Geology Point Vista - 50937

Canon 20D - 1/160th second, 11mm @ f/ 13, ISO 100

Wow! Hummers are tiny!

I headed up to Mt. Lemmon for a day of photography and some work at one of the telescopes. As I headed up I remembered that today was a monitoring day for the volunteers from the Hummingbird Monitoring Network . The group that monitors the hummingbirds at Lemmon is headed up by Kevin Gillooly. When I arrived they had been capturing and measuring the hummers coming to the feeders there for several hours already.

The first thing that struck me was how tiny these birds look when they are held in a hand. They look small when they come to the feeders, but I was shocked when I saw how truly tiny they actually are.

I was in awe at how much care Kevin took while he handled these fragile packages, banding them, measuring their wing feathers and making other visual observations of the bird in his hand. Most of the Broad-Tailed Hummingbirds that I watched them catch and measure weighed about 3 grams! The single Magnificent they captured and measured while I was there weighed a bit over 7 grams!

Canon 20D - 1/640th second, 191mm @ f/ 8, ISO 800

A free meal

After all of the observations and measurements are complete, the hummers are given the opportunity to sip some more nectar before being released. Most of them willingly accept, but a few that have been captured a few times already during the day are more interested in being released as soon as possible.

Canon 20D - 1/400th second, 226mm @ f/ 8, ISO 800

A short respite

A few more sips of nectar and this girl will be on her way again.

Canon 20D - 1/320th second, 313mm @ f/ 9, ISO 800

Kevin examines a Broad-Tail

It was a real pleasure watching Kevin and the other volunteers as they handled these small winged jewels with extreme care and gentleness.

Canon 20D - 1/800th second, 64mm @ f/ 8, ISO 800

Marshall Gulch - High Dynamic Range #2

Another HDR image from Marshall Gulch.

Canon 20D - 5, 10, 15 & 30 second exposures, 28mm @ f/ 32, ISO 100

Marshall Gulch - High Dynamic Range #5

The overcast conditions, with sunlight streaming through gaps in the clouds and tree branches provided a good opportunity to play around a bit more with High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography.

Canon 20D - 6, 10 & 15 second exposures, 28mm @ f/ 32, ISO 100

Marshall Gulch 50626

Canon 20D - 2 seconds, 66mm @ f/ 32, ISO 100

Another view of the Rufous

As I expected, this bird is most likely a female Rufous. On suggestion by Dr. George C. West, co-founder of the Hummingbird Monitoring Network, I checked though all of my images of her and didn't get any where she extended her tail feathers. Other than a fortuitous image of that, you actually have to have the bird in hand to make a positive ID.

Clicking on the image will allow you to see a larger version of this image, (All of my images actually) but it has been reduced from the original (also like all of my images here) and is also cropped, so looks slightly soft.

Canon 20D - 1/320th second, 500mm @ f/ 8, ISO 3200

A Rufous or an Allen's?

This little one was protecting one of the feeders from all comers while I was on Mt. Lemmon yesterday. Most of the time she stayed at the feeder chasing off all that approached but occasionally she would head up into some close branches only to swoop down on the unsuspecting.

At first I thought she was a Rufous hummer, as there were several visiting the feeders, but the rufous/cinnamon coverts on this one has me a little unsure enough to make a proper identification. _Hummingbirds of North America, The Photographic Guide_ suggests this might even be a hybrid of the two... but also says that a positive ID usually requires the bird in hand.

I should also say that the gorget was a brilliant gold color when it reflected the limited sunlight.

Experienced birders are free to offer suggestions of a more positive ID.

[Update] Thanks everyone who contacted me with their input on this bird.

Canon 20D - 1/200th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 3200

Battle Royale'

Some hummers can feed in peace, others feel they have to dominate the entire feeder, not letting any other birds feed. Occasionally it is only a single feeding port that is dominated.

Recently I have been filling the feeders on Mt. Lemmon that support the activities of the Hummingbird Monitoring Network and spending some time watching and photographing the action.

Last evening, the feeders were packed with all kinds of activity, including the above mentioned "defense". Since the action is so fast and the birds so small, I thought that one bird simply chased the others away.

Here we can see this isn't always true. This male Broad-Tailed hummer is ramming the female Broad-Tail in flight! Three other Broad-Tails look on; The one perched on the right is an immature male.

Canon 20D - 1/500th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 3200

A Pair of Young Red-Tailed Hawks

While waiting for the spectacular sunset that I knew would happen, by boss Steve & I watched and photographed four young Red-Tailed Hawks playing in the outflow winds from an approaching thunderstorm. Occasionally they would meet up in flight and extend their talons toward each other.

I didn't get a chance to capture that behavior, but I did get this pair just as they started to separate.

Canon 20D - 1/1600th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 800

2/3rds Gone

Canon 20D - 1/1250th second, 313mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 800

Flaming Sun

... or maybe a solar pompadour?

Thunderstorms around the Santa Catalinas provided a great amount of attenuation of the light from the setting sun and additional interest in the structures of the clouds. The Sun passed behind a segment of contrail as it raced for the western horizon, as seen from the peak of Mt. Lemmon last night.

Canon 20D - 1/4000th second, 500mm @ f/ 32, ISO 800

A Young Male

This highly cropped image reveals something I hadn't expected. On initial examination I thought this was a female Broad-Tailed, but notice the two or three red throat feathers or "gorget". This is a young male that is just hitting "puberty".

This image and the other three below were taken at the feeders on the observatory grounds at the top of Mt. Lemmon. These feeders support the hummers there and are in place to attract the birds and to aid the banding activities of the Hummingbird Monitoring Network.

