Rufous Hummers

NorthernFocus

We don't get hummingbirds where we live in interior Alaska. In theory I guess but I've never seen one nor talked to anyone who has. They do get them down on the coast. Last year while out on our boat in Prince William Sound we found a little spot where there were a bunch of them feeding on blueberry blossoms. I managed to get couple images of them sitting on branches but just couldn't anticipate where to set up to get flight/feeding shots.

This weekend was our first time out on the boat for the season and we went to that same spot. I took along a hummingbird feeder hoping if I hung it over the weekend maybe they'd come to it. I saw several hummers around the blueberries just like last year so I hung it on the branch of a spruce tree and litterally within five minutes a hummer was drinking from it. Only problem is that he staked it out and wouldn't let another bird near it. I didn't use a flash and got the feeder in the flight shots but it was fun.

D300, 200-400 VR, 1.4x TC, monopod



The white background is snow...

bfjr

1st one and I like last if it wasn't for the feeder.

Just don't care for feeders, but that's just me.
Tough to get a good head on shot and this is good

NorthernFocus

It's not just you. I don't like feeders in hummer shots either. I just didn't have time to figure out how to get these little buggers without the feeder in the picture. The natural flowers in the area were a whole grove of blueberry bushes so no way to figure out where they were going to feed without the feeder. Getting the perched shots is easier with a little patience to observe. They return to the same spot again and again to watch over their turf.

In theory these guys migrate up from CA. The way they recognized that feeder and zeroed in on it suggest they'd seen one before. I literally hung the feeder, walked about 15 ft. away, turned around and there was a bird drinking from it. This in a spot out in PWS at least 15 miles from the nearest human habitation. I was amazed

raptorcaptor

That is what the males do, but you got some nice shots of him!

Maestro

Love one and three. I am wondering if you could clone out the feeder to make it look like you caught it more in mid-air away from other objects.

NorthernFocus

Thanks for the comments. I may try to get down there and get another shot at them. I bought a flash last fall so I guess it's time to learn to use it too If I don't get any more images then I may take a shot at cloning out the feeder from that last shot.