They just like it for different reasons than most other birds.
As you may have guessed from my title, yesterday was another day of photographing birds in my garden instead of going up into the mountains where the wildfire smoke was even worse than it was down here in the valleys.
Light was low through the dense smoke so I didn’t have much shutter speed but I’m becoming a convert to the advantages of shooting in smoky light. It’s almost like shooting with reflective snow on the ground because the smoky-white sky disperses the light and fills in the harsh shadows that are usually a problem in my garden. In addition I’m discovering that that kind of light does a very nice job of revealing bird colors, especially with hummingbirds. And thankfully my camera is having no trouble at all acquiring sharp focus on my subjects in such low light, as long as they aren’t moving very fast.
Today I’m going to focus on a young but highly aggressive Rufous Hummingbird that repeatedly used the same high perch as a lookout so he could see other hummingbirds coming into what he considers to be ‘his’ territory and chase them away.
1/640, f/5.6, ISO 1000, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The very tallest tip of this amaranth seed head was his favorite lookout. Other birds in my garden use these seed heads as a source of food but for him this particular one gives him the best vantage point to survey my entire yard for hummingbird intruders, especially those who show up at my single hummingbird feeder about 30′ to the left of this perch. It’s a difficult perch for me to get a clear shot of through all the other amaranths but since he liked it so much I did the best I could.
Each of the five photos in this post was taken over a 97 minute period when he would sporadically and unpredictably return to this particular seed head. Most of the birds he was chasing off were Black-chinned Hummingbirds but occasionally he made life difficult for House Finches too. The little rascal definitely has an attitude.
1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 1000, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I didn’t have enough shutter speed for most takeoff and flight shots but occasionally I got him with his wings out just prior to liftoff.
1/800, f/5.6, ISO 1000, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Usually he was looking to our left toward the feeder but he had to guard the back of my garden too so sometimes I caught him facing to my right. He could scrunch up into a fat little ball like this or…
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 1000, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
stretch out into a long and lean defensive machine. Here he’s spotted another hummer at the feeder so he’s about to take off and go on the attack.
This is the only shot I got of him with his gorget lit up (in this light it surprised me.) His gorget isn’t very big yet, presumably because he’s a young bird.
1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 1000, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
One last shot as he’s leaning into takeoff toward the feeder and another Black-chinned Hummingbird intruder.
For most of the summer the only hummers I’ve seen in my yard have been Black-chinned so this migrating Rufous Hummingbird is a recent arrival. This species is known for its aggressiveness but even so he’s having to work hard to establish his place in the hummingbird hierarchy of my yard and garden. And despite the smoky conditions this bird photographer is reaping the rewards.
Apologies to those readers who may be growing weary of seeing amaranth seed heads as perches in my photos but that’s what’s available to me right now so that’s what we get.
Ron
Gorgeous. Gorgeous. Gorgeous. The third shot makes me think that he’s coiled and ready to pounce. I agree with EC about individuals wanting to punch above their weights — saw it a lot (figuratively and literally) in all those years of teaching.
Wonderful series, Ron! These Rufous can be, I guess I’d call them pugnacious, maybe?! Bold, definitely! We get both the Rufous and Anna’s here, although the Rufous nest then migrate on.
Thinking of fire and smoke, Dan and I got a Facebook advice request about a disagreement between a pair of spouses (spice?) about the quantity of hummers they were suddenly getting about 3 weeks ago and the amount of sugar they were therefore needing to use to keep up with the birds’ needs.
Once I realized they were East-Southeast of the Bootleg fire in Klamath County Oregon, I suggested that perhaps they were seeing the hummingbirds fleeing from the fire? Once they realized the import of their feeding habits, they agreed to continue doing so, for the birds’ sake!
That is such good news. If even a few escape it means a great deal. Lucky that you spotted the connection.
Pugnacious? I’d say they are for sure, Barbara.
I’ve seen other online discussions about birds, including hummers, being pushed in front of the fires. I think your suggestion was the right one.
I really enjoyed seeing him in ball mode and WTH mode. 🙂
Good.
Great selection of poses. I’m not sure if the amaranth or Rufous is more colorful. Nah, the Hummer wins.
Hummers always win, one way or another…
I have had a few Rufous hummingbirds in my SC garden, much to the surprise of Cornell ebird folks. While my photos don’t stack up against yours, here’s a link to one of my albums of hummingbirds in my garden/woods. My FB page is open.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200246439868486&type=3
Rufous in SC. Now that’s unusual.
Small birds (and several small men of my acquaintance) frequently punch well above their weight on the aggressive front don’t they? I am so very glad that you found interest and joy in your smoky day.
They sure do!
I could never grow tired of seeing the colour in those amaranth and hummers have pretty much the same place in my hierarchy. I myself wondered a few weeks ago when people started talking about it if the smoke might have beneficial effects on photos, sort of like fog, so I am glad to hear you found the sweet spot. Gorgeous shots, and the variety of poses and body profiles, esp the long lean one, being something we seldom see, well … this is all eye candy for me today so thanks for persevering.
Thanks very much, Pat. There are definitely some down sides to shooting with smoky skies but there can be some significant advantages too.
Keep the amaranth photos coming – I’m enjoying the color, and the birds!
Good. Thanks, S.
