When ducks and hawks are not flying overhead and I continue to work on my ability to photograph birds in flight, I find hummingbirds the next best challenge! I have no interest in photographing a hummingbird at a feeder. I love snapping a photo as a bird flies to a branch or feeder, beating its wings so fast, producing the humming noise, thus their name: hummingbird!
These are the smallest migrating birds, weighing less than a nickel, can fly backwards and keep me on my toes while trying to photograph them! With anticipation, patience and the ability to move as the bird moves around too, I have had the chance to photograph a couple of different hummingbirds. I have read about blinds set up, specifically to entice a bird to a spot, and then others can photograph it. I find it more fun to capture a photo while a hummingbird is in at the flower or tree of their choice. Native plants in a garden with tubular species of flowers, such as honeysuckle, are places to watch for and photograph these birds.
The next challenge is knowing what hummingbird it is! A good photograph helps me narrow down the possibilities, but there are times a photo is of little help. If I can capture their wings not beating and blurred in the photo, then it has been a successful photo attempt for me! If I can identify the bird, that may even be more amazing, but not as important!
Here are some hummingbirds I have photographed lately. Some are identified to the best of my ability. If you think I have identified it wrong, please let me know. Thanks for your help!
