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Post by Pat on Mar 27, 2017 14:30:29 GMT -5
We noticed this interesting little nest in our avocado tree. Upon closer inspection, a little head peeked out. 1-A baby bat!!! fullsizeoutput_15a2 by Pat, on Flickr 2- Checked our baby bat daily. Didn't see her again. However, we did see this. Looks like part porcupine and part bird. Where is the baby bat? IMG_1623 by Pat, on Flickr 3- Porcupine/bird has evolved into two black birds. IMG_1667 by Pat, on Flickr 4-... and now we have two baby birds. I think they are hummingbirds. They have been here several weeks and will probably fly away before the weekend. fullsizeoutput_15a0 by Pat, on Flickr What I'd like to know: is the baby bat really a baby bat? Sure looks like it. If so, what happened to it? Do mama bats borrow nests? Did mama hummingbird borrow the bat nest and kick the bat out? Opinions! Thanks.
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Post by drocknut on Mar 27, 2017 14:55:42 GMT -5
It's a mystery and I got no clue but interesting nonetheless. Hope you figure it out.
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 27, 2017 15:48:35 GMT -5
It's an all purpose nest! Sorry, can't answer your questions. I'd like to know who made the nest. That second picture is totally cool.
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 27, 2017 16:16:48 GMT -5
Definitely hummingbird nest. They use a lot of spiderwebs and lichens etc to build camouflaged nests. Babies are short beaked when hatched and grow so large as to dwarf the nest. Nest is built of web so it expands to accommodate the babies as they grow. Bats do not build nests. Tiny bats often ride the momma till larger and then she leaves them for a bit at the nest box, cave or whatever while she forages. First pic is not close enough for me to tell what the heck is going on. I suppose an adult solitary bat might temporarily use a old hummer nest as a roost, or leave her baby for a bit, or maybe a mouse, or maybe a weeee teeenie bear snuck in there. Really more than likely it was an adult solitary bat feeding on hummer eggs or babies. Tree dwelling bats are opportunistic feeders and prey on them. Hummer then renested and had better luck....Mel
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grizman
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Post by grizman on Mar 27, 2017 17:16:47 GMT -5
Definitely hummingbird nest. They use a lot of spiderwebs and lichens etc to build camouflaged nests. Babies are short beaked when hatched and grow so large as to dwarf the nest. Nest is built of web so it expands to accommodate the babies as they grow. Bats do not build nests. Tiny bats often ride the momma till larger and then she leaves them for a bit at the nest box, cave or whatever while she forages. First pic is not close enough for me to tell what the heck is going on. I suppose an adult solitary bat might temporarily use a old hummer nest as a roost, or leave her baby for a bit, or maybe a mouse, or maybe a weeee teeenie bear snuck in there. Really more than likely it was an adult solitary bat feeding on hummer eggs or babies. Tree dwelling bats are opportunistic feeders and prey on them. Hummer then renested and had better luck....Mel OK, we agree on the type of nest. There are even baby hummers in the nest later on after the "bat". Now I may question the idea of the bat feeding on hummer eggs or babies. The bat was there on 3/13. The babies (2) were there on 3/25. They were already fledged out so not born that day. Hummers gestation time is 14 to 21 days so the bat baby was either in with the eggs or maybe even the young? If the bat was there eating either eggs or babies there was not enough time for mom to raise a new family to that development in 12 days. Hummers usually have 1-2 babies, but very rarely 3. It's too many mouths to feed and really no room for them. That's my story Pat, and I'll stick to it...giggle, giggle.
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Post by Pat on Mar 27, 2017 17:45:02 GMT -5
Here's a better photo of the bat. I've outlined his shape in red. Sort of. fullsizeoutput_15ac by Pat, on Flickr
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grizman
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Post by grizman on Mar 27, 2017 17:55:38 GMT -5
OK, I did some more enlarging of the photo and I am now wondering "maybe", just "maybe" what we see as a "bat" nose is actually the hummer's face straight on, and his/her beak looks like a nose? Now I have to admit my eyesight is not as good as it was years ago!
