Snowy-bellied Nest

Early this morning (December 14, 2009) Les spotted another yard bird: Snowy-bellied Hummingbird. Later in the day, I spotted her on a nest. We determined that she is in the process of building the nest, and Les got some good video of it and her through my scope. (See below.)

Hummers have been in short supply in this yard so far. During our previous stays (a week in late September and 2 weeks from late October through November 11), we had only sporadic sightings of a female Crowned Woodnymph and a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird. In November, Les even hung a feeder out, but nobody cared.

The Rufous-tailed is still around this month, as is the female Crowned Woodnymph. Les put up a feeder up again this time, a couple feet above some orange Impatiens flowers that both species favor. They both ignored it. Then he tied a long rope to the feeder so it could hang right amidst the flowers. It worked - the Rufous-tailed took to it immediately. About a day later, we saw a first-for-the-yard Stripe-throated Hermit fly directly in and start sipping from the feeder. Les took the rope off the feeder the next morning and both the Stripe-throated Hermit and the Rufous-tailed are now regulars at the feeder.