🐾 Maybe the reason I love animals so much, is because the only time they have broken my heart is when theirs has stopped beating.

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

The Wolf Ceremony



I wanted to give something of my past to my grandson. So I took him into the woods, to a quiet spot. Seated at my feet he listened as I told him of the powers that were given to each creature. He moved not a muscle as I explained how the woods had always provided us with food, homes, comfort, and religion. He was awed when I related to him how the wolf became our guardian, and when I told him that I would sing the sacred wolf song over him, he was overjoyed.

In my song, I appealed to the wolf to come and preside over us while I would perform the wolf ceremony so that the bondage between my grandson and the wolf would be lifelong.

I sang.
In my voice was the hope that clings to every heartbeat.
I sang.
In my words were the powers I inherited from my forefathers.
I sang.
In my cupped hands lay a spruce seed-- the link to creation.
I sang.
In my eyes sparkled love.
I sang.

And the song floated on the sun's rays from tree to tree.
When I had ended, it was if the whole world listened with us to hear the wolf's reply. We waited a long time but none came.

Again I sang, humbly but as invitingly as I could, until my throat ached and my voice gave out. All of a sudden I realized why no wolves had heard my sacred song. There were none left! My heart filled with tears. I could no longer give my grandson faith in the past, our past.

At last I could whisper to him: " It is finished!"

"Can I go home now?" He asked, checking his watch to see if he would still be in time to catch his favourite program on TV.

I watched him disappear and wept in silence. All is finished!
- Chief Dan George

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...

Thursday 21 January 2010

Phoebe Allen's babies have hatched!


Phoebe's babies, Sassy and stormy, hatched on the 19th January
(Click on images to enlarge)

I've been following the progress via Live cam (http://cam.dellwo.com/) of the Allen's Hummingbird, her name is Phoebe, sitting on her eggs, laid on the 2nd and 4th of January 2010, respectively (see previous post).

Both Phoebe's eggs hatched on the 19th January and she has two of the cutest little Hummers to tend now, named Sassy and Stormy - you can just make out the two little black heads and orange beaks as they wait for Phoebe to return from searching for some food. I missed the actual hatching as it was still dark there when I tried to view the live cam.


Phoebe returned to the nest and, just after I took this screenshot, fed the babies.


Phoebe back on the nest

Monday 18 January 2010

Allen's Hummingbird


"Allen's Hummingbird" watercolour in Moleskine Folio - Maree©

I've been following the progress via Live cam (you can watch it here http://cam.dellwo.com/) of the Allen's Hummingbird, named Phoebe, sitting on her eggs, laid on the 2nd and 4th of January 2010, respectively, and which are due to hatch within the next day or so. The camera is situated in Orange County, California, in a rose bush close to the house. The link was supplied by well-known bird artist, Vickie Henderson, who also sketched the Humming bird. You can see Vickie's post and sketches on her blog, Vickie Henderson Art.

I did this sketch from screenshots taken of the live cam. Not knowing Hummingbirds very well, I Googled it and somehow think I've made the beak much too curved (although it certainly looked like that on the screenshot) - the description read, "Allen's Hummingbird: Small, compact hummingbird; male has straight black bill, glittering green crown and back, white breast, and rufous sides, belly, rump, and tail. The throat (gorget) is iridescent copper-red. Feeds on nectar, insects, spiders, and sap. Swift direct flight, hovers when feeding." It also states that it is the female that incubates the eggs for 15 to 17 days, so maybe the female's bill is a bit more curved. All wonderfully new stuff to me!

I'm keeping a close eye one the Live cam, as I really would like to see the hatching of the eggs. Pop in again for an up-date!


Phoebe's nest with the eggs while she's off for a snack

Saturday 26 December 2009

Season's Greetings 2009!



A very merry festive season to all and may 2010 be all you expect of it!

Thursday 3 December 2009

Black Velvet Spider

If you want to live and thrive, let the spider run alive.
~American Quaker Saying


This black Velvet Spider has lived in the bark of an old log in my garden for approximately 2 years now and she lets me coax her out for a photographic session every now and then. These spiders are robust and deliberate in the way that they walk and she even allows me to gently stroke her abdomen and thorax, which is covered in thick, smooth, velvety hairs.

The velvet spiders (family Eresidae) are a small group (about 100 species in 10 genera) of almost totally Old World spiders (exception: a few species are known from Brazil).



Velvet spiders are found under rocks or bark resting in a sheet of dense white silk and are often confused with baboon spiders. They can live up to 5 years. Free living but rarely leave the safety of their webs.


Description:
12mm to 15mm in length. These robust spiders colouration may be from black, grey or a rich red. Body covered with hairs which give them a velvety appearance, hence their name. The abdomen is often lighter in colour than the rest of the spider. Abdomen may have 4 dimples on the top. The eyes are close together and the mouthparts are very robust looking for a spider that size. Legs are short and strong and they are widespread throughout Southern Africa.



Web:
These spiders build their webs under rocks, under loose bark. Their retreats consist of flat candy floss like dry sheets of silk. The silk is tough and has interwoven prey remains. Their nest-like webs are attached to the ground using silken anchor lines. Silken lines radiate from the entrance to their shelters. These lines are used to detect prey.

Venom:
Even though these spiders can be large in size they very rarely bite. Not much is known about the affects of their venom. It is highly unlikely that this spider’s venom is of importance to humans.

Notes:
Females seldom leave their webs in order to hunt. Instead, they prefer to wait for prey to wander into their webs and radiating silken lines. They prey upon tough skinned insects and other large prey items.
Camera : Fuji FinePix 2800Zoom

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