H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

A Photo Series

A juvenile male hummingbird has claimed a feeder just outside my porch door. I like to observe his behavior as he guards his territory, feeds, and rests. For this series of photos, I wanted to show the variety of positions he takes as he perches on a shepherd’s hook just above his feeder. He does not mind my presence, even though my tripod is six feet from his perch. He is, however, curious each time I touch or stand close to his feeder. He swoops close to me and another bird usually follows him for a second near miss of my head!

Although hummingbirds seem to be in constant motion, they actually spend most of their time perched on a tree limb or other object. The little subject of my photos preens his feathers and tests the air for insects, in addition to watching the activity in his territory. He definitely has a determined personality, choosing to challenge any bird or bee that gets too close. All photos: Canon 60D. Manual, metering mode: center-weighted average, RAW format. I tried various settings, but most of the photos were: ISO 640, 200mm, f/5.6, 1/640. All photos were developed and cropped in Lightroom3.

Photo # 1: Here he is facing the open expanse of the yard,providing a good view of pretty feathers.

Photo # 1

Photo # 2: Facing the porch, he looks to his left where other feeders are placed and activity is high.

Photo # 2

Photo # 3: To his right, the neighbor’s back yard has an open area for fast flying. The chase usually ends up in that direction!

Photo # 3

Photo # 4: Occasionally taking a look straight up is necessary. The competition could be anywhere.

Photo # 4

Photo # 5: This head position allows him to monitor a window feeder, where he occasionally partakes.

Photo # 5

Photo # 6: He has to keep an eye on me too – just in case!

Photo # 6

Photo # 7: Snack time is on his mind when nothing else is happening. You never know when a tiny insect might be passing by!

Photo # 7

Photo # 8: Ok – too close for comfort! Fluffed feathers, flapping beak, and angry chirps precede the chase. Then back to home base for the guard duty that never ends!

Photo # 8

Text and Photos are © Karen Chandler – Her Blog : Visioning