Hummingbird update

[Howieh]

Compared to previous years it's actually been relatively quiet but things are picking up. The hummers and the wasps have learned to coexist (well, sort of) and I now have at least 3 regulars coming to the feeder, including a male who comes to the window every so often to check me out! It pays to keep a camera handy at all times, even in the house! On a side note; my son persuaded me to set up my monarch rearing gear and I now have 2 chrysalis's and 3 rapidly growing caterpillars in the pail. When all the cats are hanging I'll move them to a frame on my computer room window to make it easy to photograph the emerging butterflies.

[Ally]

Compared to previous years it's actually been relatively quiet but things are picking up. The hummers and the wasps have learned to coexist (well, sort of) and I now have at least 3 regulars coming to the feeder, including a male who comes to the window every so often to check me out! It pays to keep a camera handy at all times, even in the house! On a side note; my son persuaded me to set up my monarch rearing gear and I now have 2 chrysalis's and 3 rapidly growing caterpillars in the pail. When all the cats are hanging I'll move them to a frame on my computer room window to make it easy to photograph the emerging butterflies.

Show us, show us, show us!

[Howieh]

I still have 2 fledglings coming to the feeder (they are sitting about two feet apart behind the feeder as I write this!) and, as if the wasps aren't bad enough, early this morning they were bothered by a couple of young chickadees that like to drink from the ant moat.

[Ally]

I still have 2 fledglings coming to the feeder (they are sitting about two feet apart behind the feeder as I write this!) and, as if the wasps aren't bad enough, early this morning they were bothered by a couple of young chickadees that like to drink from the ant moat.

I want to see them, sitting together. 2 feet apart sounds good too

[Howieh]

I couldn't get them both because one was hidden in the foliage but I have a two hummer shot from a few weeks ago. If I can find it(?) I'll post it. Have you seen any at your feeder? The past week has been fairly active; along with all the usual suspects  I've seen kinglets and blue jays and a couple of birds I couldn't identify. I think one may have been a wilsons warbler. Like Shortsighted I'm kind of shut in so I'm looking forward to your fall migration shots Ally!

[Ally]

I couldn't get them both because one was hidden in the foliage but I have a two hummer shot from a few weeks ago. If I can find it(?) I'll post it. Have you seen any at your feeder? The past week has been fairly active; along with all the usual suspects  I've seen kinglets and blue jays and a couple of birds I couldn't identify. I think one may have been a wilsons warbler. Like Shortsighted I'm kind of shut in so I'm looking forward to your fall migration shots Ally!

No hummer visits. And I will try to get out more but I just got busy with work, so if I didn't feel yours or SS's frustration, now I feel it.

[Dinusaur]

Well good news. I finally got to see a Hummingbird visiting my backyard feeder in one evening last week. I was excited to see it again the following day and ready to take some photos. However, it did show up early morning and then disappeared, never to return again. Hope a few others passing by will make a short stop.

[Shortsighted]

Come on, Dinu. What did you expect from the little bird? It was in shock!
Seeing that 500mm lens, who wouldn't be? The objective lens is wider than
the bird is long. Whenever I see someone with one of those mighty lenses
even I skip a heartbeat. Even now, the poor thing is probably in therapy.

[Dinusaur]

Haha, not I didn't have a chance to bring the camera out. I was standing right beside the feeder and it came flew in for a drink. The next day it was too early in the morning and saw it through the kitchen window. Then I thought it would come back later in the day when I am home, I'll try my luck then. Unfortunately it never returned.

[Shortsighted]

Ah well then, I stand corrected again. I must surely have the makings
of a Guinness Book record by now. Sorry for the implication of optical
impropriety. A 500mm at close range for a hummingbird just struck me
as a cartoon deployment, even though the minimum focus of that fine
piece of kit must be comparable to an Olympic sprinting distance. I must
look up that spec because it might be shorter than I think. Have you ever
used an extension tube on your 500mm to reduce MF for any purpose?
If so, what was the purpose? Assuming it was for something we can speak
of. There I go again ... innuendo.

[Howieh]

I just returned from grocery shopping, went to the back yard and saw more wasps on the hummingbird feeder (two flowers completely covered) than I've seen all summer. No sign of the hummers but after I hosed down the feeder for several minutes and all the wasps disappeared one of the hummingbirds returned for a long feed, so they(?) are still around. Somehow they know it's time to fatten up for the long trip south!

[Ally]

I just returned from grocery shopping, went to the back yard and saw more wasps on the hummingbird feeder (two flowers completely covered) than I've seen all summer. No sign of the hummers but after I hosed down the feeder for several minutes and all the wasps disappeared one of the hummingbirds returned for a long feed, so they(?) are still around. Somehow they know it's time to fatten up for the long trip south!

And they are smart not messing with the wasps, and train your as their leg man.

[Howieh]

What a crazy day! Our power went off just before 1pm and didn't come back on until 6 hours later, but we stayed home anyway and I spent most of the afternoon photographing my 2 fledgling hummingbirds who took turns posing directly in front of me in the branches above their feeder. I probably took more mundane hummingbird shots than most bird photographers take in a year but I may have missed my shot of a lifetime in the process. The viewfinder on the SX50 is almost useless so I always use the rear display to compose my shots; I was framing a perched hummer when the other one landed a couple of inches away and for a split second they were nose to nose (ok, beak to beak) but, because I had zoomed beyond the optical zoom, I just missed getting both birds in the same shot. Oh well, I know they are getting ready to head south, but if my rule (see them late, see them early!) holds I may get another chance tomorrow.

[Ally]

What a crazy day! Our power went off just before 1pm and didn't come back on until 6 hours later, but we stayed home anyway and I spent most of the afternoon photographing my 2 fledgling hummingbirds who took turns posing directly in front of me in the branches above their feeder. I probably took more mundane hummingbird shots than most bird photographers take in a year but I may have missed my shot of a lifetime in the process. The viewfinder on the SX50 is almost useless so I always use the rear display to compose my shots; I was framing a perched hummer when the other one landed a couple of inches away and for a split second they were nose to nose (ok, beak to beak) but, because I had zoomed beyond the optical zoom, I just missed getting both birds in the same shot. Oh well, I know they are getting ready to head south, but if my rule (see them late, see them early!) holds I may get another chance tomorrow.

Reading the description is also fun. Glad the power outage didn't happen in Summer or winter. Now think of it, I have not any pic with two birds beak to beak...

[Ally]

Okay, this doesn't really count as beak to beak, but you would admit it's a bit nosy. And I have always found robins with interesting birdnalities, they are so curious. Always found at various scenes.