Caedes

  Hummingbird #1  

Click here to view at full resolution.
Uploaded: 08/10/14 7:16 AM GMT
Hummingbird #1
Views: 1598
Dlds: 812
Status: active

A frame from a video I shot today of the local bully. I'm pretty sure he's a standard issue male Anna's hummingbird. Any ID help would be appreciated. Anyway, he's a real pain in the neck for other hummingbirds that try to land on his feeder. He dominates the backyard, but not completely. A younger hummingbird has been sneaking in to feed while he and his mate are away. The bird above makes a high-pitched trilling sound as he flies - I imagine it's his version of the terror sirens used on the Stuka dive bombers from WWII. I don't know if the trilling is a vocalization or is produced by his wings. The video was shot from about 18 inches with the same gear I normally do macrophotography with, a Canon 6D and a Canon 180mm macro lens. The rig sits on top of a Sirui monopod that has fold-down 'legs'. It's not as stable as a tripod mount, but it sets up fast. The birds have gradually gotten used to me, and will occasionally land and feed at arms distance. That's an incredibly cool moment. Realistically though, it seems to be more of a resigned tolerance for my presence than genuine acceptance. To get the best results, I set up the shot, start the video and leave for 10-15 minutes. Out of an hour's shooting, I might get a few minutes of interesting footage, and occasionally, it's gold. Their incredible agility and speed remind me of fish racing through the water. These little birds just have to paddle a little bit faster.

Comments

Post a Comment  -  Subscribe to this discussion

Leave a comment (registration required):

Subject: