Hummingbird Fledglings--Vickie Henderson

Hummingbirds!  They fill the air with their chirps, wing buzzing and deep dives.  But on a few occasions, the activity settles and the males who guard the feeders are quiet.  This happens when a female brings her fledglings to the feeder.

You wonder what's happening as two hummers with white throats settle on the feeder together.  One fiercely chases off an intruder, while the other watches then resumes drinking.  And the males?  They remain settled on their perches.  Ah, it's those subtle communications we know nothing about.  A communication between male and female, a bargain that allows, if only for a brief interval, the youngest of the young to drink and learn.

These watercolor sketches showing the postures of a begging hummingbird fledgling were created on 90# Artistico Fabriano paper.  To see more views and the story of these fledgling sketches, visit hummingbird fledglings at  Vickie Henderson Art.