Reddish Hermit: nest observation - 2016

The Reddish Hermit, the second smallest hummingbird in Kabalebo, is a proud mother of 2. I witnessed the incubation/feeding period for the second time.

The Reddish Hermit is so tiny that it is easily overseen and even mistaken for a bumblebee. This Reddish hermit's nest was also discovered by accident. She had build her nest on the end of a mango leaf, close to the staff houses. At first we thought it was a beehive and we almost wanted to destroy it, until we noticed her sitting in her nest. Right on time. 

​The 'discovery' was made on March 10, 2016. This time it was not inside the forest but on the edge. Since we all know that hummingbirds are the jewels of the jungle, we try to give them the best treat: flowers and lots of hummingbirds feeders near the lodge. So this little lady knew that the area was a safe spot for both her and her future nestlings. Here you can see her still sitting in her nest. There isn't much space inside and it really looks uncomfortable to stay inside the whole day. But since the female hummers are the sole responsible parent towards the next generation, they are willing to sacrifice comfort for the sake of new hummers. 

Since this is my second observation for the Reddish Hermit, I tried to keep my distance and didn't want to bother her during the process. So this will be a short observation.

On March 20, 2016, 10 days after the discovery, I quickly looked inside the nest and saw 2 small nestlings resting. Their ears and eyes were already open. The mother was outside looking for some insects for feeding time. As you can see, it was a simple but sturdy nest. To make sure that the family wouldn't be disturbed by anyone we told everyone to leave this tiny family alone. 

Here I took some shots of the dedicated mother. She was having a well deserved rest near the nest. To maintain her flexibility she was doing some stretches with her wings and feet. Even though she was taking a break she was constantly alert and was scanning her surroundings.

On March 23, 2016 I went to see them again. They surely grew up really fast in just a couple of days. The nest is now so small for the both of them, that one was even sitting on the edge of the nest. Both had a small needle-like beak, a small visible tail and their feather wings were almost complete too.

On March 25, 2016 I found an empty nest. Both nestlings had fled.

A couple of days later I spotted the mother sipping nectar from this Jungle flame near the lodge. Job well done!!

You may also like the following posts:

Reddish hermit: nesting #1 - 2014

Reddish hermit: nesting #2 - 2014

Reddish hermit: nesting #3 - 2014