My Backyard
Yes, I’m still participating in EditPalooza (but inching closer to done – on this round, anyway), which is why you haven’t heard much from me in social media circles… Or here.
Even so, I thought I’d sneak in another photo journal of a few backyard sightings – in my real backyard (or should I say, breezeway), and the Arizona desert that is my backyard.
A mid-week, 8-mile hike in Aravaipa Canyon was just the editing break I needed (Loved seeing a black phoebe, who flew in front of us along the creek. Had never seen one before! And, yes, that is a cardinal in the desert.) Click to enlarge photos below, and tab through:
And look what’s happening under the breezeway! This year, we have a new Hummie Cam that allows us to take photos and video with the touch of a button to our iPhones!
We noticed some building going on two weeks ago (with mama testing various nesting spots along the string). New nest is above old, damaged nest. Click to enlarge.
On Wednesday, April 3, mama had laid an egg. Click to enlarge.
On Friday, April 5, mama had laid another egg. Click to enlarge.
Here's mama tending to her nest, two little eggs beneath her. Hatching should occur around April 19 or 20. Click to enlarge.
Check out HummieCam: photos refresh every 30 seconds. You just might see mama on her nest!
What spring sightings have you seen?
April 6th, 2013 at 10:05 am
Love the hummer cam! What fun to get such a close-up view.
I need to improve my camera/video skills to capture the white-tailed kites I’ve seen on my walks. It’s so much fun to watch them hover as they hunt.
Happy Editing!
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Julia Munroe Martin Reply:
April 6th, 2013 at 10:24 am
I LOVE white tailed kites, Shary! Used to see them all the time in the Bay Area when I lived out there. Lucky you, too!
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Melissa Reply:
April 6th, 2013 at 10:29 am
What? A white-tailed kite? I don’t know what that is (going to look up RIGHT now). Jealous! (But birds – especially in flight – are SO hard to photograph. At least for me, they are!)
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April 6th, 2013 at 10:23 am
Wow, the hike photos are amazing! But I admit I have a soft spot for the hummingbirds, remembering fondly the pics from last year! So very cool to have them back again, lucky you!
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Melissa Reply:
April 6th, 2013 at 10:31 am
I knew that you, my bird-nerd friend, would be particularly enamored by the hummie activity. I also loved that phoebe, who – in the photo – had just finished ruffling its feathers after swooping to the water for some tasty insects. We have the Say’s Pheobe, here in the arid part of the desert. Not the black!
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April 6th, 2013 at 10:33 am
Melissa – I love the beautiful photo tour. And just LOOK at the activity in your breezeway! I hope you’ll keep us posted like you did last year 🙂
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Melissa Reply:
April 6th, 2013 at 10:42 am
You BETCHA I’ll be posting some “baby pics” when they’re available! This year, with advanced Hummie Cam, I hope to capture the babies breaking free from the eggs.
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April 7th, 2013 at 9:50 am
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your Hummie Cam! Sooo Cool.
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Melissa Reply:
April 8th, 2013 at 8:48 am
Hopefully you’ll get to see some hummie babies hatching by end of next week!
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April 7th, 2013 at 8:14 pm
Exceptionally beautiful photos, Melissa. The cardinal is so surprising in all the green. My husband and I both marvel at the hummer nests with eggs. I’d love to get to see the babies. They must be so tiny! I’ve gatta save your cam link and check it now and then.
We have a very young hummingbird in our yard this spring who is hardly as large as a grass hopper; she sits in the fichus, which is really just twigs after this past winter’s hard frosts, and peeps away.
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Melissa Reply:
April 8th, 2013 at 8:49 am
Yes – the eggs themselves are only about double the size of a Tic Tac! So excited that we’ll be able to see them hatching from eggs this year :-). I have NEVER seen a hummingbird baby as small as you’re describing. Wonder what kind? So unusual (and so cool).
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April 8th, 2013 at 11:00 am
Aw, HummieCam is fascinating! I love seeing the progression of the nests and then the eggs laid…what a wonderful way to witness the cycle of life.
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Melissa Reply:
April 9th, 2013 at 2:36 pm
I know… we are so fortunate to see these little miracles progress.
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April 8th, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Cool! Love the “Hummie Cam.” =) Beautiful photos, as always. Hope the edits are going well!
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Melissa Reply:
April 9th, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Thanks, Annie. Moving along… inching closer and closer to ‘done.’ Well – um – we know we’re never REALLY done, are we?
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April 8th, 2013 at 6:47 pm
INCREDIBLE shots!!! Oh my goodness.
I can see our grass and all of the street. That’s our spring sighting so far! 🙂
I will miss the term editpalooza when you’re done.
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Melissa Reply:
April 9th, 2013 at 2:37 pm
We need to get you out here to the desert to see some REAL grass :-). Ha – yes, I will miss the EditPalooza term, too — but not the work behind it!
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April 10th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Melissa, so glad you took a break from your EditPalooza to post these marvelous photographs! I so enjoyed your hummingbird posts in 2012. I’m looking forward to checking back this year. Love the hummingbird cam! What a great idea. Oh those oval eggs are so very tiny. Can’t wait to watch the whole process! Beautiful in every way!
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Melissa Reply:
April 12th, 2013 at 11:40 am
I hope things dry out in your neck of the woods so we can see all the bird activity you’ve graced us with in the past! I loved your last post – have never seen wood storks, and the red-shouldered hawks: gorgeous!
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April 11th, 2013 at 4:49 pm
Those photos are amazing! I adore hummers. And the photos taken in Aravaipa Canyon are beautiful.
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April 11th, 2013 at 6:56 pm
Love these pics! Is this the same nesting place as last year for the hummer?
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Melissa Reply:
April 12th, 2013 at 11:41 am
Yes, Katie, same location. Last year’s nest is right below the one she built this year (though I do think this is the offspring from last year’s mama)!
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April 14th, 2013 at 12:09 pm
The hummie cam is one of my favorites; so glad to see it back. So glad to see you too! 🙂
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April 16th, 2013 at 5:39 pm
Love it! I’m trying to attract more hummingbirds to our yard this year. I just wrote an article for a local mag about how to attract them to your yard and I’m even more inspired to do so from your hummie cam. Love it!
FYI, I read in my research that baby hummingbirds are smaller than a penny!
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April 18th, 2013 at 6:38 am
Hummingbirds are my favorite. Such a marvel. These are gorgeous pics. What a gift, that you get these views in your editing breaks!
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April 22nd, 2013 at 11:33 am
Of course I love the hummers, but the photo I love best today is the lizard, who seems to be stretching to take in all the rays he can. The sun is finally out today, so I can relate. 🙂
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April 30th, 2013 at 11:22 am
That little nest is perched so precariously!! all my momma instincts said “Rescue!” but then again the momma probably knows what to do far better than a city girl like me. ha!
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