Canon 20D - 1/500th second, 500mm @ f/ 8, ISO 800

What’s on the menu today?

Another male Broad-Tailed hummingbird checks over the feeder before taking a drink. It is almost like he is reading a menu next to the door of a restaurant before deciding to eat there or not.

Compare how the bird’s iridescent throat patch looks gray instead of the brilliant red it takes on when the sunlight hits it just right, which can be seen a little better, below.

I probably could have done a quick refocus and used a deeper depth of field for this one…

Canon 20D – 1/800th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 800

Male Broad-Tailed

Same location and feeder as the one below.

Canon 20D - 1/1000th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 800

Female Broad-Tailed Hummingbird...

Late afternoon on top of Mt. Lemmon and the hummers are swarming the feeders in preparation for the coming night. Luckily, this is also the best time to shoot them at this location as the feeders are in full sun. Unfortunately, they are often bickering over the feeders and it is almost impossible to capture them in flight because they rarely hover in one spot for more than a second or two.

Depending on the size of your display, the bird probably looks twice its actual size or larger when you view the larger image.

Canon 20D - 1/640th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 3200

Everyone Plays

Late in the game the Sidewinders bring in yet another relief pitcher, Jailen Peguero.

Canon 20D - 1/200th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 3200

Chris Carter Hits

Canon 20D - 1/200th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 3200

Swings...

... and misses.

Robby Hammock takes a stab at a pitch.

Canon 20D - 1/200th second, 266mm @ f/ 5.6, ISO 3200

Safe at Third!

Rich Thompson, who we see bunting to get on base below, safely slides into third.

Canon 20D - 1/200th second, 417mm @ f/ 5.6, ISO 3200

Bunting

Rich Thompson was the only player to bunt during the game. Usually reserved to advance a runner already on base, Rich got on base himself.

Canon 20D - 1/200th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 3200

Jeff Bajenaru is handed the ball

Relief pitcher Jeff Bajenaru comes in late in the game after Las Vegas has scored a few more runs.

Canon 20D - 1/200th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 3200

Hey! Over Here!

Robby Hammock was at bat as the rain started to fall a little harder in Tucson. While I was going through my images, I liked the way Chris Carter, warming up on deck, added a little confusion to exactly where the LV pitcher was going to throw the ball. Only after I started processing the image did I realize he actually had three targets to choose from!

Canon 20D - 1/160th second, 363mm @ f/ 5.6, ISO 3200

2nd is far enough

Randy Choate keeps an eye on the Las Vegas player on second.

This shot was taken from the grassy area beyond the home run fence in center field. I had to rest the end of my lens on the top of the fence since I was using a very slow shutter speed at full magnification, but I think the results were pretty good.

Canon 20D - 1/125th second, 500mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 3200

Now pitching, Randy Choate

We continued to move around the stadium and when left handed pitcher Randy Choate took over, we were placed well to capture his style a little bit better.

Looks like a normal throw so far...

Canon 20D - 1/320th second, 313mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 3200

Side Arm Randy Choate - 48665

Yep, this is kind of a weird "pose", but Randy throws side arm instead of the more common over hand.

Canon 20D - 1/320th second, 363mm @ f/ 7.1, ISO 3200

Broken Bat

Alberto Callaspo breaks his bat.

Canon 20D - 1/320th, 161mm @ f/ 6.3, ISO 3200

Sidewinder Mike Schultz 48626

Another view of Mike Schultz pitching, this time from behind home plate.

Canon 20D - 1/320th second, 313mm @ f/ 5.6, ISO 3200

Ball!

Moving around the field as the game progressed, Jim, Tuugii and I captured shots of the actoin from all sides.

Tuugii is a new U of A student and is here from Mongolia. This was his first baseball game.

Here we see Sidewinder Jason Smith watching an obvious outside pitch go by.

Canon 20D - 1/64oth second, 226mm @ f/ 5.6, ISO 3200

Out at second!

The top half of the 1st inning wasn't good for the Sidewinders. At least Alberto Callaspo made the tag on this Las Vegas player as he tried, and failed, to steal second base.

Canon 20D - 1/800th, 266mm @ f/ 5.6, ISO 1600

Sidewinder Mike Schultz 48515

The first pitch of the game.

Canon 20D - 1/800th second, 313mm @ f/ 5.6, ISO 800

Sidewinder Mike Schultz 48507

I finally got to attend my first Tucson Sidewinders game. Here, warming up just before the start of the game is Sidewinders pitcher Mike Schultz.

Canon 20D - 1/800th second, 226mm @ f/ 5.6, ISO 800

Tucson Fireworks 48480

Jim, his family, Tuugii and I got together to watch the July 4 fireworks launched from A Mountain. This is one of my better shots from the 100+ I took during the 30 minute show.

Canon 20D -

Tucson Fireworks 48474

Another shot taken from the 6th St parking garage.

Canon 20D -

Dead Dragonfly Close Up

My cat Sydney brought my attention to this dragonfly which had died just outside my back door. I thought it would make a good subject to use to experiment with the macro-bellows I had purchased a few months ago. Note how the legs are curled up in rigor mortis. I do like how the catchlight in the insect's eye(s) is hexagonal. This is due to the light reflecting from the many hexagonal lenses that make up it's compound eye.

Canon 20D - 10 seconds, f/ 22, ISO 100, Bellows @ ~50mm, yielding a life-sized image on the camera's sensor.

Dragonfly Closer Still

Another image of the same dragonfly, this time at about 2.5x life size.

Canon 20D - 5 seconds, 50mm @f/ 22, ISO 100, Bellows @ 125mm