Botany Photo of the Day - June 13, 2009

UBC Botanical GArden ^ | June 13, 2009 | UBC Botanical Garden

[Red_Devil 232]

Depending on how old your computer is it may have a card reader built in. Little slot or two near your CD drives.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks! Yeah, Husband has all that stuff...he just won’t let me play with it...Waaaaaa! ;)

[Vinnie]

I’ve been busy all day.
Terrific pics. Thanks

A few weeks ago I was in the yard and observed a hummer near the ground flitting around a small flowerless bush.

After the hummer flew off I looked to see what she was after.

Cobwebs. For the nest.

[Grammy]

I had a red headed woodpecker living here when we first moved in 20+ years ago. Unfortunately, he chose to live elsewhere.

We had several pair of rose breasted grosbeak move through here 3 or 4 weeks ago. They were a delight to watch at the feeder, but alas, they have moved on.

[Grammy]

God is very creative, isn’t He? Compare the hummer to the butterfly to the elephant.

I just happened to catch the motion of the hummer, so that is how I found the nest. It is about 30 feet off the ground, which happens to be about eye level with our bathroom window and just above the kitchen window where I was washing dishes at the time. Our house is built on a hill, so the back of the house is pretty high from ground level. If the light hadn’t been just right, I would have missed her and the babies all together!

[Grammy]

Now that I know how high the hummer nests are I may be able to find another.

I am jealous of your lilacs. They don’t grow well down here, and I miss them.

[LucyJo]

Everything coming together like that was one sweet blessing.

Hummingbirds are amazing.

I just noticed your clever, hilarious, tagline and laughed out loud. Ha.

[GSP.FAN]

Check out my Hummers,i am not lucky enough to have a nest but in time i will...
They are on the first and second page..

http://s617.photobucket.com/albums/tt260/leeloo00_photo/

[Grammy]

Beautiful pics GSL.FAN. What kind of hummers are those? We only have ruby throated around here. I love the one that shows her tongue.

Mr G has had to work really hard to get his pictures. The nest is about 20 feet from a window, 30 feet high, and she very strategically placed it under a little canopy of leaves. If it rains, she is covered, if it is sunny she is covered, if it is breezy she is covered.

The only time the nest is really well lit is at 6:45 in the morning, and 5 at night. That is when the sun is low enough to creep under the canopy.

In the meantime, he is having fun trying to best the challenge.

[Grammy]

Or, with less fumble fingers, GSP.FAN.
8-)

Love the pics of your angel face as well.

[GSP.FAN]

Thank you, yes she is a angel.. The pics are mostly black chinned or ruby,after the mocking birds left i hung out feeders,and i sit outside for 2hrs with the camera (thank you Swampsniper)and take pics... It is very relaxing sitting and doing nothing. This saturday i have a date with the hummers,one of the plants has red flowers and the hummers are hitting it. Hummers in motion,best pics..

[Hiskid]

ping

[LucyJo]

Grammy,

I was telling my mother about your hummingbird nest and babies, and the wonderful pictures you had taken of them and the hummingbird as well. She was so happy to hear about it, and said that you should sell them to a magazine (I added a calendar might be nice too!), so more people could enjoy them.

It’s such a rare thing to see this, and it’s something you might check into, if you haven’t already.

[Grammy]

Thanks for the idea. If I had even a *clue* as to where to start I would go for it.

You have only seen a few of the pics Mr G took. He has some really beautiful ones as they got bigger, and we have several hours of video of them being fed and starting to stretch their wings. Mom’s feeding style seems a bit rough! She feeds like a little jackhammer, almost as fast as she flies. You would swear her beak was going to come out their other ends!