Anna's Hummingbird

Gallery: AvianPosted March 9, 2012215 views17 comments

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)

Place: Boyce Thompson Arboretum, AZ
Date: February 2, 2012, 10:22 am
Equipment: Nikon D300, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8, TC20E III (2x), Gitzo 1325, RRS BH55, Sidekick
Exposure: ISO 800, Aperture priority spot metered 1/80th at f/8
Raw, PS CS3 on Mac G4, 48% of frame
Not set up, not baited, no flash, no cloning

Boyce Thompson Arboretum is an AZ State Park near the small mining town of Superior, about 60 miles east of Phoenix. I’ve been going there regularly since moving to AZ in 1994, and I’ve been a volunteer at the park since about 2001 leading weekend bird walks. It’s a good place for birding, but a difficult place for bird photography.

This nest is located directly over a table in the picnic area but thankfully a bit too high to be molested by visitors. Even with 600mm I needed to crop to 48% of the frame for this composition.

As always: honest critiques requested; all comments appreciated. Larger image provided for critical viewing.

Comments

17 comments

Comment posted by Tonia Graves on March 9, 2012 at 9:03 PM

Nice view of the nest and hummingbird; they are both tack sharp too. The OOF branch on the left is a bit distracting, but I'm sure this was the best view of the nest that you had. Nice work and thanks for sharing!

Registered on October 29, 2011, 92 Posts, 1035 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on March 9, 2012 at 11:26 PM

Nice photo Richard, it's very cool seeing all that detail in the nest.

Good advice on the location too! I really like the place last time I was in Arizona, thanks to your suggestion!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on March 10, 2012 at 2:37 AM

Love the vivid detail in the structure of the nest, Richard. My only suggestion, if you have the pixels, would be to crop it to vertical to remove the OOF branch. At a steep crop already, may not be possible...

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Sally Wood on March 10, 2012 at 7:23 AM

This is so awesome to get a hummingbird in the nest.. Beautiful image...... Here in VA. we have the ruby throated, and I am anxiously awaiting them ,,usually they arrive around the end to March.
I will get out to the Arboretum when I come to AZ next.

Registered on March 8, 2012, 39 Posts, 509 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on March 10, 2012 at 2:32 PM

I like this. Nice to catch the bird looking out. Is that a second bird in the background or his wings? I also like all the detailed pieces in the nest itself.

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on March 10, 2012 at 2:39 PM

I like this. Nice to catch the bird looking out. Is that a second bird in the background or his wings? I also like all the detailed pieces in the nest itself.

All that was visible was the adult female.

The bit of red showing along the edge of the nest by the tail appeared to be a feather from a cardinal.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on March 10, 2012 at 4:30 PM

Great view of an exquisite nest and bird.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by William Bickle on March 10, 2012 at 4:55 PM

Hello Richard

Well documented and sharp detailed bird in nest/

TFS

Bill

Registered on June 13, 2011, 183 Posts, 1702 Comments

Comment posted by Basri Akcasoy on March 10, 2012 at 5:22 PM

Nice composition, sharp bird and also telling a story. TFS.

Registered on February 16, 2012, 118 Posts, 767 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on March 11, 2012 at 9:08 AM

Very nice and unusual shot, at least for me. I've only seen photos of these birds at feeders or flowers and occasionally perching but never in a nest. Do you know what the nest is made of? It looks like assorted bits of woodchips and other debris held together by a thread-like material.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Strand on March 11, 2012 at 11:03 AM

Very nice Richard, in viewing the larger version I think you could crop this even a tad more to exclude the OOF twig in the LLC. Even as posted it is well taken and hummers color and feather detail is appreciated.

Registered on March 30, 2008, 416 Posts, 2885 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on March 11, 2012 at 12:16 PM

Do you know what the nest is made of? It looks like assorted bits of woodchips and other debris held together by a thread-like material.

Yes, these tiny nests are made from lots of debris like small leaves and twigs and feathers, usually held together by spider webs. There's something that looks like string on the lip of the nest below the hummingbird's chest but that might be a feather as well.

For another Anna's nest photo see this previous post and be sure to open the larger version for most detail. It was also taken at Boyce.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on March 11, 2012 at 10:24 PM

Thanks for the information on the hummingbird nests.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on March 12, 2012 at 2:58 AM

Nice one Richard - like the contrast between the colour/texture of the next and bird and the rest of the image

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Rebecka on March 12, 2012 at 10:33 PM

Wow, the textures in this image are amazing. I never knew that hummingbirds held their nests together with spider webs, but in your image, we can clearly see they do. For me, I don't mind the OOF branch. It gives a sense of peeking though the woods to glimpse the bird on the nest. Love all spider webs under the main branch, too.

Registered on February 5, 2009, 170 Posts, 924 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on March 12, 2012 at 10:46 PM

Hi Richard

What a marvelous experience to see this amazing nest and bird `camouflaged together

well composed with good detail and color
Albert Darmo
Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on March 17, 2012 at 11:46 AM

I've looked for a hummer nest here in Central Texas, still haven't found one yet..may be too hot for them here, although in recent years the summers have been a bit milder. I understand they don't like it over 96 degrees for any length of time, it will kill the embryos.
I especially like the detailed look at the nest itself and its construction.

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments