Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/08/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Magnificent, Doug! Jay On 8/26/2014 12:20 PM, Doug Herr wrote: > The fall hummingbird migration has begun. In addition to the resident > Anna's Hummingbirds and summer's Black-chinned Hummingbirds, a visitor > from the north appeared at my feeder yesterday, a Rufous Hummingbird, the > first I've seen in my yard: > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/selasphorus/ruhumm02.html > > Hummingbirds feed throughout the day but dawn and dusk see the most action > by far. They wake up hungry all want to feed at the same time, and they > use the last daylight to top off the fuel tank for the night. > Hummingbirds being what they are this results in bickering, jockeying for > position and aerial battles. I suspect that by providing fewer than one > feeder per bird I've in inadvertently contributed to the warfare (think > The Gods Must be Crazy). OTOH, hummingbirds being what they are it > probably makes no difference. > > A half-dozen hummingbirds (three species) at dawn simultaneously defending > their claims to the feeders is chaos; the alliances in the middle east are > easier to understand. Tiny feathered mites of fury posture, squeak their > annoyance and dogfight at the least provocation. I can't show the > dogfights but here's some of the posturing: > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/calypte/anhumm13.html > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/calypte/anhumm14.html > > compare with a chillaxin' hummingbird: > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/calypte/anhumm11.html > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/calypte/anhumm12.html > > technical stuff: R8/DMR, 280mm f/4 APO-Telyt-R, tripod. No blind needed, > they'll take a sip from the feeder while I'm holding it. All comments > welcome. > > > Doug Herr > Birdman of Sacramento > http://www.wildlightphoto.com