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Bella’s Story

About 2005 I noticed a little hummingbird making a nest in my ficus tree on my front porch. I was so amazed to see such a wonderful site. I watched her build the nest (it took about 2 weeks). Then I was fortunate enough to see her lay the first egg. I missed the laying of the second egg which was laid a couple of days later. The eggs were about the size of a Jelly Belly jelly bean (slightly bigger than a tic tac mint). I couldn’t believe how small they were. She sat on these eggs all day to incubate them. After about 16 days of incubation they started to hatch. I watched her feed these little babies continuously throughout the day. It seemed like such hard work, but she kept at it. After about 3 weeks the little babies started to test their wings. It was great to watch them hold on to the nest as they flapped their little wings so hard. They were also very curious about the world around them. They would stretch out and taste everything they could get their little tongues on. After a few days of the wing testing they fledged from the nest. They did hang around on nearby branches though as their mommy still fed them. A few days later they were gone. I really missed my little hummingbirds that I had grown to love and adore after so many weeks of watching them. I didn’t dare believe/hope it would happen again.

Much to my surprise, it did. The next year the little hummingbird mommy was back building her nest. I was overjoyed. I truly loved watching this cycle of life all over again. For years now, "Bella" comes back to this same tree, builds her nest and raises her chicks, sometimes having 4 clutches a season in my tree.

Last year (2012) she built 4 nests in one season. I felt truly blessed. After many years of watching her build her nest, lay her eggs, feed her babies, and watching them fledge the nest I thought it would be nice to share this with everyone. So, I put a webcam next to the nest and started to broadcast so everyone could experience this little life miracle. I feel so fortunate that she has chosen my home to make her own.

FAQ

What kind of hummingbird is Bella?

• Bella is an Allen’s Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin)

Does Bella migrate?

• No. Bella is a non-migrating hummingbird.

Where is this tree located?

• The tree is in La Verne, California (So. Cal.)

How deep is this nest?

• The nest is usually the size of a golf ball, but Bella likes them bigger.

When will the eggs hatch?

• They will hatch between 15-18 days after laid.

When will the chicks fledge?

• They will fledge between 23-28 days old.

What is the breeding season for Allen’s Hummingbirds?

• The breeding season is about November to June.

Do only Allen's nest in this tree?

• No, Both Allen's and Anna's have nested in this tree into the month of July.

What does Bella feed her babies?

• It is a mixture of bugs and nectar. We like to refer to it as Buggy Stew.

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