Hummingbirds are finally showing up at my trumpet vine in good numbers.
Each of the following photos was taken at my trumpet vine in the early morning over the last four days. I have a brief window of about 40 minutes, beginning when the sun comes up over the mountains (at about 6:50 AM), when there’s good (but very warm) light on the vine’s flowers. After that, it’s touch and go for another hour or so as I get filtered light on the vine through my neighbor’s huge elm trees. So my shutter speed can vary tremendously. In these photos my shutter speed ranged from 1/8000 to 1/400.
Most of the hummers in these photos are female Black-chinned Hummingbirds. For some reason, the male black-chinned come to my feeder but they very rarely visit the trumpet vine. There may be a few juvenile Broad-tailed Hummingbirds in the mix but I have a hard time identifying the juvies.
1/8000, f/5.6, ISO 1250, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
The backgrounds in these photos vary a lot – from the flowers and greenery of the trumpet vine to the various colors and textures of my neighbor’s mostly shaded house, yard and trees across the street. I kind of like the variety, since the color of all those trumpet vine flowers varies very little.
Sometimes the flowers are out of focus and…
1/6400, f/5.6, ISO 1250, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
sometimes they’re sharp. I’m usually OK with it either way, as long as the bird is sharp.
1/8000, f/5.6, ISO 1250, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
Here I like her raised rump feathers and the transparency of her wingtip. I’m less fond of the bright, dead twig behind the flowers.
1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
The hummers had so many flowers to choose from they sometimes seemed overwhelmed by the choice. This bird hovered here for a long time as she tried to make up her mind. There are many dozens of flower clusters similar to this one on the vine.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 1000, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
I like this hummer’s bent posture.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
I don’t get this angle on a hummingbird very often. Or a background this color.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
With that potbelly, I’m not sure she needs more nectar.
1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
I often get photos of hummers that have noticeable amounts of pollen on their bills or foreheads, but this little lady has so much pollen on the top of her head it almost looks like she’s wearing a yellow hat.
She knew it was there too, and she didn’t like it. When she took off from this flower she…
1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
shook the pollen off. I didn’t even know she’d done it until I looked at my photos at home. I wish I’d had more shutter speed but I was lucky to document the behavior.
1/8000, f/5.6, ISO 1250, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
Taking off after an intruder.
1/6400, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
Yesterday morning I finally saw a Rufous Hummingbird again. This bird is the first rufous I’ve seen in my yard in a little over two years.
1/400, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
I’ll close with a bird I call Happy Hummer because, well she looks happy to me. It’s pretty unusual for me to photograph a hummer with its bill open this far.
At this incredibly slow shutter speed (for a hummingbird), her wings are just a blur. I’m just glad that the rest of her is sharp.
Ron
Love these!
Just super!
I can’t pick a favorite, Ron! They’re all fantastic, especially the “documentary shot!” VBG, as Dick would say. 😁
Thanks, Marty. I didn’t even know what VBG meant until Dick came along. The first time he used it I remember having to look it up.
Wonderful shots. I really like the pollen hat, the take off shot and the rufous with the mouth open. I have a trumpet vine on the back fence but it can’t grow. It’s in the shade and something eats the buds, and will strip the leaves too. I have a lot of hummers but not the energy to get out and take photos yet. I don’t know it I can hold the gear very long. Yesterday my amazing yard bird was a turkey vulture. That would be the third time in 37 years I have seen one in the yard or on the telephone pole at the back fence line.
Wow April, a vulture in your yard! That would get my attention too.
You’ve had a tough time with this surgery. A good friend had the same surgery two weeks ago. She’s still struggling with the pain and she doesn’t have the complication of the kinds of reactions to surgery that you have. I continue to wish you the best.
Envious of the Turkey Vulture in your yard, April. Sending lots of healing vibes and wishes for a speedy recovery your way. 💜
Very nice series of Hummer shots! A few had me saying to myself ‘Oh wow!’ #2 is a classic. #3 showing the transparency of the wing is fascinating. Never have seen that before. #6 is a rare angle for Hummer photos, and it has quite a dramatic quality about it. The two showing the pollen are also amazing.
Nice work.
Thank you, Michael. Glad you like so many of them.
You have a Rufous! Finally!!! Love love love hummingbirds. Great shots Ron. #6 is my fav bc the pose capture is so unusual!! Pollenhead is a very close 2nd. 😀
Kathleen, I think there were two rufous hummers at the vine yesterday. But the female black-chinned ganged up on him and chased them off. I hope they come back.
What a beautiful group!! You must have had a blast! My favorite is the hummer with the pollen on her head!
Joanne, I have lots of shots I like of ol’ Pollenhead.
What a happy way to start the day – yours and ours! Thank you!
Thanks, Carolyn.
Beautiful and fun! Hard to pick a favorite! #4, #5 and the “shake off” are especially appealing to me……… 🙂
Helluva thunderstorm last evening. It “parked” over Great Falls and they got flash flooding – not us fortunately!
“Gathering of Swallows” this week – at least 200 of them hanging out on the power lines that cross the “crick” and on a fence also across the “crick”. Little early for migration methinks. Noisy bunch too! 😉
Judy, lately I’ve been seeing swallows of some kind flying over my yard. I’ve never seen them in my neighborhood before.
Excellent series Ron. I think the area Hummers are happy
to see your very welcoming garden every morning. Like all
the shots, but #5 is my favorite – just like the way she is stretched
out like that. Thanks for posting.
Thanks, Everett. In # 5, I like the kinks in her back.
What joy, these happy hummers and their flower bowers !
I especially like the lady wearing a “pollen hat ” –you must have worn a smile all day after capturing all that beauty, and in your own backyard, to boot !
Thanks, Kris. It was definitely fun. But challenging and frustrating too. But then, hummers usually are.