http://mysite.verizon.net/vdziadosz/ Viewing Nesting Birds
This is a site of tons of mini cam views of nesting birds and there are lots of Anna's out there. Take a look.
Enjoy
Sondra Daly in Montana

Sent by Sondra Daly | 6:33 PM ET | 03-19-2008

Why cam-blog it instead of just doing a normal commentary? I don't see a lot of use in cam-blogging a normal hummingbird birthing. But that's just me. I enjoy your descriptions without the accompanying images.

Sent by Birder | 7:47 PM ET | 03-19-2008

Thanks for the encouragement, Birder. Not that I can see all that much. Except...she ain't sitting on eggs anymore, that's for sure. Which explains where she's been, getting food for however many little hummies are tucked in there. Anybody got a guess?

Sent by Ketzel Levine | 7:51 PM ET | 03-19-2008

Hi Ketzel,
Yes I work in IT and know a thing or two about webcams, but realistically, I think another digital camera would probably the most elegant solution for you, especially for uploading them to this page. Of course for me, a purist, it would be my Nikon 35mm SLR or my medium format Bronica. But, then again, I tend to be old school in photography. :)

Sent by Charles Willingham | 7:54 PM ET | 03-19-2008

I think a local birthing would be fun, to watch so don't let "birder" quell you enthusiam. I, for one, would tune in regularly. Thanks, Ketzel!!
carol

Sent by carol tabb | 8:45 PM ET | 03-19-2008

Hi there: Check out Shirl's Garden Watch, a blog from a woman in Scotland. She has a webcam on lots of different critters and birds and one actually inside a nesting box. If you can't find her, I will send the URL.

Sent by Layanee | 9:49 AM ET | 03-20-2008

Are there babies yet? Oooo, Oooo I want to see them - can't imagine how teeny tiny they must be.

Sent by Kailla in Portland | 1:18 PM ET | 03-21-2008

absolutely would love a cam however you manage it. You can't imagine how many of us spend hours watching (and discussing) what's happening at the nestcams featured on the Cornell Lab site http://www.birds.cornell.edu/

Sent by another birder, this one where we don't have Anna's | 11:20 PM ET | 03-23-2008

Oooh, here's a bird's nest webcam tip: call the Pennsylvania Dept of Environmental Protection and ask anything. They've been so proud of having hatchlings on their own HQ building in central Penna's state capital. let's see if I can paste the Peregrine falcon website link here

Sent by Bill Marston, LEED AP | 1:03 PM ET | 03-24-2008

I know I'm conservative in this regard (see my comments regarding the bat on the Bryant Park ) but why don't you let the poor thing be. No, you have not scared her off the nest YET, do you want to continue until you do? Respect for animals as separate beings, not out private amusement crew, leads to much better outcomes for the animal, and peace of mind for the human. The nestcams at Cornell are high tech arrangements by knowledable ornithologists. Please don't think I'm a curmudgeon, I have to limit my lawn mowing during April because I have a ferrigunous hawk nest in my yard, and they are brooding then. If we want the delight of wildlife, we have to accomodate them, not vice versa.

Peggy

Sent by Peggy | 1:06 PM ET | 03-24-2008

With the snowman slowly melting on the lawn, your photos increased my faith that spring exists, and is coming,even though I can't see it yet in NW Washington where we've had a late snow.

Sent by jill | 12:40 PM ET | 04-01-2008

Ketzel,

We had one of these cool little nests on our porch one summer, and watched three little beaks being fed by their parents for several weeks. All our neighbors even came for a looksy, it was simply amazing. Well, I was there the day the little hummers decided to fly, and for all the effort that the parents put in to getting to this one day, well let me just say it was over in a blur. On their first flight out of their nests baby humming birds simply leave and never look back at their homes or their parents. Ours flitted about on the porch for a moment while they figured out their flight controls and then two of them hovered into the yard and disappeared. The third, well he got an unexpected mid-flight dog bath. Our black lab, which was sleeping on the porch while all this was happening, suddenly awoke to the sound of something buzzing around in front of his face, and so he instinctively snapped and much to our horror caught the little bird inside his mouth! Luckily, labs are known for their soft touch and we managed to get him to cough up a wet, drool-covered baby hummingbird. After a wash and a tissue dry, the little bird briefly scratched his head and cleaned off his beak with his foot and then he buzzed away into the sky. That was the beginning of one of those really great summers!

Sent by Anthony Mann | 2:24 PM ET | 04-01-2008