May 4, 2008

Two Baby Hummingbirds Sittin' In A Tree


Yesterday evening, Steve and I rode our bikes to the pond behind one of our local business parks to check out the beaver hut. We saw the two adults we knew were there -- one schlepping a willow branch back to the den -- the other skimming the edges of the pond, generally checking things out. No kits, though, which was a little disappointing. There was a pair of Canada geese, however, with eight goslings (or geeslings, as Oprah calls them), as well as a Mallard pair with two fuzzy ducklings.

Just as we were preparing to leave, the Canada geese swam over to the beaver hut and climbed atop it, the youngsters trailing behind. Steve said he thought they'd roost there, and seeing them settle in was a perfect cap to the evening. I wish we'd brought the camera.

Meanwhile, my neighbor, Laura VanCouvering, took this photo of a hummingbird nest, two tubby babies tucked inside. The nest is in a camillia in the yard of a friend in El Dorado Hills, and was taken in late March. Babies here are a little over two weeks old.

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