It's got to be genuinely sad for people who aren't seeing many hummingbirds this year.
I think our numbers are about typical...and two more were added today when the chicks fledged. :-) They were too big to fit comfortably in the nest, and Mom was having to feed them while perched on the branch-let just above.
They were in excellent condition, and had a long session of wing flapping this morning, feet clamped firmly in the nest. One left the nest proper and sat for awhile right adjacent to it. S/he departed; the other one remained alone for a little while, and then also took off.
Once they fledge they stay in the immediate vicinity for ~4 days while Mom continues to feed them, but then they're on their own. We'll be looking for her second nest, which is likely not far from the one we've been watching.
Well done, Mama bird!!
Janine PerlmanAlexander Mt., Saline Co.
