Post your Hummingbird Photos

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Mike D90

Senior Member
There are several members here who post some fantastic hummingbird shots. I scanned through about 20 pages of the Wildlife section and found no dedicated thread for the little buzzers.

I didn't want to start my own dedicated thread and I didn't want to post in someone else thread so I made this one for anyone.

Post up!


These are my first ever hummer shots. I think I am addicted now!


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snaphappy

Senior Member
The challenge of capturing them is addictive isn't it :) Such teeny tiny little subjects that move so quickly with insane wing speeds and such beautiful feather colours. I love hearing them buzz over me :)
 
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RON_RIP

Senior Member
Really nice job on the hummers, Mike. You are right, they deserve there own thread. Be sure you let@wev know. He has a whole bunch of hummer photos.
 
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Mike D90

Senior Member
RON said:
Really nice job on the hummers, Mike. You are right, they deserve there own thread. Be sure you let@wev know. He has a whole bunch of hummer photos.
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@wev, [MENTION=4399]Rick M[/MENTION], and @Dave_W 's photos were the ones that inspired me most. They are great!

Now that I have an idea of what I need to do I will work on improvement for the next time.
 
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Mike D90

Senior Member
Tried some flash on a couple shots and I don't like what I got although it did pop some of the birds iridescent colors a little.

I cannot build a blind at this particular spot but I may be able to camo myself a little more with some clothing so I can stay close. I was about 10 feet away on these shots just standing there. The slightest movement sent them away.

This is also a feeder location and no flowers there. Would love to find another spot where they frequent that has more natural setting.


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wev

wev

Senior Member
Contributor
Though I have posted a number of feeder shots, I don't really like them -- the things are just too ugly and too red. I have also noticed, when shooting with a flash (onboard, 1/4 power usually), they get very reactive at the feeder, but could care less when at an actual plant. They also don't like having cameras pointed at them -- I have stood 5 feet away, raising and lowering my hands and they paid no attention and kept feeding. I raise my camera up and they flee in a flash. I have wondered if there is something about the black body and front glass that spooks them -- a paparazzi thing?

In the mid nineties today, so will have to wait till dusk to see what I can shoot.

Thanks for the thread
 
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RON_RIP

Senior Member
wev said:
One from my gallery, taken last week -- evil eye

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He does have an evil eye. What exactly did you do to him? long ago, I was chasing one with my long lens and he caught the iridescence of the lens coating an flew to within inches of the lens, probably thinking it was a flower. Needless to say, that was too close for the lens to handle.
 
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Lawrence

Senior Member
wev said:
Though I have posted a number of feeder shots, I don't really like them -- the things are just too ugly and too red. I have also noticed, when shooting with a flash (onboard, 1/4 power usually), they get very reactive at the feeder, but could care less when at an actual plant. They also don't like having cameras pointed at them -- I have stood 5 feet away, raising and lowering my hands and they paid no attention and kept feeding. I raise my camera up and they flee in a flash. I have wondered if there is something about the black body and front glass that spooks them -- a paparazzi thing?

In the mid nineties today, so will have to wait till dusk to see what I can shoot.

Thanks for the thread
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That is very interesting that they are wary of cameras. Be nice to know why they react this way ...
 
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singlerosa_RIP

Senior Member
Here's one (heavy crop) from 2012, shot in my back yard at dusk with an off camera SB-800. D7000 w/70-300. Lucky shot in catching his tongue sticking out.

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Lawrence

Senior Member
So I googled if we get humming birds here in New Zealand and apparently we don't. Problem solved and removed from list but ….

in my search I found this.

[FONT=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"Another tip on hummingbird feeders is to always have more than one and to place them away from each other, preferably out of sight of one another. Hummingbirds are extremely territorial when it comes to nectar sources, and, odds are, if you only have a single feeder out you'll only have a single hummingbird--which of course limits your chances of spotting one. Also, as mentioned above, hummingbirds are attracted to bright colours, specifically reds. A number of our seed feeders are suspended from a Birch tree by steel cables coated in red plastic (the kind that people use to teather their dogs out in the yard.) They're maybe a quarter inch thick and not particularily noticable, but the hummingbirds always fly right up to them to check them out. Amusingly enough, I also dye my hair a burgundy colour that looks bright red in the sun, and I often have hummers zip right up to investigate when I'm out working in the garden.'[/FONT]

[FONT=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Dedication or crazy? Burgundy hair … LOL[/FONT]
 
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RON_RIP

Senior Member
I hate to mention it but the reason that wev's hummers may shy from his camera is that they think it is a collection devise and that he is going to capture and stuff them and add them to his collection. But don't mention that to him as he is sensitive on that point. But if you wanted a hummingbird in New Zealand perhaps he could send you one. You could astound the local nature community with the first photo of a hummingbird in New Zealand. Think of the possibilities.
 
wev

wev

Senior Member
Contributor
The plain stuffed ones are quite reasonably priced. The fully articulated versions with the titanium skeleton frame and micro servos, now those will cost ya.
 
wev

wev

Senior Member
Contributor
They are new world birds and are, within the natural system, confined to North and South America.
 
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Mike D90

Senior Member
Dave_W said:
Oh, I didn't see this thread until now. I like hummingbirds



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I just created it last night after perusing some of your shots in one of your hummingbird threads. I didn't want to put my scrap in there with yours! :)

Would you post up some tips and advice on finding good hummingbird sites and what times of day are best for shooting them?
 
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