Allen's Hummingbird Nest - Spring 2021

This nest was streamed live 24/7 with sound, and thanks to infrared technology—approved by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology—you could even watch at night. Although the nest appears illuminated, it is completely dark in reality and the infrared light does not harm the birds.

Her name is Olive. She laid her first egg on January 14th and the second on January 15th. This is the same tree she and other hummingbirds have nested in for several years, and Olive has used this particular nest for three seasons in a row.

Two weeks later, on January 26th at 12:30 PM, the first egg hatched. The second hatched the next morning on January 27th at 6:00 AM. Nine days later, on February 4th, the chicks’ eyes began to open. By February 22nd, the older chick started leaving the nest, hopping and flying between branches in the Ficus tree.

On February 23rd at 9:29 AM, the older fledgling flew to a Liquid Amber tree about 15 feet to the right of the nest. Olive followed and both perched there for about 15 minutes before flying together to the large Stone Pine tree.

Two hours later, at 11:33 AM, the second chick fledged. She first flew down to a weed in the yard for a few minutes, then returned to the nest. Olive stayed with her the entire time. Eventually, she too flew over to the pine tree. Olive continued catching insects and keeping watch from a high branch, and later began cleaning up the nest.