Swainson’s Hawk—photographed at Bluff Lake Nature Center. The Swainson’s Hawk migrates here from Argentina yearly to nest and raise youngs in April and returns to Argentina with the juveniles in September. Average adult weight is 1.8 lbs. (30 oz) for males and 2.5 lbs. (40 oz) for females. Wingspan is 49 inches.

The Black-chinned Hummingbird was photographed in Central Park in the Bluff Lake neighborhood. This mother nested in the maple in front of photographer George Ho’s home last summer. She nested there again this summer and had two hatchlings. Average adult weight is 0.11 oz. Average weight of a hatchling is one-third the weight of a dime (0.02 oz). In less than 3 weeks a hatching grows to an adult-sized fledging. Wingspan is 4.3 inches. The nest is 1.5 inches in diameter (about the size of a golf ball). The eggs are half an inch long (about the size of a jellybean). For Ho’s photo story from nest building to fledglings taking flight, CLICK HERE.

Photos and information by bird watcher George Ho, MD.