![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/black-chinned-hummingbird-4255-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"black-chinned-hummingbird-4255-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nTrumpet vine is also called hummingbird vine, for good reason.<\/p>\n
I have a huge, 18′ tall trumpet vine climbing up my brick fireplace on the east side of my house. Trumpet vines love hot weather so this summer that thing has gone crazy with blooms and the hummingbirds in my area, including the hummers that have been nesting in my neighbor Shane Smith’s yard, are beginning to take full advantage.<\/p>\n
So yesterday morning I decided to take ‘full advantage’ myself by pulling up a chair, sitting on my deck with my photo gear on my tripod in front of me, and seeing if I might get lucky.<\/p>\n
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1\/5000, f\/5.6, ISO 1000, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n I got quite a few shots I like, even though the shooting conditions were more difficult than I anticipated. Most of the flowers are facing the sun so when hummers are feeding on their nectar the birds usually have their backs to me. And man, are those flowers ever bright in direct sunlight, to the point that the intensity of their color can overwhelm the hummers feeding on them, especially the less colorful females like this Black-chinned Hummingbird (I think).<\/p>\n Light causes another problem. During the early morning a different neighbor’s very large elm tree intermittently blocks the sun so I also have to get lucky with timing. A hummer has to show up on those occasions when I have good light on the trumpet vine.<\/p>\n Considering the conditions and my preferences I think this shot turned out pretty well. The flowers aren’t as bright as they often are, hummer and flowers have the dark background (trees on the other side of the street) that appeals to me, I have very good separation between the bird and the blooms and I like the bird’s posture and wing position.<\/p>\n I’m thinking (hoping) that if I begin my photo sessions at the trumpet vine a little closer to sunrise in the future the color intensity of the flowers won’t be quite as bright as it is in many of the photos I took yesterday.<\/p>\n We’ll see how that turns out.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Note: Yes, I know that trumpet vines can be destructive to the structures they climb on. In my case the vine won’t hurt the brick of the fireplace but I have to keep a watchful eye on the vines that spread to adjacent parts of my house. Hopefully this fall I’ll feel safe on a ladder again after surgery so I can do some pruning.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Trumpet vine is also called hummingbird vine, for good reason.<\/p>\n