera shots when Hope’s away from the nest, gathering food. And because I try to hurry, the pictures aren’t always–well, picture perfect.)

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Day 6. The nest is soaked clear through, but Hope and her brood weathered a violent storm that rolled in overnight.  Heavy rains and hail. Thunder, lightning, and howling winds. I fretted for hours on end, hoping against long odds that they’d make it. And…as you can see here, they did! No worse for the wear, it seems, other than the fact that they’re a bit wet. And quite obviously, very hungry.

Want to know what happens next? Follow these links: Hope’s Hatchlings, Part Two and Hope’s Hatchlings, Part Three (and a naming contest).

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: c.s. lewis, hope, hummingbird eggs 2014, hummingbird hatchlings 2014

Thankful Thursday: Hope

February 19, 2014 by Melodye Shore
I’m grateful today for Hope, the mama hummingbird who’s bringing to my backyard garden these little glimpses of heaven.
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Two tiny eggs, one hidden from view

She carries light on her gossamer wings, quilts earth and sky together with her long, slender beak.

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Protective mamas, this hummingbird and me

 Hope graces our garden with her beautiful presence, brings joy to the present moment and –tucked into that perfect little nest—the tiniest glimpses of Possibility.
She built her home on the strong, high branch of a podocarpus tree, using spider silk and magic.  And somewhere in that process, Hope, that thing with feathers, has perched herself on my soul.
Want to know what happened to Hope and her brood, from this point forward? Follow the links to Hope’s Hatchlings, Part One, Hope’s Hatchlings, Part Two, and Hope’s Hatchling’s, Part Three (and a naming contest).
Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: hope, hummingbird eggs 2014, hummingbird hatchlings 2014, hummingbirds, papyrus, thankful thursday

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