http://youtu.be/oEXobNwGxWg
We began by researching the Hummingbird Moth, after finding one on a pile of hay in the backyard today. It turns out they are of the variety of caterpillars often called “hornworms”, and though there are a few different varieties, the most common variety in our area is the
hummingbird moth
“Poplar Sphinx Moths”
The largest common sphinx moth in Colorado is the big poplar sphinx (Pachysphinx occidentalis); a closely related species, the modest sphinx (Pachysphinx modesta), can be found in higher elevations. Caterpillars are generally green with light striping. Both species develop on aspen, cottonwood, poplar, and willow, but they are never abundant enough to cause injury to the tree.
From this search, she saw baby hummingbird eggs in a tiny nest, caught in macrovision. We watched as the eggs (which start at about 1″ long) were cared for, protected by the mother from a lizard and a few other attempts at thievery, and eventually hatched, grew for a month, and then fledged (left the nest). The birds were so tiny, and the nest apparently stretches to accommodate them as they grow. The particular video showed siblings, brother and sister, as they emerged from completely helpless, to entirely independent birds, flitting around, embarking on a life of their own.