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Post by Pat on Mar 27, 2017 18:05:38 GMT -5
OK, I did some more enlarging of the photo and I am now wondering "maybe", just "maybe" what we see as a "bat" nose is actually the hummer's face straight on, and his/her beak looks like a nose? Now I have to admit my eyesight is not as good as it was years ago! At one point, I thought it was just part of the bird, but we never saw that same figure again. Maybe an optical illusion. And those ears! Birds don't have those kind of ears! : ) I was wondering if the birds sat on the bat, but I don't really think so especially after Mel explained the borrowing concept. I tried to enlarge the photo, but you see my results. It got too blurry after a point.
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 27, 2017 18:19:42 GMT -5
Good point on the time sequence Griz. If the bat was eating eggs, not enough time for a new brood. I also was wondering of the "bat" was actually a bat. Hard to tell in the pic....Mel
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Post by Pat on Mar 27, 2017 23:00:00 GMT -5
Soon the birds will fly away. Then I can check to see if there is a bat underneath it all.
I appreciate all the bat thoughts.
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 27, 2017 23:16:42 GMT -5
Beautiful images!
You don't say what kind of time separation is involved between them. I wonder whether the 'bat' is in the early days, chicks, before developing feathers don't look anywhere near so cute! They look like bats almost...
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Post by Pat on Mar 27, 2017 23:28:35 GMT -5
metalsmith. Dates: Photo 1:bat taken 3-13-2017 Photo 2: porcupine taken 3-17 Photo 3: black birds 3-25 Photo 4: black and white and brown birds. 3-26 We've seen a small bird fly by our door the last two days. Tomorrow, I'll check the nest at that time to see if it one our babies. Will have to give them names!!
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Post by Pat on Mar 27, 2017 23:29:35 GMT -5
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metalsmith
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Post by metalsmith on Mar 28, 2017 0:23:47 GMT -5
I can see something that might be described as a pointed lense shape. Are bats ears that shape? Some are but those are more to be found on the side of their head than projecting from the top. It looks to have a greenish tint to me. The leaves of the tree the nest is in are much bigger, but if the hummingbird is bringing in moss and other material, is it possible that it could be a small leaf / leaf-tip? Just a thought. Maybe you're seeing more in the photo than I can. Bats' ears Hope this link works ... Google images Bats ears
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Post by Pat on Mar 28, 2017 0:26:28 GMT -5
I'm beginning to think our baby bat --- isn't. Probably an optical illusion from lichen etc. Sigh! Will post better photo tomorrow. Bedtime here. 10:30pm.
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wampidytoo
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Post by wampidytoo on Mar 28, 2017 5:22:41 GMT -5
I see a dark tiny bunny facing south. Or right. I know I am going to get hit from all sides with "rabbits do not climb trees". But are you sure they can't? Maybe they just don't want us to know and hide very well up there. Jim
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geezer
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Post by geezer on Mar 28, 2017 6:55:20 GMT -5
The bat was the Papa, the hummingbird was the Mama. You people are just way too uptight about mixed relationships! (JUST KIDDING FOLKS! JUST KIDDING!....)
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Sabre52
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Post by Sabre52 on Mar 28, 2017 8:25:25 GMT -5
Got to be a new hybrid critter, a Humminbat or a Bummer.....Mel
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Post by fantastic5 on Mar 28, 2017 8:49:46 GMT -5
Definitely a hummingbird nest. But I have to agree that the lil' bat is most likely one of the babies peaking over at you. The ears are just strategically placed nest protuberances. But how cool is that! I've always looked for hummingbird nests, but have never found one yet. I'm jealous!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Mar 28, 2017 10:22:18 GMT -5
My two cents - I think the "bat" is something stuck on the outside of the nest. If it were a bat eating eggs/babies, wouldn't it be inside the nest?
Here's a few pics of hummer nests in my avo tree over the years:
Momma on nest. Green paint flakes off of neighbor's house! They will use anything they see fit.
Two eggs.
At some point, I found one of the fledglings on the ground. Don't know what happened to it's sibling.
Have always had two eggs in the nests I have seen. A different nest.
So the thing that looks like a bat? Bits of nest material that looks like a bat!
Thanks for the thread, Pat!
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