It seems our hummingbirds show up later and later each summer. We used to have a few flitting around our sugar feeders in May, sometimes April. But in recent years, they arrive later. In this case, almost July.
We saw one this week. I had seen one across town the week before. Other birders have told me they are just starting to show up.
You can understand how the little fellows might not be prompt. They come from nearly halfway around the world., beginning their journey east in Mexico and the Southeastern United Sates. By the time they arrive, they are ready to nest
I have never seen a hummingbird nest, but they do set up their nurseries in our parts.
According to Birds & Blooms, a hummingbird nest is one of the great wonders in all of nature. They are so tiny, so perfect. Yet, few of us have ever seen a hummingbird nest. This is because they are nearly impossible to find. From the ground, they look like another bump on a branch. From above, an umbrella of leaves conceals them. And from the side, they look like a tiny knot, quilted with lichens, plant down and fibers. Female hummingbirds build their nests 10 to 90 feet high, generally in trees or shrubs.
Hummingbirds build velvety, compact cups with spongy floors and elastic sides that stretch as the young grow. They weave together twigs, plant fibers, and bits of leaves, and use spider silk as threads to bind their nests together and anchor them to the foundation.
Hummingbird eggs are about the size of navy beans. Most females lay just two eggs, which they incubate for 15 to 18 days. Juvenile hummingbirds fledge anywhere from18 to 28 days after hatching.
What fascinating creatures. Glad to have them back.