It's Incubation Time!

The other day, I observed a person visiting our lagoon for the first time and I could hear him say "this place is like paradise". He walked on just overwhelmed with the beauty of the lagoon and the wonderful world-class weather that we are having this time of the year as many in other parts of our country are digging out of bad snow storms. 

Eager to check on the four hummingbird nests that I located on the trails of the San Elijo Nature Reserve off Manchester Avenue, I hurry towards the southwest end of the lagoon trail.  Nest #1 is located at the beginning of the willows past the view point on the southwest side of the trail. Here is the female sitting on her nest incubating her egg or eggs. We will know how many when they hatch and their beaks will be visible when they get big enough to point them up and beg for food.

Nest #2 is between the first nest and the boardwalk. this is the only clear view of the nest but we may be able to see the little beaks of the nestlings soon. 

Close-up of nest #2.

 

Here is nest #3 that is constructed very low and may show the nestlings best when hatched.

Close-up of nest #3. love how she used some of her feathers to decorate the outside of the nest wall.

This one is nest #4. It's located on the northeast side of the lagoon and is built quite high. This tree is also a very popular place for the Black-and-white Warbler to visit. 

The Black-and-white Warbler sits on a lower branch of the nest tree and checks for bugs. 

 

Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia measures 5.25 inches long with a wingspan of 8.25 inches. 

 

Looking up...

Creeps along the trunk of the nest tree.

Looking for bugs. 

The female hummer is not happy with the warbler getting so close to her nest and decides to chase him off the tree.

 A tree next door to nest #4. is visited by what I thought to be a Hutton's Vireo!  However,  Greg Gillson has informed me that although the Hutton's Vireo is a resident of San Elijo Lagoon this bird may be a vagrant Plumbeous Vireo. The vireo in this photo has a grayer head and whiter eyering, breast, and wingbars than the Hutton's. Wow!! This is another life bird for me. Thank you Greg for your comments and expert observation. 

 

A nice juicy caterpillar for the Vireo. 

The Vireo proceeds to bash the caterpillar against the tree limb. 

 

A nice side view of the Vireo as it trashes the prey.

A view from the back. 

There is a Torrey Pine tree across the trail from the hummer nest #4 where a colorful visitor stops by. It's the Townsend's Warbler, Setophaga townsendi, which measures 5 inches long with a wingspan of 8 inches. 

He flutters between the pine needles looking for bugs. 

He stops and poses. The black color on his throat shows that he is a male. The female has yellow on her throat.

 

There were lots of Lesser Goldfinches in the area. 

All of a sudden, the Townsend's Warbler on the Torrey Pine jumps to the ground very close to my feet. I step back slowly a few steps to give him his space. 

He has followed a big bug down from the tree. 

He grabs the head of the bug and thrashes it on the ground. 

This is a large bug for this little bird. He takes a good look to plan his next attack.

With my camera clicking away, he looks my way but decides that the big juicy bug is worth staying even though I was only about 8 feet away. 

Eyeing his prey. 

We get a good look at this beautiful bird's side and back markings. 

 The Warbler is closing his beak down hard on the head of the big bug getting a good grip.

 A few more violent thrashings of the bug.

A close look at the bird and the bug.

 

The head of the bug appears to be crushed and neck broken. 

The Warbler uses his beak like a vice grip and shakes his head violently to pull the head off.

Keeping his inner lid closed to protect his eyes as he makes his kill. 

One by one, the Warbler takes off the legs of the bug. 

 

With the head and the legs finally off, he gets ready to swallow his breakfast.

Down the hatch!

With his crop nice and full, he rests a moment and gives me one more photo shot of his beautiful olive colored back before he departs. It's time for me to head for home. What a great day for birding it has been at the San Elijo Lagoon!

Have a great day everyone!