Snow, cold, fog, dreary skies, poor light and polluted air – that’s all we’ve had for many days and I’m sick of it! This morning I need a reprieve and hummingbirds will provide it.
1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
A little over four months ago I spent several days with hummingbirds as they scoured a patch of Rocky Mountain Bee Plant for nectar on Antelope Island. I believe they were fueling up for migration because they were only there in good numbers for about a week and then they were gone. There were several species present but I’m almost completely ignorant regarding hummingbird identification (especially when it comes to females) so I won’t even make an attempt here. Each of these photos was taken on the same day, 8/30/13 and are images I haven’t posted previously.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
There were so many large and inviting flower clusters in the patch that at times the birds seemed overwhelmed by the choice. This was my first ever extended session with hummingbirds and when I look at the images I’m quite impressed by the relative size of their eyes.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Here you can see why their faces and the base of their bills were nearly always covered by pollen. Those long filaments with pollen-covered anthers at the end made it inevitable as they buried their bill-tips into the depths of the flowers. What a grand design of adaptation in both species.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
There were so many flowers in the patch that I only occasionally got an image of a bird feeding without flower color in the background.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
On this morning there wasn’t quite enough light to freeze the wings without ramping up my ISO above 800 which I’m reluctant to do with the Canon 7D but I’m perfectly fine with a little wing motion blur, particularly in hummingbirds. I don’t use flash because I don’t like its effects – on the image or on the bird.
Ok, I feel a little better now. Some hummingbirds, a little color and summertime memories were quite therapeutic. Our forecast actually calls for sunshine for much of next week so maybe I’ll be able to get out and photograph some birds. That assumes of course that the weatherpersons are right, which they are about half the time. If they’re on a lucky streak…
Ron
Simply beautiful photographs of these high-speed flying jewels, Ron!
The iridescent color shine and details look great. Wonderful series of hummingbirds images Ron, well done.
I am pretty sure that I needed this respite, and thank you for this.Ah, what a relief! The gold in the body and a tiny bit of blur in the wings combined with tack sharp focus on the face works well. The blossoms are so soothing.So much beauty. I feel refreshed.
Lovely shots and a sure cure for cold and drab! Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
Hi Ron, These photos AND these birds are amazing: of course we only ever see them on TV here in the UK. Do you ever enter your photos in e.g. Photographer of the Year or things like that? Or considered making Calendars. Imagine having a ‘Birthday’ or ‘Perpetual Calendar’ that one could look at monthly year of year … Wow, I’d have one!!
Kind regards from Ingrid
Ingrid, I don’t think I’ve ever entered a photo contest (well, one time early on I did enter a few at the State Fair). I’ve considered it but haven’t done so for a variety of reasons. I’ve never made a calendar either. Thanks for the encouragement, though…
AAAmazing. Your work is inspiring.
Most hummers are very aware of bugs. And bugs (the Praying Mantis at least) can kill the smaller humming birds by the mantis’s ability ‘to suck the juice’ out of the bird.
Beautiful shots Ron!!
I’m glad you switched gears to reminisce on some nice summer memories. I love hummingbird photographs, especially when they are all natural! The whole not baited, not set up, not called in aspect to your images makes them all the more impressive, and carries a great deal of weight and respect. Thanks for the pick me up! I hope the forecast holds for next week.
Well, that was a switch.And a lovely switch,too. Here, we do not have hummers, though we do have Sunbirds.Our Africa connection, I think.
Beautiful images. Thank you.
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Wow. My father would have said ‘their eyes are bigger than their stomach’ and would have gone on to add ‘and their beaks are bigger than their bellies’. And, for a change, he would have been right.
Thank you so much for this delightful series.
I am housebound today too – because of the heat. Even at six it is warm out and very shortly going out the door will turn me into a sad, soggy (and grumpy) mess.
Sad I’s sad. Grumpy is logical…just DON’T MELT!!!
Thanks so much for all the wonderful feedback, everyone. I’m glad the colors and summer setting helped with some “attitude adjustments”, including mine. I had hopes for some light this morning but it was only a “sucker hole” in the clouds so I’ll have at least one more day of dealing with cabin fever.
Thanks so much, Ron! Nothing could be more welcome to the eyes…
what a wonderful email to wake up to this cold icy but sunny morning in Wisconsin.
We know summer is coming but it’s great to have a lovely reminder. Thank you for sharing
those beautiful shots of amazing little birds.
My favorite challenge of the summer months is photographing hummingbirds. We only get Ruby Throated here in PA. The females all look similar to what you ahve posted. And boy did I need that touch of summer. Thank you. Took me three years to get hummers to visit my yard. I only get between one and three each season. They are hysterical to watch fighting over the feeders. Two hummers…five feeders. Go figure. I have gotten some good shots. Of course I delete more than I save!! Love your shots. Beautiful. Thanks as always Ron.
We have the same situation (also in the East–about an hour north of NYC—and in Maine)…only one, or two, at a time. I’m working on a watercolor that includes a hummer (ruby throated) and a tiger swallowtail…not too realistic. The last time we saw those two together, they were confronting each other over some verbena…and the hummingbird backed off from the butterfly!!! We were stunned to realize that even butterflies could be aggressive!!!
Patty, when I was photographing these hummingbirds, individual birds were chased off by a Monarch Butterfly several times. I too was surprised to see such a thing.
Can a butterfly confront a hummingbird…and actually drive it off…without thinking???????….without deliberate CHOICE of action….based on some kind of awareness…and some kind of “planning”??? (I know someone who would probably poo poo this, very clinically and scientifically, but he picked up his marbles and went home)….We’ve (please don’t include me!) doubted the abilities, feelings, wisdom (and value) of black people, dolphins, women ( I am one,in spite of the many pop up ads I receive for enhancing my you-know-what!). Many do the same with other living things…but what do any of us REALLY know?????????????? Wise as he was, some of my own experiences and observations contradicted he who went home….so where does that leave us? Why do we hold so tightly to these “scientific” theories…especially when, one after the other, they fall???..?..
Wow Patty I cannot beleive a hummingbird backed away from a butterfly!! They don’t easily back down. In my yard they chase awqay much larger birds. By the way, I also paint!! 🙂
Yes! That’s why we were so amazed! These little hummer toughies are usually so unafraid to challenge, and chase off, birds so much bigger than they are. These two were both trying to claim some verbena in a fence top flower box and seemed oblivious of us, although we were only about 4 feet away. The hummer was quite used to us and wasn’t scared away by us, but by that “killer” butterfly. When the bird baked off, the butterfly started feeding. Neither seemed interested at us at any time! We could have gotten KILLED!!!
I must have been nuts to choose composition of any one of these over the other…they are ALL winners! Each time I revisit this site, I choose a new “favorite”…you’re pretty darned amazing, Ron Dudley!!! (You’ve almost got me believing it’s a nice day!!!)
Ron, Great images. You took great advantage of the opportunity. As an avid hummingbird photographer, I always appreciate seeing excellent images. Thanks for sharing these.
Simply gorgeous! And yes, so nice to see some color this time of year.
I’ve been working on a watercolor of some wildflowers, tiger swallowtails and a hummingbird….this images are perfect reference just when I needed them…iridescence is tricky but fun to captures. All the images are wonderful, but particularly like the first. Composition is perfect. We’ve had horrible, dreary weather, too…am already sick of winter…and it’s just begun!!! THANKS for the beautiful diversion!
Thanks Ron. Here in icy cold dreary Michigan I needed the reminder that spring will come. And even now raptors are beginning to scout out nest sites.
WOW!!!!!!
What a lovely treat! Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful and rejuvenating images.