Hummingbirds breed in the Robson Valley, and I have seen the tiny nests that they build that other people have found. I have always wished that I would find one, and yesterday I did, but it is a sad story. I was going to hang some laundry outside to dry, and because it seemed that there might be a chance of showers, instead of hanging the clothes on our regular clothes line, I hung it on the covered line on our balcony.
I carried the wet clothes upstairs, and began hanging them starting on one end of the clothes line. I was working my way to the other end, when I noticed that there was something attached to one of the clothes pins that we just keep clipped to the line. Its grayish color made me think it was a wasp nest. I went up to investigate and tipped the object sideways so that I could see what it was exactly.
As I did, something fell from the object at exactly the same time I realized it was a hummingbird nest. The thing that fell was the tiny egg that it held. The egg smashed on the floor of the balcony. I felt awful and still do. What an unfortunate accident, but the harm had been done and there was no way it could be undone.
I took a photo of the tiny nest, neatly made of lichen and moss, after putting a dime inside of it so you could get an idea of the size.
Wildlife is so important to me and I try so hard to help it along in this world seemingly bent on destroying it. It is so disheartening whenever something like this inadvertently happens.
Take a look at my paintings: www.davidmarchant.ca
Time to buy more clothespins and attach them to tree branches for more nests. We have two nests and have had hummingbirds nest above the roof of our house last summer , they are one busy bird. We also have a lot of jewel weed bloom on our place and one summer had migrating hummingbirds a lot at a time come through and you should hear them fuss at each other, you can hear them flying.
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