Leonard Weber

June 2, 2024

Sometimes, it’s wonderful to be wrong.

On May 19, I posted the story of a nesting attempt by a Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Eliza Howell Park. The first egg was  laid in what looked like an unfinished nest. Not too surprisingly, the egg fell.

Shortly after the egg fell, the female left the nest. My observation, when she had not been seen again for a week, was that “the chances are very good that we will not know what happens next.”

I was wrong.

The Next Chapter

On May 30, I was near the sycamore tree and decided to take another look at the nest, not having seen any activity there since May 12. I was surprised to see the bird back in the nest, a nest that had been expanded.

At some point, perhaps a few days before, she had returned, worked on the nest, and moved in. She now  appeared to be incubating.

(Note the difference in the size of the nest in the two photos above.)

Compared to the egg laying in the earlier instance, which appeared quite premature, the present nesting situation looks more normal.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds usually have two eggs, laid a day or so apart. Incubation then takes about 16 days, all done by the female. She leaves briefly to eat but returns quickly.

When the eggs hatch, she will spend another couple weeks feeding the young.

I do not have an explanation for this  course of events, but am once again excited to be able to watch (from a distance and in as non-threatening a manner as possible) as the story continues.