Signs of Spring

Three Signs of Spring

Anna's Hummingbird, Female

Many indications tell that spring is near:

From groundhogs seeing their shadow, to sunsets happening at later times, to outside temperatures becoming warmer.

And then there's another indication: Hummingbirds.

The first photo shows an Anna's Hummingbird with spider web silk on her bill. That tells us she's building a nest.

The Anna's Hummingbird builds its nest out of plant down held together with spider web silk. Then she lines the nest with feathers or other soft materials.

Her nest begins just large enough to hold two eggs. Then, thanks to the spider web silk, the nest stretches as the nestlings grow.

Anna's Hummingbird, Female

The next photo shows a pregnant hummingbird (that is, one with eggs).

Hummingbirds typically lay two eggs each season. So she looks ready in this photo.

Anna’s Hummingbird, Adult Female and Juvenile

Once the eggs hatch, the female works hard to find enough food to feed her nestlings plus herself.

Typically, a hummingbird consumes twice its body weight in nectar each day. Now she must find more.

The above photo shows a female feeding a newly fledged juvenile.

And the remarkable part of this that these birds start anew every spring, regardless of the winter before.

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