I recently had the good fortune to be able watch some young Rufous hummingbirds grow from egg to flight over the course of about three short weeks sorry for the long post but with 20 pictures I tried to capture the process - there are two parts

[rkappleby]

Continued....the last four photos were taken the day before the chicks left the nest. It was a really amazing process to watch.

[IgorZ]

This is incredible! How did you pull it off?

[rkappleby]

This is incredible! How did you pull it off?

A lot of the shots are taken with a Sigma 500, the mother would not come near the nest if I was anywhere nearby I imagine she wanted to draw no attention to the nest. So I set up my camera with a remote trigger and then I would hide behind a rock outcropping (that was bloody uncomfortable) and watch the nest with binoculars. It wasn't all smooth, a couple of times I managed to change the frequency on the transmitting trigger so I thought I was capturing shots but was just pushing a button, another time I forgot to change the battery, rained out twice, a couple of fisherman came by one time and I didn't want to let too many people know where the nest was because I felt bad enough disturbing them myself. That being said it was a challenge and a lot of fun. Very unlikely that I'll ever get another opportunity. Every nest I've seen in that has been high and very unaccessible.

[sjovolde]

Great pictures

[Unregistered User 8]

Hummingbird from egg to flight in 20 Photos

Wonderful series of photographs Robert. Thanks for your dedication and patience in bringing us these images.

This is very interesting. TFS
David

[gelokrol]

great!! it was only 3 weeks? from photos looks like a lot of time

[atupdate]

What a wonderful series.

Tim

[dcmsox2004]

perhaps the most stunning nature series i've had the privilege of seeing here in pf.... superb! dave m

[bscott]

Robert thanks for posting these are really great photo to see and I would like to save them since I have never seen a complete set of Hummingbird photos. I see Hummingbirds in my area but have never found a nest. How did you get above the nest with your 43mm lens?

[rkappleby]

Great pictures

Wonderful series of photographs Robert.

This is very interesting. TFS

it was only 3 weeks?

What a wonderful series.

perhaps the most stunning nature series i've had the privilege of seeing here in pf.... superb!

How did you get above the nest with your 43mm lens?

Thank you everyone for your comments, very much appreciated. The nest was located at the base of a steep river bank and was only about 6 feet off the ground which made it possible to photograph the nest by standing on some rocks next to the tree. I also had a clear view of the nest from the top of the bank and could shoot down with a long lens and I had two places where I could set my tripod and see the nest through the trees around the nest. I had never seen a hummingbird nest this low to the ground before.

[CreationBear]

Awesome series, well-worth the time and effort you put in!

[Urs]

Congrats! Fantastic work!! Thanks for sharing!

[bscott]

Robert, looking at the photos in more detail the nest is a construction marvel. Did the Hummingbird build the nest and include insects in the structure?