Photographing hummingbirds requires patience. Lots and lots of patience. I don't have lots and lots of patience. But, I did manage to get a few fairly clear images of the hummingbirds sparring around one feeder. I'm always amazed at these little masters of aerial maneuvers. I have five feeders strategically placed around my porch and there is always the one feeder that they fight over. This year, it's the feeder outside my office window. I can even change the location of the feeders and they still fight over the one right outside my window this year. Last year, it was the feeder on the arch over the deck/breezeway between the two areas of the TN homestead.
Photographing hummingbirds is rather like writing a book, I've noticed. A lot of high hopes, false starts, attacks (it is very unnerving to be dive-bombed by three aggressive male hummers because one of them saw his reflection in the end of the long lens), and the reward of getting the words down. FINALLY. Just as when the shutter clicks and you know before you even review it, you caught a decent image. I'm still waiting for that "STOP THE PRESSES", be still my heart moment both in writing and photographing critters. Those moments will come. They just require patience. (Please refer to the title of this post.)
