Tag: nature

My First Hummingbird!!!

by Mike

So for months now I have been doing my part to help the local bird population during the heat and drought this year here in North Texas, and other than the occasional view of the hummingbird out the kitchen window, usually between 6:30 and 7:30 each evening, no real “contact” has been made with the little guy.  That is until today.

This morning while sitting outside and watering the flower pots near the hummingbird feeder, the little guy buzzed Karen and I, hovered for a few seconds, and then lit on the feeder and ate.  We sat very still and just watched, each just beaming that we were sitting so close and he didn’t seem to mind.

Then later, since it was such a nice day, we decided to eat lunch outside.  And then we spotted him!  He was perched in a tree on the edge of the yard, just sitting there watching.  I went inside and got the binoculars for Karen, thinking that as soon as I got up he would fly away.  He didn’t.  In fact, after a few minutes, he came over beside where we were eating and first buzzed the flower pots, and then his feeder.

At this point, I’m thinking, I wonder if I could get my camera without scaring him away.  As soon as he finished, he flew back to the tree and perched again.  I was up and in the house gathering camera, tripod, flash, etc.  Got back to the door to go outside…slow down…breathe…slowly go out and sit down and set up.  Yes!  He’s still perched in the tree.  I shoot a few shots of him across the yard, knowing that he’s too far away. 

Then, I set the camera up and focus on the feeder, hoping that he will make another fly-by.  He does!  Here he comes.  Circles the first flower pot.  And then the second.  I’m ready with my finger on the shutter for him to hit the feeder. and then… he flies back to the tree.  Drats!

Karen decides it’s time for her to go in.  I decide to stay just a little longer.  Maybe he’ll come by again.  Maybe the introduction of the camera with the big white lens scared him off.  So I’m watching him in the tree, and then it happens; he takes off!  Flies to the corner of the house, and then down to the flower pots!  I’m not taking any chances this time.  I’m fumbling with the tripod and the focus and snapping away.  He’s buzzing all over the flowers—doesn’t stay still for very long in any one place.  I’m focusing.  I’m shooting.  Flash if firing.  And he flies back to the tree.  Finally!  I think I have some shots!

Run (slowly, still don’t want to frighten him) back into the house and pop the CF card into the computer and there he is!  Yes, there were several bad shots, but there are a few keepers.  Next time there will be even more as I learn his habits and he becomes more used to me being there.

I think it’s going to be a great fall (once it ever gets here)!

Here are the keepers.

Enjoying God’s Beautiful World…

My First Hummingbird

My First Hummingbird

My First Hummingbird

My First Hummingbird

Near Disaster!

by Mike

Today when I got home, my nephew Gerry tells me that the baby birds are out of the nest and on the ground.  He also tells me that the momma bird was feeding them on the ground!  Shocked, because I know they are only 3 days old and haven’t grown enough to fly, we rush outside to rescue them.  Sure enough, the babies are on the ground near the trunk of the tree, but the parents are no where to be seen.  Having just read last night that it is safe to put the babies back in the nest, I decided that would be my course of action.

One by one I pick up the little critters, and by little I mean very tiny.  These little guys didn’t come close to filling the palm of my hand.  Since the nest is up higher than I am tall, I had to reach up into the tree and gently place the birdies in the nest, one by one.  And they thank me by pooping on my hands! (Thanks guys!)

Once I have them back in the nest, I move back to the porch and wait.  And wait.  And wait.  I’m starting to fear that the parents have abandoned them, when finally, one of them flies straight to the trunk of the tree, and begins looking around.  Great, now it doesn’t know where the children are.  But I wait.  Slowly the head cocks to one side as if listening, and then up on the lowest branch.  Stop, listen, jump, next branch.  Finally, it arrives at the nest and a happy reunion takes place!  The parent starts pushing them back down in the nest as they keep squirming around like they are trying to get out. 

Back in the Nest!

Finally, everyone is settled down and the family is reunited.  Once they are calm, the parent begins making the round to gather food and bringing it back.

Dinner!

