If you go to this site you can see the larger versions of all pictures! Highly recommend
These are the most AMAZING photos of a mother Hummingbird and her babies I have ever seen! Fantastic! The videos are even better!!!!
After having nesting house finches with 5 babies on my front door, a neighbor who enjoyed that saga Email’ed me about a hummingbird nest at a nearby golf course. I have some old pictures of colorado hummingbirds, but had never seen a nest.
It’s amazing how well camouflaged it is – would have never seen it if it hadn’t been pointed out to me – thanks Brian!
Be sure to scroll down as the pictures get better … and check out the Hi-Def videos at the bottom – want prints?
July 24th, 2010: Momma feeding the baby hummingbirds two days before fledging
Videos: Image Sequence – Feeding in HiDef – in 5X SloMo!
A fly lands near the nest that shows how small the baby Broad-Tailed Hummingbirds are!
June 23rd: Brian “poses” with Momma Hummingbird on her nest keeping her eggs warm
She seemed quite calm and the telephoto lens makes us appear closer than we actually were
Here’s a view from the Indian Peaks golf course parking lot
The Hummingbird Nest is very well camouflaged!
People would walk by asking why I was taking pictures of a tree branch! 😉
July 12th: I came back a few weeks later and there are two baby Hummingbirds!
July 15th: I bike over with Jeffrey, Drew, and Kyle (and Jen) to see the hummingbird nest
The Baby Hummingbirds in the nest – they seemed very relaxed with our presence
We backed away when Momma Hummingbird showed up to feed them
The Baby Hummingbirds wanted more food after he left – mouseover image to see wide-angle view
July 19th: The Baby Hummingbirds are getting bigger – mouseover image to see wide-angle view
Head-on view of the baby hummingbirds in their nest eyeballing the photographer! 😉
July 22nd: The baby hummingbirds are getting bigger – barely fit in the nest!
Closeup of the baby hummingbird
Even though the babies are bigger, it’s still darn hard to see the hummingbird nest
Here’s the camera setup – Canon 7D on tripod shooting video and pictures via remote release
July 23rd: Hummingbirds are getting bigger still!
Wider-angle views of the baby hummingbirds in the nest – mouseover image to see another picture
Hummingbird siblings seem to like each other – mouseover both images to see a tongue stick out! 😉
Hummingbird Baby sticks its tongue out!
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Hummingbird Baby spreads its wings in the nest – may fledge soon!
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July 24th: A fly lands near the nest to provide scale – thanks!
Meanwhile on a nearby branch, Momma Hummingbird keeps an eye on things from above
The two baby Hummingbirds are pretty darn cute!
Baby Hummingbirds check out the paparazzi – mouseover image to see their normal relaxed pose
They actually seem to be playing here – mouseover image to see how relaxed/playful they are
Lots of wing flapping observed – the hummingbirds will fledge soon
Mouseover image to how scrunched the hummingbird nest is!
Some close-in pictures of one of the little birds
Mom feeding the baby hummingbirds – watch the entire 47 picture sequence – COOL!
Mom shows up several times an hour to feed the babies – watch the entire 46 picture sequence
Mom also provides her share of the food – watch the entire 11 picture sequence
As the sun sets, the hummingbirds try to get comfortable in the nest
July 25th: My wife and I make an early morning visit to the hummingbird nest
Yet another feeding – mouseover next three images to see closeups – watch 32 picture sequence
The nest is really, really getting cramped now!
The Baby Hummingbirds are totally ready to fledge from the nest
Bedding down for another night in the nest … turns out it was the last one!
Mouseover image to see night feeding action – watch the entire 71 picture sequence
Momma Hummingbird stops by to make sure the babies are tucked in
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July 26th: The Baby Hummingbirds have fledged from the nest!
While the hummingbird nest may look big in the pictures, it was darn small … and shallow!
We did see the baby hummingbirds flying around … and Momma came to the nest for a visit – mouseover image to see in action
Alek takes one last look at the hummingbird nest
- July 23: Hummingbird babies in the nest
- Baby Hummingbird doing some test flapping of its wings
- Momma Hummingbird stops by to feed the babies
- July 24: Momma Hummingbird brings breakfast to the babies – in 5X SloMo – COOL!
- Baby Hummingbirds have yet another meal in their nest
- Voiceover from Alek about the Baby Hummingbird nest
- July 25: 2 minute video showing all sort of behavior including parent who feeds ’em from both sides
- Momma Hummingbird comes by to feed the babies
- Baby Hummingbird flaps its wings like mad – looks ready to take off!
- Baby Hummingbirds just chillin’ in their nest
Image sequences of parents feedings the baby hummingbirds – very high quality, but no audio:
- 47 picture sequence at 2fps of Mom feeding and then flying away and then baby flapping wings – BEST ONE!
- 46 picture sequence at 2fps of Mom back again feeding the babies
- 11 picture sequence at 1fps of Mom feeding the two babies
- 71 picture sequence at 6fps of night feeding from lower angle
- 32 picture sequence at 2fps of Mom feeding the two babies (some shake, since handheld instead of tripod)
Photograpy Notes: Pictures taken with a Canon 50D & 7D using a Canon 70-200/F2.8IS2 with 2x teleconverter and the 18-200 lens … later has surprisingly good Macro capability. On-and-Off camera flash was used, and needless to say, depth of field is a real challenge for this type of shooting … plus the branch the hummingbird nest is on sways in the slightest wind. And while they are well acclimated to humans (lots of people walk by the nest every day to the golf course), I tried to maintain a respectful distance that they seemed comfortable with – too bad I couldn’t get this close to the Great Horned Owl Nest! 😉
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Advgrrl Motorcycle Adventures & More 
Magnificent Post, Well Done!
amazing close ups!