The hummingbird cam watchers, check in.

Either a crow took the babies, or the crow came in so close that it knocked over the cam.

The host is at work, has been notified and is on his way.

http://phoebeallens.com/

Kick.

I almost never check in at this time of the day, but I did today. Earlier there was a lot of distressing crow noise. It sound like a fight between the crows was taking place. Then about twenty minutes later, Phoebe came to feed the babies, but left abruptly. Ten minutes later a black wing hit the cam. we don't know if the nest was knocked over, the babies taken, or just that the cam fell.

The more she comes back, the more we all want to assume that she's feeding the babies and the worst that happened was that the crow knocked the cam over.

No news has to be good news, right?

It looks like Hoku. Maybe Hope already fledged? She was more mature.

Watch Hoku when he/she stretches his/her wings (and the chick is doing so very often now--marvelous to see!). You'll see some areas of the wing that aren't quite feathered yet. This could change in a matter of days.

She was facing the camera when it happened. Is it also possible she was startled and was the one who knocked the camera over?

I heard some strange sounds right before it happened. Like, maybe, something was climbing the bush.

glad i have been watching the eaglet.

and this must have happened just when I shut down for lunch. They were about to fledge at any time. I hope they find the poor chick.

Squirrel scared the babies out of the nest. Unfortunately, the video is fresh so you can't advance it. The squirrel shows up two hours into the video.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/7270068

and from that video evidence, I'd say it was a direct hit. You can hear Phoebe freaking out long before the crow actually attacks.

One afternoon I found a frenzy of birds attempting to divebomb a western screech owl who was dozing in one of the mulberry trees. A hummingbird was one of the bravest in the fray. But the owl wasn't in hunting mode; it was so sleepy that I had to shake its branch to get it to open its eyes.

And the other day, birds went crazy when a red-tailed hawk arrived to perch on a branch many feet above the ground.

Hummingbirds are very vulnerable to all kinds of predators.

And the momma hummers are usually very smart about where they build their nests, if what happens in my yard is any indication. Still, during breeding season, something can happen to the momma bird, the babies, or all of them. If the momma bird gets nailed by a cat, a dog (and this sometimes happens), a lizard, a hawk, a crow, an owl--that is, even if the babies aren't directly observed and obtained by predators, the loss of the momma bird guarantees their demise.

Currently, there's a brand new nest in one of my mulberry trees. This is the only one I've observed so far this spring, but the hummers are so good at hiding their nests...In any case, this nest is new. It's perfectly shaped and very clean. But I haven't noticed any activity around it. :shrug:

I didn't know about that predator.

It wasn't just a wing stretch; it was a baby wing buzz!

to fledge in a matter of days, stretching its wings and flipping its tongue out--in preparation for cruising for nectar and bugs! :rofl:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ourhummingbirdnest-com/v3

One baby http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ourhummingbirdnest-com/v3

sound--is very comforting. When you wake up to it in the morning, it relieves tensions.

Glad to see that Hoku seems to be alright.

Yesterday I watched until 11:00 pm Eastern time--the egg still hadn't hatched. I went to the hummingbird cam tonight, and she was sitting on the nest. And now I see on DU that one is missing? When did it hatch?
Which one disappeared? Didn't any watchers see anything?

Someone posted a link yesterday to the one in CA. It had one baby and one egg.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ourhummingbirdnest-com/v3

:hi:

edited to change wording