I think of this hummer as my friend but like most friends he seriously tried my patience at times.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This is the Rufous Hummingbird I photographed on Antelope Island a week ago today. You’ve seen ‘him’ before because I posted two photos of him in the recent past but these three are new to my blog.
This flower cluster was more immature than most he was feeding on that morning so only a few of the individual flowers have opened and sent up their stamens. But there’s several slightly more mature and smaller flowers at the base of the cluster so that’s where the ever-resourceful hummer was getting his nectar.
As a result his bill is partially shaded by the flower cluster between his bill and the sun but I don’t think that’s an image-killer.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
He often had to bury his entire long bill in the flower to get at the nectar so sometimes his face was almost entirely covered with pollen. Sadly I didn’t get any sharp shots of him with that much pollen on his face. Sharp shots of hummers in flight are hard, especially with a moderate breeze blowing both bird and flowers around.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Here he’s flying in place as he’s deciding which tiny flower to try next. His decision-making process was usually very quick but it often gave me an extra few milliseconds to lock focus on him before he darted to his next feeding position. That’s not much extra time but sometimes it was just enough.
I grew quite fond of this little guy in the short time I spent with him that morning. I waited at the bee plant for quite a while hoping that hummers would show up but he was the only one that eventually did. And he left and returned to the bee plant several times.
For that I’m grateful, even though he usually seemed hell-bent to put the kibosh on my attempts at getting sharp shots of him. I can’t help thinking he was deliberately toying with me.
Ron
I see them feeding at my feeder but never do I get to see them up-close-and-personal like you present them.
Thank you so much, Ron for the beautiful photos.
Beautiful images. I have been photographing them in my yard. I have had two goals of images I wanted to capture. One is when a rufous charges a foe they puff out their neck feathers to look more threatening. I want a head on of this. So far close but no cigar. The second I wanted was a hummingbird in the rain, they will bathe on wet leaves and dodge about after raindrops. I had several opportunities but with the low light with this storm none of my images are sharp.
Yup, in the low light when it’s raining the bar his high when trying to photograph hummers.
Hummer pictures cann’t getvany better than these….👍👏❤️
Thanks very much, Patty.
Your friend is beautiful, and generously allowed you some stunning shots. In perhaps the only similarity to a hummer I can claim I try and foil any of my friend’s attempts to photograph me.
Thanks, EC. I don’t know how generous he was but I did get a few I like.
Little hummer may have tried your patience but you had patience enough for some wonderful shots! I’m going to pick #2 as my favorite, I love that glint of green-gold in the wingtips. Beautiful bird and bee plant!
Thank you, Chris.
Photographing birds is a pleasure.
Photographing birds in flight is a challenge.
Photographing hummingbirds in flight is – for me – an exercise in frustration!
Thank you, Ron, for once again showing it CAN be done!
Much appreciated, Wally. Keep in mind though, my success rate is very low.
If he was toying with you, you won! Great shots.
Nancy, I don’t know if I won but at least I scored a few points.
I didn’t think your Rufous Hummingbird photos could get any better, but these are just exploding with beautiful colors.
You may have commented on this, but are you thinking this is an immature male?
Thanks, Lyle. I’m not really sure so I took the coward’s way out and didn’t commit.
Beautiful series Ron, thanks for sharig!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.
Lovely photos Ron! Apparently our mountain house is smack dab in the Rufous migration path. At my husband’s request, I moved the hummingbird feeder from our deck to the front of our house. It’s a non-stop gang fight! Always at least 6 hummers and twice a day over 15. It’s mayhem!!!
Sounds like wonderful mayhem to me, Kathleen!
Ordered two large feeders with 7 stations each. My current feeder only has 3 feeding stations. Read the Rufous Hummingbirds are here through the end of August. Let the mayhem continue!! Albeit in the front yard 🙂
Ha ! I loved Porcupine’s notion– if there ever were a bird “gang-banger”,
it would be a Rufous Hummingbird ! Beautiful warm hues in all of your
captures–gold, violet, and Rufous copper– a gorgeous combination.
“if there ever were a bird “gang-banger”, it would be a Rufous Hummingbird”
Truer words were never said, Kris.
Delightful photographs all!! Thanks once again.
Thank you, Joanne.
I’ve taken many in flight photos of the Rufous and Anna’s, but never sharp as these. I sometimes follow them around the yard as they move from one plant to another. As long as I am quiet and not too close they will just continue on with their business. Getting sharp shots like these is definitely not easy. I like #1 best.
Yup, you get it Everett. It isn’t easy.
That third image is really stunning. Thanks!
That’s probably my favorite too, Stephanie.
Neat! Light really captured the sparkle in his feathers at times. 🙂 That’s one thing with having only a few here (if any) one can “lock in” so to speak on one and really enjoy their antics. Photographing them however……. 😉
Thanks, Judy.
Maybe it’s a Hummingbird Gang initiation ritual. They get points for every blurry photograph they can generate. I once spent many, many hours perched on the peak of my porch roof with my big camera, trying to photograph Hummingbirds. Never got any great photos but I loved being close to them and watching them work in the native Red Honeysuckle.
Ha, if so he got a lot of points that morning, Porcupine.