Earlier this spring I had the amazing opportunity to study a hummingbird nesting and taking care of it's little baby.  I was outside doing some yardwork and saw what looked like a bee nest.  In my eagerness to get it out of there I almost missed what was really going on but thanks to mama bird hovering around me I took a closer look in the last minute to discover this tiny, tiny hummingbird nest.  It was positioned right outside my big window so lucky me, I could now study the progress from a non distractive and threatening location inside the house.  Have you ever seen the speed to which these little creatures can move?  My camera is fast but let me tell you, it sure made the camera work hard trying to keep up with focus. I could sit for hours (not that I had the hours to put aside) mesmerized with the hard work mama put in to make sure the little baby would hatch and later get fed.  I sat through some really rainy days when the wind was rocking the branch really hard and the rain was pouring, but she wouldn't waver.  I only saw one baby bird come out out of the two eggs it started with, but it was fascinating to be able to watch from such close proximity. Unfortunately this story has a sad ending to it.  I will never get to see the little baby bird spread it's wings and leave the nest.  One day the nest was empty and mama was gone.  The baby was too little to have left by itself so unfortunately something took it or it fell out of the nest. I tried to look for it but never found it.  What I do have is some beautiful images of mama and baby bird working together to survive and bond during the very short time they had together and it was beautiful to watch.

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