Humming bird season!

JRace · « **on:** 29 May 2015, 05:14 pm »

Here is a nicle little Calliope who lives up north with us in the summer

Guy 13 · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 May 2015, 05:17 pm »

Quote from: JRace on 29 May 2015, 05:14 pm

Here is a nicle little Calliope who lives up north with us in the summer

Hi JRace,
I love all kind of pictures of humming birds.
Please post more.
Thanks.

Guy 13

JRace · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 May 2015, 05:23 pm »

Thanks, hard to photography though!

Setup and ready for him

JRace · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 02:37 am »

He has been shy lately

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 10:57 am »

Quote from: JRace on 29 May 2015, 05:14 pm

Here is a nicle little Calliope who lives up north with us in the summer

He is flying at night in this photo?

Maritan · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 11:06 am »

FullRangeMan - I'm going to guess that JRace used a flash during daylight. This allows you to use slightly slower shutter speeds but still freeze the bird in flight. This can also result in the dark background (flash doesn't light the background).

I hope JRace will correct me if I'm wrong.

Here's one I took a while back with no flash in direct daylight. When they sit still it makes it slightly easier to photograph especially when you use a long telephoto that's manual focus only. Click on picture for full size:

Anna's Hummingbird Gorget

JRace · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 01:11 pm »

Beautiful pic!

No flash, shot in full sun.
First pic was with a cedar hedge for back drop (3ft behind the feeder)
second pic was taken at a diffent angle with the backdrop being much furthr away.

Both shot from roughly 8ft with a telephoto.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 01:25 pm »

Humm, incredible how the nature fools the electronics.

Phil A · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 01:36 pm »

Great pics!

bside123 · « **Reply #9 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 03:43 pm »

I've also really enjoyed photographing Hummers. I don't use a flash, only available light and a fast shutter speed. Amazing creatures!

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Guy 13 · « **Reply #10 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 06:16 pm »

Quote from: bside123 on 3 Jun 2015, 03:43 pm

I've also really enjoyed photographing Hummers. I don't use a flash, only available light and a fast shutter speed. Amazing creatures!

Ruby Throated Female Hummingbird

Hi bside123,
amazing creature, but also, amazing photographer you are.
Really nice picture, perfect picture, everything is right.
Thanks and more, more, more...

Guy 13

RDavidson · « **Reply #11 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 07:18 pm »

Great pics! Humming birds are such beautiful and fascinating creatures. They're also ridiculously cute. There, I said it.

brother love · « **Reply #12 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 07:39 pm »

The wife & I are birders, & love the hummingbirds.

They may be cute, but hummingbirds are very aggressive & territorial. What they lack in size, they make up for in attitude.

bside123,

I believe I see a speck of red on the throat of your Ruby-throated photo. If so, that is an immature male (also throat specks look darker matching immature vs. female) .

Stunning pics you guys!

bside123 · « **Reply #13 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 08:38 pm »

Quote from: brother love on 3 Jun 2015, 07:39 pm

bside123,

I believe I see a speck of red on the throat of your Ruby-throated photo. If so, that is an immature male (also throat specks look darker matching immature vs. female) .

Stunning pics you guys!

Thanks for the clarification on the red speck. I believe you're right. You're also correct about how just aggressive these cute, little birds can be. Fierce and fighter pilot-like! Here's a resting female.

Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird

bside123 · « **Reply #14 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 08:52 pm »

Quote from: Maritan on 3 Jun 2015, 11:06 am

FullRangeMan - I'm going to guess that JRace used a flash during daylight. This allows you to use slightly slower shutter speeds but still freeze the bird in flight. This can also result in the dark background (flash doesn't light the background).

I hope JRace will correct me if I'm wrong.

Here's one I took a while back with no flash in direct daylight. When they sit still it makes it slightly easier to photograph especially when you use a long telephoto that's manual focus only. Click on picture for full size:

Anna's Hummingbird Gorget

AMAZING! I'd like a helmet just like that...

JRace · « **Reply #15 on:** 3 Jun 2015, 09:05 pm »

Great pics everyone!

I am on the hunt for a bird feeder with a perch so maybe the little dude can take a break...makes it much easier to snap the pic.

Crazy to think these guys fly as far as they do for winter!

bside123 · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Jun 2015, 03:30 pm »

This morning's Hummer.

Ruby Throated Male Hummingbird

RDavidson · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Jun 2015, 03:52 pm »

Wow! Fanastic photography!

bside123 · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Jun 2015, 04:21 pm »

Thanks RDavidson, but the most fantastic thing of all is Mother Nature.

We took our feeders down 5 ½ months ago, last November. With the hot, sunny weather already upon us, I put the feeders back out today only this morning. In spite of the winter and the passing of almost six months, in spite of the Hummingbird migration spanning thousands of miles, the birds found their way back to feeders and started eating in less than 1 hour! How did they know so quickly!? What are their communications and perceptions systems? If only humans had such trust, intelligence and knowing.

BTW, their territorial politics started just as quickly

Don_S · « **Reply #19 on:** 10 Jun 2015, 06:10 pm »

bside123,

Is that a Morning Glory plant? I have a fence full of trumpet vines (white with pale lavender) that had a massive bloom this spring. Not one hummer has ever been seen on them. Hummers do frequent my pine and cedar trees but not the vines.