Hummingbird Nest building....

Female hummingbirds will need nesting material to make her nest. She likes to use nice soft material like moss and lichen. She also likes to use cotton fluffs, bits of willows, soft plant pieces, dryer lint, and leaf hairs. She will bring these items back to her nest a little at a time, gluing it all together with spider webs. The spider webs make terrific glue for the nest, allow the nest to stretch and be flexible as the baby hummingbirds grow, and make it easier for the mother hummingbird to repair the nest when kids do what kids do. While building the nest, the female hummingbird will try to camouflage it as much as possible by using small sticks, seeds, and plant pieces to shade the outside of the nest. She will make sure the lighter parts of the nest are in the sun, while the darker parts of the nest are in the shade, blending it in with the surroundings

Don't be surprised if you notice one female hummingbird stealing nesting material from another female hummingbird. This is common practice among hummingbirds. Don't worry, the original hummingbird will most likely go and steal supplies from the other as well

When a mother hummingbird is gathering the materials for her nest, she will carry the items in her beak. Painstaking she will tuck the material into the fork of the branches to make the base of her nest. When she carries the spider webs to the nest, you will notice them all around her beak, under her chin, and across her breast. She will use her chin and body to press the spider webs and material into her nest so that every piece will go exactly where she wants it.

A mother hummingbird will sit in a nest and use a wing to press the nest against her body to mold it into the perfect shape. She will press her rump into the center of the nest and against the walls to round the inside. She also uses her feet. With one foot hanging onto the nest and the other stomping the nest, she will compact the material to make a solid sturdy nest bottom..

8:04am
Phoebe has been gone a while.. can hear some sawing close to the nest

8:08am
Drats! I just missed Phoebe on cap with a beak full of fluff..( maybe Gail got it or Kay on a video) she immediately place it on the floor of the nest.. Now she is leaning forward wiggling around


In this cap you can see her leaning a bit to her left with her one foot on the floor of the nest while using other foot to stomp down the fluff..


She left shortly after...

8:14am
Nest is empty..

Will be in and out...

8:44am
Phoebe is flying into the nest with a twig


She poked it in the rim near 1.
Now she is leaning over the front of the nest.. with her bum at the back of the nest.. is actively stomping down the bedding on the floor of the nest...

Pokes at the rim at near 5



8:50am
Phoebe flew in the nest ... wiggled around a bit and left..

8:54
Nest is empty..

8:59am
I will out for a while..BBL...

11:01am
Cam is down..

11:10am
Cam is back but no sound right now.. Pungh said the cable representative will look at it tonight



11:18am
Sound comes and goes...

I will be in and out...

Hi Bev,
Here are some fluff scaps from earlier, she sure was busy in and out. Great scap of the twig, so tiny.

My hummingbird feeder was frozen this morning, my little Anna sat there a long time when I put it back out. Our BC hummers have to be tough

12:23 She comes and in a few seconds she goes :p
Enjoy this time Phoebe, cause when there are eggs it will be the reverse :-*

Hey Gail.. Thank you for the great caps...Love the ones you capture of Phoebe entering and leaving the nest...:thumrht: All our hummingbirds have migrated... the Anna Hummers are so sweet.. you are lucky to have them all year around... sounds cold there.. we have been lucky so far...

Here are a few i got of Phoebe earlier.
11:20bm
Phoebe in the nest.. then left rather quickly

11:33am
Isn't she a sweetie.. can see her raised head feathers... probably from spreading spider webs..

1:03pm
Nest is empty


I will be gone this evening... will check in when i can later unless Phoebe is perched some where for the night..

1:30 Camera froze with Phoebe on it

1:49 Camera is back, look at that California sunshine on the nest Gonna have to get Phoebe sunglasses