Recently our homeschool group took a field trip to a birding sanctuary. We were able to see quite a few different types of hummingbirds up close. It was pretty amazing!
The sanctuary was about 30 minutes from where we live in the mountains of Panama. The owner was a young guy who had learned English from all the English speakers who had visited his place. He did a great job. He said it used to be a cow pasture, but over the years they had started adding trees and plants to attract birds and hummingbirds. Now it is a highly sought-after location for people who want to photograph birds.
I had never seen hummingbirds with a blue head and green and white body before. It was really amazing because the birds were right up in our faces, buzzing right next to our heads. The owner of the place told us so much information about the hummingbirds. He said it was mating season, so we wouldn't see as many as they normally do.
He even was able to find a hummingbird nest. It was for a specific hummingbird, but the way it was built was amazing. He said that the camouflaging lichen on the outside is "glued" on using spider webs! Isn't that amazing?? The nest was tiny and lightweight. Such an amazing creation!
After we watched the hummingbirds and tried rather unsuccessfully to get a decent picture of them, we took a quick tour of the property. There were some really interesting plants all around - some of them attract only one specific type of hummingbird!
The owner also showed us the really cool vine above. I believe he called it a parrot head vine because the flower looks like a parrot head. It was really interesting and now I need to find some to put around our property. Ha!
I hope you enjoyed this mini photo tour of the birding paradise we visited. I think the next time we have visitors, we will go check it out with them. It was such a cool experience.
This post is for #SublimeSunday is inspired by @c0ff33a and #BeautifulSunday is initiated by @ace108.
You are in one of the best areas in the world for hummingbird diversity. I am very glad you get to enjoy it.
Thanks!
Yes! It's pretty cool! The guy said something about how many types of hummingbirds they have seen at his place, but I forgot how many it was! I think they had even discovered a new variety. Our living room has glass on three sides, so on occasion, we get a bird or hummingbird that flies into the glass and we try to revive them. Sometimes they fly inside and we have to rescue them to release them back outside too, before the cats get to them! They're really super cool.
Such beautiful animals make homeschooling very easy. Kids are designed by evolution to be curious about nature, and hummingbirds, butterflies, and flowers make teaching them easy because beauty is so attractive.
hummingbirds must be difficult to get nice photos with
Wonderful! I have never seen hummingbirds before. I think they don't live in Asia annd Middle East....
The nest is such a work of art. Are those animal fur?
Yes, I think it has animal fur in it as well! Pretty intricate. I didn't know hummingbirds weren't in that area. Interesting!