hummingbirds: facts and folklore from th

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.

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.

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.