Five of the best Rufous photos I have ever seen. The colors are beautiful. I am trying not to be envious. Those Amaranth seem to be a magnet for birds. Did you plant them with that in mind? I think we have all benefited by you having to stay home for a few days.
“Did you plant them with that in mind?”
Not really, Everett. Many years ago a neighbor gave me some amaranth seeds and suggested I plant them because he thought I’d like the flowers and because they grow so tall they’d block my neighbor’s view into my back yard.
I didn’t actually plant those seeds until years later and at the time I didn’t know that they’d attract birds. Amaranth plants have been coming up every spring as volunteers ever since.
Absolutely beautiful series, and thanks again for being a teacher. Learned a new word “amaranth” today.
Thank you, Elmer. New words are a good thing.
Love every single photo but especially the third. He looks like an entirely different bird all scrunched up like that. We like Connie only get the ruby throated here so I really like seeing these unclose and personal. I marvel at the spunk these little ones have and their defense of what they perceive as theirs and only theirs. We had one diving at an Oriole as she was drinking from the feeder. They just do not play well in the sandbox of life!
Kathy, this morning I had a juvie Rufous (possibly the one in these photos) fly up to within a foot of the side of my face and stay there for almost 10 seconds while he was checking me out, with extreme attitude. I definitely had the impression that he was challenging me.
And there I was with a 2 foot long lens in front of my face…
Perhaps he thought you were an odd bird — with a very odd beak. 😉
Ron – These are the best hummingbird photos I have ever seen!! So strikingly sharp and detailed! More Amaranth please! It’s a gorgeous colorful prop. And thanks for the word of the day – gorget 🙂
Much appreciated, Kathleen. Don’t be surprised if you do see more amaranth. I’ve been out photographing in the garden again this morning.
Your Amaranth is appreciated by all….birds and us 😊 I tried to make a section in my yard dedicated to birds, bees and butterflies. Some plants didn’t cooperate but I’m not giving up❗️
Diana, garden plants are a little like birds that way – there’s always some that simply won’t cooperate, no matter what you do to accommodate them.
Wonderful series, and yes I really am liking the amaranth, I was not familiar with the plant. I too have been working on hummer photos in the yard, I have found the lighting with the smoke challenging to get enough shutter speed but the orange light really shows off the rufous hummingbird’s colors.
I was in the Wasatch mountains yesterday morning for releases and yes the smoke was thicker up there than in the Salt Lake valley.
April, as I drove east in the direction of the mountains yesterday I could see that the smoke was in at least two layers, the thicker layer toward the top. It surprises me a little that it’s worse up there than it is down here.
Absolutely marvelous!!!
Thanks, Nicole.
No problem with repeated pictures including the Amaranth. The color is one of my favorites.
I have had much fun watching what I guess is a young Black-chinned hummingbird in my yard. The behavior is what makes me think it is a fledgling checking out the cucumber blossoms and just about everything else in my yard and not very capable at the feeder.
Yes, they’re unusually curious at that age.
“Highly aggressive” Rufous hummingbird–redundant description for all who
know the tough little beggars ! I especially like shot #3 for the unusual
flecks of GREEN iridescence floating over the bright copper–haven’t seen
them before your posts today ! Your Dad was pretty wise–irritating for an
adolescent Ron, I’m sure, but good medicine for him !
Redundant indeed!
Kris, my dad said that up through the last five years of his life while he and my mom lived in my downstairs apartment.
Those are really really pretty, we only have ruby-throated here in Ohio. Love these!
Thank you, Connie.
The Rufus – the only hummer we ever get occasionally in the fall – are aggressive and territorial when it comes to the feeder. He’s a beauty and the gorget lit up is amazing! 🙂 Have plans for the Amaranth in my garden also IF I can find a spot next to the fence that the wind won’t massacre it. 😉 Glad the smoke has some redeeming characteristic for photography as it mostly makes things dreary (besides hard on the lungs and eyes) and I don’t do well without sunshine for more than a day or 2. Nice clear day yesterday with a high of about 70 but it’s back this morning and heat will be. 🙁 Nice attitude your dad had…. 🙂
Judy, if you plant a tall variety of amaranth be sure to stake each individual plant. Even down here where we don’t get as much as wind as you do they blow over (or break off in the middle) if I don’t stake them. So this year I staked every plant and so far at least I haven’t had any wind damage.
Also, they like plenty of light.
Have a fence on the N side of the garden that gets full sun most of the day – that should do the trick – THX!
Thanks for the tips.
Awesome! What touching colors, poses, and I’m going to plant Amaranth! Because of bears we cannot feed birds in later Spring and Summer. All the more reason for plants birds love! We do have lots!!! of milkweed to support Monarchs. Thank you, Ron.
I think you’ll like the amaranth, Mary. For a variety of reasons.
How could I ever grow tired of this beauty? The one with his gorget flashing almost makes me cry, it’s so sweet with color and freshness. And thank you for giving me a reason to appreciate smoke in the air.
“thank you for giving me a reason to appreciate smoke in the air”
Mary, it’s definitely a reach to find anything positive about that damn smoke but I found one!
Reminds me of my dad. He always used to say that there’s at least one thing positive about everything negative that happens and then he’d challenge me to prove him wrong. He would often get pretty creative about finding the positives but he always found at least one.
When my mother was stuck firmly in negative mode I told her that she could only tell me of a disaster in her life if she also added a good thing as a counter weight. She wasn’t happy at me but did (eventually) find them.