Corralitas Drive: Hummingbird Rescue

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, December 11, 2017.  Before 8 AM, a neighbor rescued a hummingbird who flew into the kitchen and couldn't figure out how to escape.

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, December 11, 2017.  The tiny visitor rested for a minute in the neighbor's hand before flying off.  

Click here for all our hummingbird posts.

Corralitas Drive: Unusual Visitor Trapped In Kitchen

Photo: Corralitas Drive Neighbor, February 24, 2017.  A very talkative, unusually colored hummingbird flew into a Corralitas neighbor's kitchen.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

The neighbor said the tiny bird was metallic red, burnt umber and white which is very unusual coloration for around here, and very very vocal.

Rufous Hummingbirds are just migrating through Silver Lake on their way back to the Pacific Northwest from Mexico.  Cornell University's All About Birds describes the Rufous as pugnacious, explaining his talkativeness. 

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, February 24, 2017.  "He just wanted to lay in my hand for a while before flying off.  He pooped on me and flew away."  They have a 4000 mile migration.  No wonder he needed a lie-down. 

You know hummingbirds get trapped in certain neighbors' homes on a regular basis, when my response was "How did you capture this one?"  The neighbor's replied, "I walked up to him flying against the window and said, 'Here let me help you with that.'  I prepped the camera [phone] before offering my assistance." 

In the past I used a small towel capturing trapped hummingbirds who were bashing themselves against a window in a panic to get out.  They weigh nothing, so it's hard to tell if you even have the bird in the towel.  The neighbor continued, "I don't use towel anymore, because one got his beak and foot stuck in the terry loop and was traumatized about it.  And it pooped all over the towel.  Easier to wash my hands."

Click here for all our hummingbird posts. 
 

Adelbert Ave: Wildflowers As Art

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 22, 2015.  The wildflowers are really just starting to bloom at Site #1 on Adelbert Ave.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Wildflowering LA was an art project that didn't do as well in all the sites last year (2013-2014) year due to the severe drought.  This year's longer, steady rain seems to have been just right for the Adelbert site planted on October 31, 2014.  The limited light on the slope helps keep it greener, longer.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 22, 2015.  Some of the wildflowers in the Adelbert garden seem to attract color-coordinated hummingbirds.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 17, 2017.  Many of the wildflowers are so small you would probably miss them if you drove by.  You are rewarded by walking and looking for that little splash of color in the dappled light. 

Red Car Property Meadow: Hummingbird With A Tree Tobacco Habit

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 25, 2014.  There's a large hummingbird who's claimed the Tree Tobacco plant at the edge of the Red Car Property Meadow & the last house on Corralitas.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Tree Tobacco, (Nicotiana glauca) is highly toxic to animals & people according to California Poison Control, CalFlora & ASPCA, yet this hardy hummingbird can be seen drinking from the flowers daily.

 Disclaimer: The Corralitas Red Car Property Blog prefers to quote reliable sources, such as CalFlora and California Poison Control on the issue of toxicity.  We often get email suggesting some plants are edible. If you are eating your way through the Red Car Property, we DO NOT recommend you eat any plant you find in the Red Car Property neighborhood without first doing your own research.

Riverside Drive Adjacent: Stuff You Missed This Year, 5 Hummingbirds

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 17, 2013.  On a vacant lot between Riverside Drive & the Red Car Property a giant Century Plant bloomed spectacularly, attracting a bevy of hummingbirds chasing each other around the 35' tall spike of flowers.  I was surprised to count 5 (see the arrows) in the photo above.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 17, 2013.  Inset blown up from the first photo showing 3 of the 5 hummingbirds.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Stuff you missed this year: we shoot & collect tons of photos.  So we try to wrap up the year with some interesting ones we never got a chance to run.

Riverside Dr Adjacent: Hummingbird Frenzy

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 12, 2013.  Three of at least eight tiny hummingbirds were feasting on the giant 30' tall bloom on the American Century Plant.  (Click on photos to enlarge.) 

The tiny birds were chattering loudly & chasing each other off the prime nectar of the spectacular plant.  They also competed with dozens of bees attracted to the sweet flowers that only bloom once before the plant dies.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 12, 2013.  I'd never seen more hummingbirds in one location in the neighborhood.  The non-native but excellent defensive & drought tolerant agave must be irresistible to the speedy little birds. 

Worth noting: the area surrounding the agave is dense with native California Black Walnut Woodland, a protected native tree species in the Hillside Areas of the City of Los Angeles.

Corralitas Drive: Red Tailed Hawk Pestered By Hummingbird

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 6, 2012.  The adult male was slowly flying low circles, scoping the hillside for prey, while a hummingbird (look closely: the small blur of wings in the lower left of photo) harassed him.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Click here for all our hawk posts.



Corralitas Drive: Hummingbird Takes On Hawk

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 16, 2011, 9:55 AM.  A Red Tailed Hawk crashed through the trees on the lower part of Corralitas, chased by a Hummingbird.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The hawk hung out on a light post on the 2 Freeway (adjacent to Corralitas) and watched as the Hummingbird continued buzzing it.  The way it crashed through the trees, makes me think it's one of the juvenile hawks from this year's nest.

