Todays pics

[Tom Wilson]

I tried in vain today to get a photo of one of the hummingbirds using my feeders in flight. Oddly enough they are pretty much refusing to hover, they just fly straight to the feeder and sit. So, I took a couple of him sitting still. This one actually has some funny growth to the top portion of his bill--he is one of three that I have coming frequently. Maybe the flight shots will happen when it gets cooler.

and finally in the last few minutes of light I saw this lady who I haven't seen since early this spring.

[Steve Foss]

Nice work Tom. Thanks for sharing it. A fella can never depend on birds doing what he wants them to do, eh?

[Ely Lake Expert]

Those are some nice pics Tom. You seem to find birds I have never seen before. (first and second pic)

[Tom Wilson]

Ely,

Both of those pics are of the same bird, taken within moments of each other. It is a Ruby Throated Hummingbird. It is the only Hummingbird species native to our area. Most of the time it is considered optimum to either catch the birds in flight, or to clone the feeders out of the photos. Most people have never seen a hummingbird sitting still. Most of the really fabulous shots people see of hummingbirds come from the far southwestern United States where the are many species of hummingbirds. They also have many places that are set up and designed as hummingbird habitats, where photographers can catch them at flowers, and natural settings. Almost guaranteed, if you see a hummingbird photo, there is a feeder within a couple of feet. This is not a bad thing, though, as most subjects like Hummingbirds can be difficult to photograph otherwise.

[Ely Lake Expert]

Thanks for the info Tom. I knew 1 and 2 were pics of the same bird. I just didn't know what kind of hummingbird specifically or that it was the only one native to our area. I think I have seen the type of bird from the third pic before around my hunting shack before, is that one more common around MN now though it is not native?

[Tom Wilson]

Ely,

The third pic is very common to our area, it is a female Red-Bellied Woodpecker. The females are slightly smaller than the males, and average around 9-10 inches in height with a wingspan of 15-16 inches. The males are considerably more colorful around the head.

[Steve Foss]

ELE, the red-bellied is common in southern and central Minnesota, less so as you go north. A red-bellied up where we live is quite uncommon, though they have been recorded.

[Ely Lake Expert]

STF,

I have never seen the red bellied at my house before, but I have seen them a few different times out at my hunting shack, which is pretty close to whiteface.

[hanson]

You guys make me wish I had quite a bit of extra coin sitting around to get a nice digital camera and lenses.

We've got so many hummingbirds up at the lake cabin, its not even funny. There is always one near the feeders and most of the time, there are a couple that chase each other around. They most definitely land on the feeders to feed, and sit in the trees with the feeders, and fly into the nearby woods and sit in the trees. They are so cool!

I really love the noises they make as well when flying. I'm not even sure how to attempt to type out their call, but its a definite squeeking noise.

[Steve Foss]

ELE: With climate warming, red-bellieds and a number of other species have been moving farther north.

Hanson: PUHLEEEEEESE don't try to type it out! Take the groan of a channel cat and raise the pitch four octaves and you've got it.

[Dbl]

Nice shots Tom.

[Tom Wilson]

Thanks DBL. How's the baseball been going?

Ely,

It never even dawned on me that up there you might not have ever seen one of those. I forget that your part of the state is like a whole different world for a lot of plants and birds.

[Dbl]

Quote:

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Thanks DBL. How's the baseball been going?

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Busy, I shot a couple of games this weekend and the state amateur tourney starts this week. My business is close to being launched and it looks like I will have more work than I can handle with jobs already lined up for the busy fall schedule. Time to start adding equipment, that 1D MarkII, the 300/f2.8, a 70-200/2.8, a...........well its always nice to dream.