Two Hummingbird Babies in a Nest
by Xueling Zou
Title
Two Hummingbird Babies in a Nest
Artist
Xueling Zou
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
We moved into our new house in August of 2008. These two plum trees grew so fast I had to ask the gardener to trim them twice a year. I didn't ask for trimming the trees because of the hummingbird this spring, They grew a little wild, and the branches started to reach our house, they made some scraping noises on windy days. So, I reminded the gardener to do his duty for us, since our hummingbird never came back to the nest.
Our gardener did a very good job trimming the two trees. These two trees could get most of their sunlight around noon. I still saw a hummingbird came back to the tree area.
During the middle of May, 2012, I was in our garden and saw a hummingbird landed on the second tree (not the tree where I originally spotted the nest). I saw in silhouette what seemed like the mother feeding babies. My heart started pounding, and I ran as fast as I could to our upstairs where one our windows faced the tree. Amazingly, I discovered that there were two big and fat hummingbird babies in a tiny half walnut size nest, which was smaller than the first one. It was just so lucky that the nest was only one foot away from the newly trimmed branch.
Were these two nests related to each other? I did some research and found out that some hummingbird mothers build two nests nearby. How smart they are! I did feel relieved and was happily watching them growing up carefully!
Every day, when the sunlit shone on the babies and nest area through the leaves during the noon, I got busy to capture them. I even broke one branch blocked my sight, but still my zoom was not long enough to get great shots, they were just too tiny and cute:-)! One day, I was trying to put a small branch close to me with my left hand, which connected to the nest, while my right hand holding the camera, and ready to take photos. But, I hear the sound of the hummingbird mother calling her babies, and I thought it was a great opportunity to me to capture the feeding. So I released the little branch I was holding, and hid myself with the sheers by my left hand.
The hummingbird mother immediately found out, and flying in front of my lens for 30 seconds, flew around the tree one more time, then landed. I was holding my breath, took only a few shots, her feeding was only last 15 seconds. Then she left, I thought I could reach out taking more photos. Suddenly, she flew in front of my camera without any calling sound. I realized that I really should leave them alone, let them grow happy and healthy:-).
(More photos at: http://originalartstories.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-hummingbird-neighbors-ii-watching.html )
This piece tied up the 1st place in the Contest - Hummingbird Close Up on this site on February 19th, 2016,
http://fineartamerica.com/contests/hummingbird-close-up.html?tab=leaderboard
http://fineartamerica.com/contests/hummingbird-mamas-and-babies.html?tab=leaderboard
Thank you for viewing my original photography. ©Xueling Zou -
Uploaded
June 27th, 2012
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Viewed 1,190 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 03/27/2024 at 5:49 AM
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Comments (34)
Wayne Ligon
Zou, fantastic capture. This a favorite of your wonderful portfolio. L/F Wayne Ligon
Xueling Zou replied:
Wayne, I am glad you like my capture. This is my most current on if you are interested in the story part: https://originalartstories.blogspot.com/2021/05/my-hummingbird-neighbors-vi.html
Kym Backland
This is an AWESOME capture Xueling! What a great site to get to see and photograph! FVG+
Madalena Lobao-Tello
CONGRATULATIONS!! Featured on Female Artists - Creative Women!!! Absolutely fabulous artwork! Very well done!!!! Voted
Kristin Elmquist
Excellent shot, Xueling. They are so cute. Looks like it's almost time for them to fly the coop and be on their own. I sure wish my plum trees would grow as fast as yours! :) Vote.
Jim Barber Hove
Spectacular shot! Did you actually climb up that tree or did you fly? The angle is amazing. Saludos, Mexico
Dawn Senior-Trask
Wow, what a crisp and graceful look at these two youngsters, with all that hummingbird Attitude on full display! Gorgeous and utterly charming work, including your wonderful description! v/f
Paula Ayers
Lovely capture. Fascinating. I've never seen hummingbird babies and definitely never seen live hummingbirds actually sitting still.
Nicole Riley
Exquisite work, as always and great details, I bet these two must have been gone shortly after this shot, as they almost already outgrew the nest!
Lorraine Louwerse
Xueling, this is wonderful, and this is something that does not happen to often, I love hummingbirds I have a feeder, and I love watching them. Love the write up. Again, wonderful shot.