First Flight: A Mother Hummingbird's Story

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Product Description ------------------- One of nature's smallest birds, a Black-chinned Hummingbird, built her nest on a clothesline in a backyard in Las Ve, NV. The clothesline belonged to a team of documentary filmmakers, Noriko and Don Carroll, authors of the highly accled book, First Flight: A Mother Hummingbird's Story (pub. Andrews McMeel). This enchanting and remarkably detailed nature film reveals the tireless efforts of the mother, who the Carrolls call Honey. As she furbishes her tiny nest with delicate spider webs and soft fibers to prepare for arrival of her eggs, the Carrolls record her every move. Stunning close-up photography brings you into the nest as the hatchlings emerge from their shells. As small as two plump little raisins, the chicks are named Ray and Zen. A dedicated mom, Honey courageously fights off predators, nurturing and feeding her helpless chicks as they begin to grow into beautiful young hummingbirds. The Carroll team spent three years documenting Honey's life on HD video for this remarkable production. Informative narration by the authors and an inspiring sound track by the critically accled musicians: Suzanne Teng, Jeff Wahl, Justin Bianco, Mutandina help round out this story that is both educational and delightfully entertaining. Includes Making-Of First Flight. Awards Best Independent Award at the 33rd International Wildlife Film Festival, Missoula, Montana -Merit Awards for Story Telling (IWFF, Montana) -Merit Awards for Educational Value (IWFF, Montana) -Merit Awards for Animal Behavior (IWFF, Montana) -Merit Awards for Backyard Nature (IWFF, Montana) Special Jury Award at the 7th Matsalu International Nature Film Festival, Estonia FINALIST Children s Choice Award at Wildscreen 2010 Bristol, England FINALIST at the 21st Bird and Nature Festival Abbeville France FINALIST at Festival international du film animalier Albert France Green Screen International Nature Film Festival Eckernfoerde Germany This International Edition DVD includes narrations in four languages such as the original English narration, French, Spanish and Japanese. Subtitles available all narrated languages plus in German, Portuguese, Korean, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese. MUST SEE EXTRAS! Ever wonder how the hummingbird drinks nectar? While it's magical wings hum in the air, their long and flexible tongue dances in the pool of nectar. No one has ever seen this intricate movement until now...extraordinary slow motion films, Secrets of the Hummingbird's Tongue and Flight Fantasy. Includes Hummingbird slide show. This DVD is appropriate for all ages. Review ------ This enchanting nature documentary follows the dedicated efforts of a tiny black-chinned hummingbird (nicknamed Honey by filmmakers Don Carroll and Noriko Carroll) to lay, incubate, and hatch two tiny raisin-sized eggs and raise the fledgling chicks. The film begins with remarkable nest-building close-ups; the soft fiber bird home rests on the Carroll's porch clothesline in Las Ve. Inventive 360-degree macro s follow the progress, including egg development, incubation, hatching, feedings, nest defense (including chasing away the Carrolls' cat), and first flight. Honey's protective and attentive mothering is enlivened through Noriko Carroll's informative and humorous narration and rich musical soundtrack. This entertaining film includes a bonus making-of feature. Bird and nature fans will be entranced. -- Carol Holzberg (Booklist) --Booklist STARRED REVIEW - Gr 7 Up Filmmakers spent three years documenting the life of a Black-chinned Hummingbird who had built a nest on a clothesline in the backyard of their Las Ve home. The female narrator s soft, accented voice is complemented by a delightful musical soundtrack. Outstanding photographic techniques show the life cycle of this diminutive bird, named Honey by the filmmakers. Divided into sections, the film follows Honey as she builds the nest, secures it with spider webs, lays two eggs, waits for them to hatch, feeds the babies, and encourages them to take flight approximately three weeks after birth. The close-up photography is amazing and a delight to watch. The second half of the program, a making of the documentary segment, will enlighten film students and photographers. A range of grade levels can utilize this film, and it will be especially useful in science classes. This documentary is joyous and viewers will be pleased that they were invited into the hummingbird world. -- Patricia Ann Owens, Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, IL --School Library Journal Fascinating, informative and beautifully filmed. As an ornithologist I was delighted to observe the hatching sequence in such detail; truly magical footage. First Flight is a film all ornithologists, students and backyard birders should experience. -- John Klicka, Ph. D. Curator of Birds at the Marjorie Barrick Museum University of Nevada Las Ve It is a lovely work, well designed and well executed. Noriko's narration is really charming. The hatching sequence is unique. -- Nancy L. Newfield Author / Hummingbird Bander / Naturalist One of the finest hummingbird DVD's ever created. You don't simply watch it. you experience it -- Dr. H. Ross Hawkins Founder of --The Hummingbird Society