For the last two years, Nick has been building an elaborate miniature railroad in his front yard. With a functioning train track that winds around a lush garden of blooming foliage, Nick is constantly tending to his beloved railroad. Most days are the same,
consisting of light yard work and train track maintenance. But recently, Nick went outside and spotted something unusual that he couldn’t ignore.
“I was doing some yard work, tidying up, and I noticed a hummingbird flying down under my metal bridge, which seemed odd,” Nick told The Dodo. “It did it a few times.”
When Nick approached the metal bridge for a better look, he couldn’t believe his eyes. The hummingbird’s little fledgling had fallen from her nest and landed underneath the railroad track.
“I saw the tiniest bird I have ever seen,” Nick said. “I love animals and had a strong feeling it wouldn’t have survived on the ground … It looked like it needed help.”
Without skipping a beat, Nick placed a small bottle cap filled with water under the bridge, which the mama hummingbird swiftly used to feed her baby. He then texted the Pasadena Humane Society’s wildlife line for advice.
“Since I couldn’t reach the nest, which is about 25 feet up in a tree, they showed me pictures of how to make a temporary nest,” Nick said.
Nick made a makeshift nest out of a paper bowl and grass clippings, then tied it to a bush about 3 feet above the ground. He waited, hoping the mama hummingbird would find the nest, but she would only return to the bridge where the baby had once been.
So he removed the nest from the bush and placed it back on the ground beneath the metal bridge, which seemed to work.
“The mother continued to come back and feed almost every 20 minutes or so,” Nick said.
You can watch that moment here:
Still, Nick was concerned about the baby bird’s safety in a ground-level nest. So, when he woke up the following morning, he implemented a new plan to get the baby to higher ground.
“I slowly raised the nest about a foot at a time every few hours, until it got to where it is now, about 7 feet off the ground on a plant hanging pole,” Nick said.
Thankfully, Nick’s plan worked, as the mama hummingbird successfully found the nest after every height adjustment. He and his wife then watched from a distance for the next few days as the baby hummingbird grew.
You can see the nest’s new location here:
“Each night I felt worried something would happen, but every morning I come out, and the baby is still there, and the mother returns once the sun comes up,” Nick said.
Nick’s vigilance paid off when, a few days later, he noticed the most activity he’d ever seen inside the nest. The baby was getting stronger.
“I saw the bird moving its head and looking around, and it is clearly moving to different spots inside the nest,” Nick said.
Watch that moment here:
And, just a few days after that, the baby finally spread her wings and left the nest. Luckily, Nick was outside to witness the triumphant moment.
“It flew around the yard and at some point flew away, and I couldn’t track it anymore,” Nick said.
You can see the bird fly away here:
It was an eventful week at Nick’s garden railroad track, filled with more stressful moments than usual. But after saving the baby bird and eventually watching her soar, Nick wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“My wife and I were happy to see it go, but did feel a little sad,” Nick said. “It was a fun week helping it! I hope it lives a great life.”
