Menifee in Pictures: A Special Hummingbird Nest

Here's our second hummingbird photo of the month, and this one comes with a little story. It isn't eligible for the Photo of the Month award because the submitter didn't take the photo, but we felt it worth sharing.

This was sent to us by Katie Harms, who works in the Garden Center at Lowe's in the Countryside Marketplace. It was given to her by a customer who took it inside the center. It shows a hummingbird mother and baby just a day or two before the baby left the nest.

According to Harms, the nest was in a Gardenia patio tree in the Garden Center.

"Every year, the hummingbirds that live in our Garden Center will nest in one or more of the trees or plants," she said. "As soon as we notice the nest, we mark the plant 'Hummingbird Nesting; Do Not Disturb' so that our customers will know not to disturb the nesting mother and also so that they can check in on the progress. This is always a big hit with our customers!

"Once the baby has flown off to join the rest of the hummingbirds in the garden, the tree or plant with the nest becomes a prized new addition to someone's home."

"Menifee in Pictures" returns as a regular feature on Menifee 24/7. Readers are invited to contribute photos for publication. Email your photos as a .jpg file to menifee247info@gmail.com and selected photos will be published, along with your name as the photographer. Please include your full name on the submission and any explanation about where and when the photo was taken. If your photo is selected from among those published as the photo of the month, you will win a prize from one of our sponsors!