🐾 Maybe the reason I love animals so much, is because the only time they have broken my heart is when theirs has stopped beating.
Showing posts with label phoebe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label phoebe. Show all posts

Friday 19 February 2010

Sassy taken to rehab


Phoebe and Sassy (you can see Sassy's beak peeking out under Phoebe's wing)

If you've seen the previous posts on Phoebe, the Allen's Hummingbird, rearing her babies in her nest in a rose bush in a garden in Orange County, California, you'll know that I've been posting up-dates about the progress of the little chicks, whom I've been viewing via live cam.

They were born on the 2nd and 4th January respectively, and named Stormy and Sassy. Then on the 25th January, little Stormy died, possibly due to hatching prematurely and being very weak.



The screen shot above is of Sassy yesterday morning, at almost two months old but with very poor feather development, at a time when she should have fledged already. Phoebe was also getting restless, knowing that Sassy is well behind in her development. Speculation is that Phoebe has not been able to provide proper nutrition due to the lack of insects.

Yesterday afternoon, the moderators of the live cam decided to step in and whisked Sassy off to a Hummingbird rehab centre, where she will be properly fed and cared for until she is ready to be released into the wild. Phoebe is none the wiser, thinking that Sassy has actually naturally left the nest, and is already preparing her nest for a new family. Isn't nature wonderful? No time wasted on unnecessary and useless pain and worry.


Phoebe's - now empty - nest.

Saturday 13 February 2010

Up-date on Phoebe & Sassy



Since my last up-date on the 26th January on Phoebe, the Allen's Hummingbird, (who lives in a Rose bush in a garden in Orange County California), when Phoebe lost one of her babies, Stormy, I am happy to report that Sassy, the surviving little Hummer, seems to be in good shape. That's her in the nest above, at 25days old today. It seems she's a little behind in her feather development and it's not quite what it should be, but otherwise she seems healthy.

Did you know that the Hummingbird's nest is the size of a golf ball?! That's totally amazing...

You can follow the progress of Phoebe and Sassy at http://cam.dellwo.com/


Phoebe feeding Sassy yesterday morning

Tuesday 26 January 2010

Phoebe loses Stormy


Phoebe on her nest

I've been following Phoebe, the Allen's Hummingbird, sitting on her nest in Orange County, California, via live cam (http://cam.dellwo.com/), whose babies, Sassy and Stormy, hatched on the 19th January 2010. The sad news is that Stormy died last night - apparently he hatched the same day as Sassy, but was only due to hatch 2 days later, so he was premature and weak and, therefore, did not make it. RIP poor Stormy...

But, of course, we must realise this is nature's way of ensuring that only the fit and strong survive. The second egg is normally laid as an insurance policy.


Sassy alone in the nest...

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