The Rollercoaster of Wildlife
Antillean Crested Hummingbird Nest Failure
Nature can certainly have its ups and downs.
On Monday, I was excited to see that the two eggs in our Antillean Crested Hummingbird nest had hatched.
Mom seemed attentive and was sitting on the nest to keep them warm. Unlike “Itty Bit,” this girl was very cautious of my presence. I kept my distance. However, nothing seemed amiss.
I was saddened to discover Wednesday morning that the nest was lost and being returned to nature. It is unclear what happened, but it was catastrophic. There was no sign of the female. She would abandon the nest once the chicks were dead.
While it is sad to see such loss, we must realize that this is nature. It is highly unpredictable and often heartbreaking.
In the spirit of ending the week on a positive note, my thanks go out to our subscriber and long-time supporter, Sue Grey, for sharing this fun news.
In the wake of Hurricane Idalia, flamingos were seen in Sanibel. This is an excellent follow-up to my last piece about bird fallout after hurricanes. Note that the second bird appears to be a juvenile. Perhaps this is a family that became uprooted along the storm’s path.
Take a walk on the wild side!
Thanks Jackie for sharing ! Have a great but quiet Labor Day and Fall!!
Sad!