Pepperdine NSO Week

The deed is done.  The Teen has packed his bags, vacated our premises, and begun his great adventure.  Unpacking and putting away all the “important” stuff … Obligatory selfie :-) New Student Orientation theme:  “happiest campus on earth”  (sounds about right to me) Outside their dorm, letting we parents take the roommate trio portrait.  Um, yeah.  A room with a view.  A really, REALLY nice view. And then I drove back home.  And I didn’t use the commuter lane.  And it all felt more than just a little bit weird.  But The Teen is happy in his new digs.  And thus, we are happy. 

Second Nest Chronicles: flying the coop

June 9, morning and evening … June 10, 9:15a 4:00p 4:50p.  And just like that, they had left the nest. I do have one more set of pictures.  Two more days with our hummer babies …

The Second Nest Chronicles: babies at 3 weeks

The hummer babies by 3 weeks old are completely adorable.  And quite cozy in the nest, pushing the sides out a bit.

A note about my photographic process … For most of these pictures, I’m about 12 inches from the nest, shooting with a 100mm macro lens.  The picture directly below is pretty much what the lens captures at 12” away.  The picture directly below that (the super close-up) is simply a cropped version.  The macro lens makes everything appear larger than actuality.  The nest, at this point, has stretched out to about 1.5 inches diameter (at the top). At three weeks, they’re both starting to stretch their wings, fluff/flap, and even stand up on the edge of the nest.  And I love the little flecks of irridescent green popping up in their feathers. They are now a mere 4 days away from exiting the nest.

Continuing the Second Nest Chronicles

and facts.  Lots more facts.  Baby hummers start stretching their wings by gripping the silky nest with their toes.  No risk of falling out.Mama feeds her babies by regurgitating insects and nectar deep into their mouths.    I would often see their tongues quickly darting in and out after a feeding.Hummers are born already “toilet trained.”  They do their very best to dispose of poop over the side of the nest.  (see dark spots all over surrounding leaves)  I was very nearly pooped upon several times.  There’s very little warning for their projectile ways! Check out the changing color of their beaks… Oh hello, EYELASHES!!!!  (and look at all that spider silk on the nest, tops and sides)

The Second Nest Chronicles, cont.

The next two weeks … They grow rapidly.  The nest expands to accomodate them.  They grow pin feathers.  By two weeks they are feathery enough to keep warm without Mama sitting on them.  Good news, because there’s no room left in the nest for Mama! Their beaks get longer and darker … Oh hello, eye.