A Tale of Two Hummers

[Bill Anderson]

Friday (5/31) afternoon I was at the top of the driveway at the fish hatchery talking to a friend when a female Anna's hummingbird flew between us and hovered less than an arm's length from me. Perhaps it was the red T shirt I was wearing which attracted the hummer.

I followed to the hummer back to the bushes by the road and found a second hummer, a fledgling, perched on one of the branches.


The fledgling got very excited when it heard the female return and went into the "begging" position.


The female fed the fledgling, then took off.

 

[Bill Anderson]

After the mother left, the fledgling groomed itself.

 

[Bill Anderson]

The fledgling had a visitor.


A second hummer was napping on a branch a few feet from the fledgling. I cannot decide if this is the mother or a second fledgling.


The fledgling must have been getting hungry and didn't want to wait for mama, so it started poking around some nearby flowers.




The second hummer continued its nap.

 

[Bill Anderson]

The second hummer woke up and found some flowers in the shade.






Definitely the mother returning to the nearby fledgling.




From what I observed, I believe that second hummer was the mother, but I will admit that the photos make it difficult to tell for certain. Two adult hummers were chasing each other just before the mother arrived back at the fledgling.

 

[Bill Anderson]

A quick drop off of food.....


then she flew past me and raced across the street.


The fledgling was left to wait once again.




This fledgling may be very close to being on its own, as over an hour had passed between the two feedings that I photographed.

 

[Terry O]

Oh, My! Fantastic, Bill!