This happened to our family in 2016, myself, my wife and my granddaughter Alisabeth who was staying with us that summer. She was 21 years old at the time. I wrote and placed on the computer to have a record of what happened. This was a very heart warming experience for all of us. At first it was just myself, my wife and my granddaughter Alisabeth. Our friends, relatives and just anybody who had heard would show up and we would tell the story.

 

I will put a copy of how things fell into place. I will enclose 7 pictures. The 3rd pic shows the duck tape at the top[ of the picture. The grey 

thing at the bottom is the nest. It is very small. Anyone has question-ask away.

Preston & family

 

June 25, 2016 at 700 N. Dewey St., Middleton, Id at about 10 AM we decided to trim and prune a London plane or Sycamore tree at our back door. My wife, Judy took a long handled pruning saw and cut several low hanging branches. They all were in a big pile in the yard; well it was about time to eat so we retired to the house and ate lunch. Well it was about nap time (that happens when you get old and good looking). About 2 ½ hours later we went back outside. I went into my shop and was working on some molding for the shop door. My wife, Judy and my granddaughter, Alisabeth went to work on the pile of branches cutting them up to take to the burn pile.

 

I’m working away in the shop when my wife comes in and says I have something to show you. So I follow Judy back to the yard and there is Alisabeth on her knees looking at a branch about 3 feet long on the ground. I get down and look and they were, 2 baby humming bird chicks. They were so small and helpless. Alisabeth wanted to know what to do with them. Alisabeth was real concerned to say the least. So between our 3 brilliant minds we set to work. We didn’t want to leave too much of our human scent on the baby in fear of mama rejecting the baby chicks so Alisabeth put a finger underneath the one baby and it crawled on and Alisabeth put the chick back into the nest. By the way the nest was very small, well both of the chicks fit and they looked like they were at home. Alisabeth was holding the branch and we came up with the idea of using duct tape on one end with the tiny hummingbird nest and wrapping it around another branch on the tree where they came from.

 

Well we found a branch and snipped back the leaves on the tree branch and the leaves on our branch with the nest. This took a couple of ladders, 3 people and some duct tape. We positioned the nest branch to the tree branch and duct taped away. We got the branch with the nest in the up position. We only had the nest about 6 feet off the ground. The main thing the chicks were safe and in their home.

 

 

Now while we were eating and napping the 2 baby humming birds were on the ground. Did momma feed them or know what was going on? We cleaned the area up and sat down in our chairs by the back porch and waited. The new spot for the nest was a lot lower and back toward the house several feet.

 

When I work in my shop I have a box fan in the window to help cool down the shop. Well momma came looking for the chicks in their new location and was not having any luck. Finally it dawned on me; shut the fan off and maybe mamma can hear the chicks.

 

It worked when she came back she found them but everything was different. It took her several minutes but she zeroed in on them and she fed them right away. By the time we went to bed she had made several trips to feed. Oh by the way, the 2 babies are named Trim & Prune.

 

JUNE 26, 2016

The chicks slept good as they were still with us. Oh by the way the chicks are Alisabeth’s god babies.

We cut another small limb about 3 feet long and held it up to the limb that the nest is on and we cut leaves off to accommodate the shape of the nest limb. We tied the new limb to the old limb with the nest with bread bag ties keeping in mind for the new leaves to shade and camouflage the chicks.

 

JUNE 27, 28 & 29

The chicks are sleeping good and mom feeds about every 20 minutes and she knows when about 30 seconds feeding time is up.

We have cut several limbs to replace the old dried out limbs. Mom’s activity around the nest is increasing, so something is up, maybe time for the young ones to go into the world. They are a joy to have around and we will miss them. Maybe next year they will remember our good nectar and return to raise some more chicks.

 

JUNE 30, 2016

There is about the same amount of activity as the last three days. Mom does act a little different. She flies around the nest as if she is giving flying lessons.

 

JULY 1, 2

Same activity as previous days.

 

 

 

JULY 3

Mom is very busy today compared to the last few days. Maybe this will be the day. Mom is flying around the nest again giving flying lessons. We went into the house to eat around noon. We came back out about 2:30 PM and guess what an empty nest and I wanted to be there when they flew off. Already we were missing the chicks. We sat down and watched the tree where the nest was and saw mom doing her feeding thing. The kids were in the tree. Mom was taking nectar from our feeder and taking it to the chicks in the tree.