Corralitas Drive: Wildlife Seek Relief From The Heat In Neighbor's Kitchen

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 3, 2011.  A large hummingbird was trapped in a neighbor's kitchen.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

After shooting a few photos, I carefully caught the tired and beat up hummingbird in a dish towel and set it free outside.  For a few minutes, it followed me around the yard, chirping, then took off.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 3, 2011.  A few hours later, a metallic green June Bug (about 1 1/2" long) paid a visit.  There seem to be a few large green scarab-type beetles on Bug Guide, so I can't verify this ID.  It was not as lucky as the other visitors to the kitchen.

  

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 4, 2011.  A Gulf Fritillary Butterfly managed to safely escape aided by the neighbor whose kitchen has become very popular this week.  See more images of Gulf Fritillaries on BugGuide.net.    

Corralitas Drive: Hummingbird Is Watching The Red Tailed Hawks Too

Photo: Gary Vlahakis, July 16, 2011.  Gary wasn't the only one watching the young Red Tailed Hawk calling for breakfast on Saturday.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Corralitas Drive: Empty Nest

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 22, 2010. To my surprise, the hummingbird nest was empty this weekend. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

In what must be record time, the hummingbird got her babies out of the nest. There were no signs of carnage wrought by Blue Jays. (Last year, a Jay destroyed the nest out front.) No signs of the babies on the ground either. (The deck is not accessible to cats.)

A week ago, the babies were only starting to get their adult feathers. Usually they hang around the nest for a couple of weeks until they're more secure in their flight skills.

Click here for all our hummingbird photos.

Corralitas Drive: Hummingbird Babies Growing Quickly

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 15, 2010. The hummingbird nest is only 1 1/2 inches in diameter. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Corralitas Drive: Hummingbird Babies

Photo: Diane Edwardson, February 7, 2010. If you look closely there are 2 hummingbird babies in the nest.

About a month ago, the hummingbird refurbished her nest on our deck. She rode out the major storm a couple of weeks ago on the nest, only taking short trips in the cold wind and rain. For the past week, she hadn't been spending much time on the nest, so we thought the eggs were duds. A quick look in the nest proved otherwise.

Corralitas Drive: Rain Check

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 18, 2010. The hummingbird rode out the storm in her nest on our deck, despite the high winds and driving rain.

Rain started yesterday afternoon. By 11:45 AM today, we had 3/4" in our rain gauge. By 3:30 PM it was up to 2". It's going to be a long week.

If you live, work or play in the Red Car Property Neighborhood and have storm photos taken in the neighborhood, send them to us at redcarproperty@gmail.com.

Stunning Action Shot!

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, June 29, 2009. Neighborhood hummingbird. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Jonathan Vandiveer, a Red Car Property neighbor, caught an awesome shot of a hummingbird outside his window. Vandiveer previously shared wildlife encounters with Slender Salamanders and MOTHRA!

If you have photos of neighborhood wildlife, please email them to us: redcarproperty@gmail.com.

Remember, never attempt to feed or touch wildlife. If you encounter injured wildlife, call the City's info line: 311, ask for the Dept. of Animal Services.

Learn more about living with urban wildlife on the Dept. of Animal Services' website.

Hummingbird Babies on Corralitas

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 27, 2009. Hummingbird babies are back in the fern on our lower deck. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Two weeks ago, there were two eggs in the refurbished nest. Last night, I noticed there were two good sized babies filling the tiny nest.

See also: hummingbird series.

Last Summer's Hummingbird Nest

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 21, 2009. Hummingbird nest remnants hanging off our Corralitas driveway. 2 Freeway is in the background. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Last summer, a few weeks after her first baby left the nest, the hummingbird laid another batch of eggs. Two weeks later, she abandoned them. Since the eggs were so isolated by the hanging plant, no predators found them.

After eight months of heat, rain and wind, the nest still contains last summer's eggs. The nest seemed to quickly degrade in large chunks about a month ago. It looks like a hummingbird was scavenging the old nest material for another nest.

Hummingbird Flowers

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 12, 2009. The hummingbirds are happy with the warm weather and the flowering succulents on Corralitas Drive. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Feeding Time

Photos: April 25, 2008, George W. Jones
(Click on photos to enlarge.)


George got incredibly lucky today. While he was shooting photos of the hummingbird baby, the mother flew into frame to feed the baby.

Earlier photos:
April 21, 2008
April 18, 2008
April 17, 2008
April 7, 2008 - Hatchling
March 20, 2008 - Eggs

Adult Feathers at 20 Days

Photo: April 21, 2008, George W. Jones

Now twenty days old, the hummingbird baby is showing quite a few iridescent green feathers and exercising its wings regularly. Compare the photo above with the one taken on April 18.

Many thanks to my neighbor George for for taking such great close-up photos of the hummingbird!