Fledging day! The baby hummingbirds have left the nest

Imagine my surprise when on Day 21 I went out to photograph Itty and Bitty yesterday and immediately realized the nest was empty. There were no little heads and beaks peeking out over the edge :( I worried I'd missed them fledging but then realized the mama hummingbird was chattering up a storm as I approached the empty nest. Aha! That told me the babies were still in the yard. I paused and began looking around and who did I see sitting in our dying lemon tree?

 Bitty!

It took a few more minutes to locate Itty!

I stepped back and mama flew in to feed her babies. I read on Wikipedia that when a baby has the feathers and muscles to fly the stage is called "fledge." But if they are still being cared for by its parent(s) it is called a "fledgling."

This was one of two meals I watched her feed her fledglings in the lemon tree.

It was a really precious moment.

All done.

Mama flew away but remained nearby.

You can watch a video of the first time I saw Bitty fluttering his/her way up the tree. After the feeding from mom, quite suddenly, little Bitty took off to practice flying up on the phone and power lines in our backyard.

I couldn't help but feel anxious as Bitty flew up to the cable passing over our yard. He/she just looked so vulnerable and little all alone up there.

Up on the wire Bitty looked relaxed and tasted the breeze.

And then took off even higher!

Heading up to the power lines along a transformer he/she couldn't have looked tinier.

Meanwhile Iitty rested quietly in the tree with coloring that worked as perfect camouflage with the branches and leaves.

With closed eyes Itty dropped a wing and raised a foot to give a scratch.

Mama came back for another feeding. I took this blurry picture that seemed like a fitting way to close this post and our adventure of following Itty and Bitty. It's kind of like how memories can look in your mind over time all sweet, soft and nostalgic.

I'll definitely be suffering from empty nest syndrome. There's a chance mama will lay a second clutch in our yard this year. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping she will.

If you want to view all of the baby hummingbird posts since day 1 just CLICK HERE.