From time to time a young one will check out the nest but not stay.

 

This has been a great experience for all of us. We tried hard to not humanize ourselves with the young hummingbirds. They seem to be doing fine and who knows; maybe we will see them next year.

We get a few in the summer. But, I've never seen a nest. Didn't know that two sat on the eggs. Is that normal? 

Gene I think the feathers show they both are female. Male heads are more colorful.. Maybe two young babies still not flown yet.????

That’s awesome, thank you!

Very cool.  My mother took me out to her garden once to see the big bumble bees which turned out to be baby hummingbirds.  Never saw the nest.

While we have quite a few red throated hummingbirds around here, I've also never seen a nest. At least now i know what to look for. Very cool, thanks.

2 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

Gene I think the feathers show they both are female. Male heads are more colorful.. Maybe two young babies still not flown yet.????

Out here, there are no colorful ones. They're brownish all over. Yet, 20 miles away, they get ruby and blue throated ones. 

 

 

 

They are just like ducks and other fowl as the females are always blaw . I'm sure glad humans are the other way around.

Awesome story & pics Preston. I maintain a few feeders every summer and know we end up with young but have never seen the nests.

I'll be showing everyone here your pictures.

Thanks for taking the time to post this...Truly enjoyed and appreciated!

1 hour ago, Smallpatch said:

They are just like ducks and other fowl as the females are always blaw . I'm sure glad humans are the other way around.

Mostly.

7 hours ago, steamshovel said:

I will put a copy of how things fell into place.

The 2 shown are young chicks that have flown yet. I don't know what sex yet. They may have to get a little age on them first before the colors come out on the males. I have been trying to post an explanation of what happened but I'm not to good on these things. I sent John Morris my write up about these wonderful birds. He said he would put on when he can. To make it short I trimmed a tree and we found these chicks and a nest and what transpires is quite a story. It kept us busy for about a month. Good news is they made it. My granddaughter named them. I'll interduce  them to you all as Trim & Prune.

 

Preston

I have many pictures and short videos and no commercials. I have done a lot of things in my life but this was number 1 oops my wife and kids were number 1.

 

Preston 

20 minutes ago, steamshovel said:

interduce  them to you all as Trim & Prune.

  My wife names all of ours Snickers & Doodles 

This topic has been edited (please read initial start of topic), the actual story that Preston composed as this event was unfolding has been added. The topic was moved to General Woodworking as there was some woodworking involved in this rescue, the mending of a tree which is "wood".

 

Preston, what a wonderful story, thanks so much for sharing this joyous occasion with us. This is a wonderful read, with beautiful images, thank you!

@steamshovel  Great story and picture trail.  Loved it.  Thanks for posting.

 that's  really great   Glad you shared  glad the little one caught  it.

 

Hbirds are fun.  I maintain two feeders, and when they need recharge the hummer lets me know by hovering about 3' from me and staring accusingly.  Wife/I spent a week (as Commissioner) at Scout camp up in the woods, and we put up 4 feeders around the cabin porch, where wife spent her days.  We counted about 20--25 hummers circulating around for that week.  She was just delighted.  Our current resident is so territorial that we rarely get a second, but watching them chase each other is also fun.  Thanks for posting the pics.

4 hours ago, PeteM said:

Hbirds are fun.  I maintain two feeders, and when they need recharge the hummer lets me know by hovering about 3' from me and staring accusingly.  Wife/I spent a week (as Commissioner) at Scout camp up in the woods, and we put up 4 feeders around the cabin porch, where wife spent her days.  We counted about 20--25 hummers circulating around for that week.  She was just delighted.  Our current resident is so territorial that we rarely get a second, but watching them chase each other is also fun.  Thanks for posting the pics.

We have at least 3 females that use our feeders daily. Have lots of males but they are not as regular as the females. The females will partake of the feeders about every 30 minutes and average about 25 seconds recharging at the feeder. We have not seen any hummers in about 2 weeks. Must of gone south.

 

 Preston

This is more pictures. I was able to get close to the nest, at first mom would buzz my head but after a few attempts she became accustomed to me and would sit on a nearby branch just a couple feet away while I took pictures. 

 

Enjoy

 

Preston