Yes sir, nothing like a big ol’ helpin’ of worms to get the young ones growing.  Maybe the diet is when they are ready to leave home at only two weeks old.  Like most kids, they probably feel they can do better themselves so off they go.  Before the evening is out, the other parent shows up and the tag-team feeding begins anew.  Once again, the entire family is present and accounted for.

Mmmmm, Worms!

Worm after worm, these guys are getting fed well.  No wonder their little bodies were so round and plump!  I now know that there are three babies in the nest, because I put them back in, but when being fed, I was always only seeing two heads popping up.  It wasn’t until closer to the end of the evening that I finally saw all three of them sticking their heads up at once.

The Three Amigos

Now I can sleep well tonight knowing that the babies are back in their nest and safe from any ground predators.  It’s back over to mom and dad now to take care of them.  Hopefully they have learned their lesson about getting too close to the edge!

Lake Lewisville Environmental Learning Area

by Mike

Today I finally make it to the Lake Lewisville Environmental Learning Area (LLELA).  I’ve been meaning to get over there for a couple of years now but just never seemed to make it.

While preparing the night before, I couldn’t decide which parts of my camera equipment to take and which to leave behind, so silly me, I decided to just take it all, which would be my undoing later as the heat started getting ramped up earlier than I expected!  Next time I go, I will definitely be packing much lighter.

LLELA has four main nature trails ranging from .3 miles to 2.1 miles long.  The one I decided to start with was the longest, the “Bittern Marsh Trail.”  According to LLELA’s handout: “The Bittern Marsh Wetlands Boardwalk Trail: takes hikers through a bottomland hardwood forest to Bittern Marsh.  Two viewing blinds at the marsh give birders, photographers, and hikers great views of waterfowl and other wildlife.”  Of course, since it specifically mentioned “photographers”, I had to make that my first stop.

It is a very well maintained trail, with several sections which are boardwalks going over the marsh area.  At one point, my Canon 7D with the 100-400L lens came loose from my tripod and bounced precariously close to the edge of the boardwalk, almost going into the marsh.  As I scrambled to grab it before it went over the edge, I knocked the sun guard off of my 5D lens and sent it into the marsh.  I guess losing a $30 lens shade is much better than losing $3000+ worth of camera and lens.  You can bet that next time I will be more observant when attaching the camera to the tripod to make sure that does not happen again.

The main purpose of this trip was practice.  I have been reading Moose Peterson’s book “Captured” and was ready to try out some new shooting techniques.  I was also eager to practice shooting with my Canon 100-400L and utilizing the 2x Teleconverter.  In this configuration, auto-focus does not work, so it is up to me and my almost 50 year old eyes to focus.  There were quite a few misses, but I was actually surprised that when I did nail it, the camera/lens combination worked very well together.  I had several birds to choose from to practice, many of which were pretty stationary, but a few I got to test while flying.  I’ll certainly be back to this location for more practice.

The second trail that I walked was the Redbud Trail which “meanders through open grasslands and scattered woods to beautiful views of the Elm Fork.”  Unfortunately for me, by the time I started this trail, the weight of all the extra camera equipment and the raising heat level was starting to wear on me (did I mention I’m not in the best of shape right now?).”  It was still an enjoyable walk and provided for several more photographic opportunities, but I was stopping and resting more than I would have otherwise liked to.  Good thing I took plenty of water with me.  This 1.4 mile trail seemed more like 3 miles by the time I was finished.

After making it back to the parking area, I decided to call it a day.  The other two trails will have to wait for another day as I was just too whooped to do any more.  Of course, my goal is to walk these trails to both get myself in better shape, as well as sharpen my wildlife photography skills to prepare for my next big adventure, which, while really hasn’t been decided on yet, is now in the planning stages!  I can’t wait until Karen and I decide on a destination!

All in all it was a good experience and I look forward to my next trip over.  I definitely have to do morning trail walks though as here in Texas the temperature is already starting to creap up sooner and sooner in the day.  Why didn’t I start this back in February!  I guess there is always next year.