Two fledglings

24Jul07

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July 24, 2007: Happy to report that today I saw the mother Anna’s feeding both of her fledglings (Anita and Anido). Until today I hadn’t seen the first fledgling at all, as it decided to fledge in a rainstorm and apparently has taking a liking to hiding deep in one of the lilac bushes.

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The mother Anna’s has been feeding regularly on the Cape fuchsia in the garden, but they’re going out of bloom so on Saturday I decided to hang a hummingbird feeder in the flowers to make sure she had enough to dine on in the yard. Today I watched her go to the feeder and straight to the one fledgling that I saw fly on Saturday, but then to my surprise after she’d fed that one she flew into the lilac and there, hiding in the shadows, was the first fledgling. Having not seen the first fledgling since Thursday I had been worried, but all three, mother Anna’s and the two siblings, are still calling the garden home, at least for today. I’m sure at some point they will fly off, but it’s nice to enjoy them while they’re here.

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P.S. For those who are curious what the “big lens” looks like, Max came over today to see what good use I’ve been putting his lens to and took this photo of me in action.

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Filed under: Hummingbird   |  3 Comments

3 Responses to “Two fledglings”  

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  1. 1 Ax on July 25, 2007 said:

    Hurrah for the named fledglings!

    (“Anido” is a pun on the Italian word for nest, for the uninitiated…).

    Gorgeous feeder shot, M.

  2. 2 mikeullmann on July 25, 2007 said:

    Oh, glad you said so. I was about to make it “Anito.”
    M

  3. 3 Steve Lospalluto on July 25, 2007 said:

    Marcus,
    One of the things I found interesting in my experience with Rufous Hummingbirds was how significant insects were to the fledglings diet. They foraged more for insects in those first couple of weeks than on flowers. It seems they needed the protein sources to size up and mature.

    I’m not suprised. I also noted the same thing when the nestlings were first born, that the mother Anna’s would hunt insects a lot to feed to them. I have noticed the fledgling seem to be foraging insects off of the trees. I’m sure you’re right that they are after the protein. -Marcus


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