Mrs. Anna Hummingbird

Mrs. Hummingbird is back.  She likes to nest right outside my bedroom window in a Portuguese Laurel tree, a little over 5 feet off the ground.

She nested in the same spot last year and raised three little hummers.  They were adorable and I became very involved with them.  I felt like they were family.

This little hummer is an Anna's Hummingbird.   I have only spotted Mr. Hummingbird a few times, but Mrs. Anna is all over my back yard.  I  have been to the nursery and purchased red flowering plants to tempt her to stay put.

I have the nest that Mr. & Mrs. Hummingbird used last year.  I read that while the Anna's Hummingbird will nest in the same spot from year to year, they will not use the same nest.  I felt that since the nest from last year was just going to go empty I might as well add it to my collection of nests.

You can see how very tiny the nests are by comparing it to the dime in the photos.  They have lots of fluff and spider's webs and what appears to be lichen in the construction.  They weigh next to nothing and are very, very soft.

I will post photos of the babies once they hatch.  IF I can get a good shot.  Mrs. Anna gets very upset when I stand in the window with my big black camera pointed right at her.  She flies off the nest and parks herself (in mid air) right in front of me and dares me to threaten her nest.  When she gets like that I slink off to another part of the house and leave her in peace.  For a while.....

I am so grateful to have them back again this year.