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Railroader · Aug 21, 2007, 09:53 PM

I was in my shop (garage, but I like to think of it as a shop) and unnoticed a hummingbird had flown in. It's hard to believe it wasn't scared off by the table saw running nearly non-stop today.

It was quite occupied with the lighting in there, which helped out significantly when I realized this is perfect photo opportunity.

Here's the results of a few hundred shots I took:

And then it finally settled down on a box that I thought was appropriate for this place:

I ended up having to capture it in a fishing net and releasing it outside where it promptly flew in a direct line for the woods besides the house. It was probably in there an hour or so buzzing around the lights. I had both garage doors open, but it wouldn't leave.

Railroader · Aug 21, 2007, 09:55 PM

I captured these with my Canon XTi set at 1600 iso, AV priority f/2.8 with my Canon 200 mm f/2.8 L mk.II lens.

MacinTommy · Aug 21, 2007, 10:01 PM

wow. those are GREAT pics!

Moonray · Aug 21, 2007, 10:06 PM

I like the first of the shots.

Originally Posted by Railroader

Here's the results of a few hundred shots I took:

A few hundred shots? Who was more exhausted then, you or the bird?

-

Railroader · Aug 21, 2007, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Moonray

I like the first of the shots.

Yeah, the first is the best one, but it doesn't show the color of the bird

Originally Posted by Moonray

A few hundred shots? Who was more exhausted then, you or the bird?

-

At 3 frames/sec, it doesn't take long.

KeriVit · Aug 21, 2007, 10:47 PM

Wow, are you sure she doesn't have a nest? Beautymous!

dav · Aug 22, 2007, 08:21 AM

the first pic is great. i've had a hummingbird on two occasions get "trapped" in my open garage, in which i've had to resort to using a net as well to free it.
a robin didn't seem to have the same problem escaping, albeit after circling and pooping many times.

Sherman Homan · Aug 22, 2007, 08:42 AM

Yeah, the first is the best one, but it doesn't show the color of the bird

Yeah, but it captures the experience of both you and the bird, great shot! I can't get hummingbirds to feed in my garden and you get them in your garage, ain't fair!

Naplander · Aug 22, 2007, 11:04 AM

Beautiful!

Doofy · Aug 22, 2007, 11:23 AM

Awesome. Thanks RR.

Railroader · Aug 22, 2007, 11:44 AM

For those of you who are appreciating the pictures, here's a link to a few dozen more lower quality pictures.

Hummingbird - powered by SmugMug

osiris · Aug 22, 2007, 11:55 AM

Nice pics!
I love hummingbirds, but only seen them a few times in the wild.

Railroader · Aug 22, 2007, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by osiris

Nice pics!
I love hummingbirds, but only seen them a few times in the wild.

Same here. And this was the first time I touched one.

Big Mac · Aug 22, 2007, 01:39 PM

Terrific, Railroader.

sek929 · Aug 22, 2007, 04:26 PM

Wow, great shots.

I especially like the vertical one with yellowish light where both its wings are out forwards and backlit.

You'd have a field day at my parents house. Just a few years ago there wasn't a single hummignbird, and now they fight eachother for a position on the feeder. It's wild.

Buckaroo · Aug 22, 2007, 04:36 PM

Where are the pictures?

osiris · Aug 22, 2007, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by Railroader

Same here. And this was the first time I touched one.

Nice.
It's interesting how the bird was so drawn to the light, or maybe the space above it.
Maybe it was looking for a nest?

Railroader · Aug 22, 2007, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Buckaroo

Where are the pictures?

??? In the first post?

Or do you mean location, which was also answered in the first post...

Originally Posted by Railroader

I was in my shop (garage, but I like to think of it as a shop)...

or...

Originally Posted by Railroader

For those of you who are appreciating the pictures, here's a link to a few dozen more lower quality pictures.

Hummingbird - powered by SmugMug

Railroader · Aug 22, 2007, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by osiris

Nice.
It's interesting how the bird was so drawn to the light, or maybe the space above it.
Maybe it was looking for a nest?

It was doing that to all of the lights (5 sets total) and also to that box in the pictures.

Railroader · Aug 22, 2007, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by sek929

Wow, great shots.

I especially like the vertical one with yellowish light where both its wings are out forwards and backlit.

Thanks!

This one?

I like it a lot too, but it didn't crop as well.

Originally Posted by sek929

You'd have a field day at my parents house. Just a few years ago there wasn't a single hummignbird, and now they fight eachother for a position on the feeder. It's wild.

That would be cool. Do you know what they use for feed? This event has inspired me to investigate putting a feeder up. Definitely near a window for more photographic moments.

sek929 · Aug 22, 2007, 06:41 PM

My dad stopped buying the feed and just uses tap water and sugar. His tap water is incredible though, if yours smells a little like chlorine you might wanna buy water.

And yes, that's the pic

GSixZero · Aug 22, 2007, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Railroader

Do you know what they use for feed? This event has inspired me to investigate putting a feeder up. Definitely near a window for more photographic moments.

They drink nectar, and hummingbird feeders basically have sugar water in them. I've heard the solution that is colored red is bad for the birds, but you can make your own with sugar and water.

Hummingbird Nectar and Oriole Nectar - Make your own!

Railroader · Aug 22, 2007, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by sek929

My dad stopped buying the feed and just uses tap water and sugar. His tap water is incredible though, if yours smells a little like chlorine you might wanna buy water.

And yes, that's the pic

The water here in Indy is "interesting". T'd probably buy some spring water that is not chlorinated then. I have read that distilled water is a huge no-no.

Who'd have thought we'd have a hummingbird feeding discussion? Not me. I have to go do something manly, like make a fire or something to purge this.

Railroader · Aug 22, 2007, 06:52 PM

And I have a question for you lighting/electrically intelligent people: Why is the light sometimes yellow looking? Is it the light, or my camera searching for white balance?

iLikebeer · Aug 25, 2007, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by sek929

You'd have a field day at my parents house. Just a few years ago there wasn't a single hummignbird, and now they fight eachother for a position on the feeder. It's wild.

Besides them getting to know you and sneaking up behind you and hovering behind your ear, the best part of a hummingbird feeder is watching the battles for drinking rights. I've got at least 4 different hummingbirds that have the wildest dogfights I could ever imagine happening in 3 dimensions. Those little guys have flying skills that are simply amazing.

shifuimam · Aug 25, 2007, 11:36 AM

I was walking into the ex's apartment building one afternoon, and spotted something on the sidewalk. Turned out to be a just-dead hummingbird in perfect condition. I've never been that close to one in my life - it was really amazing to hold it and see how tiny it is and how its wings and feathers are constructed.

The thing is still in my freezer. I'd love to take it somewhere and have it stuffed and put in something (a glass globe I can hang in the window or something...I don't know...), but I'm guessing it's too tiny for taxidermy.

shifuimam · Aug 25, 2007, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Railroader

The water here in Indy is "interesting".

Some areas of Indy do have really weird-tasting water, depending on which reservoir it's coming from.

I use a Brita water pitcher religiously. It filters out everything gross in the water and leaves it tasting great, and it costs less than continually buying bottled water. If you have a fridge with a water dispenser and built-in filter, use that.

<edit> Also, which part of Indy are you in? </edit>

torsoboy · Aug 25, 2007, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Buckaroo

Where are the pictures?

I have the same question... no images appear in any of the threads here for me anymore starting yesterdayish. I see all of the other images (the macnn banner for example), but nothing in the posts themselves. No signatue images either. I checked my preferences and it has "show images" and "show signatures" enabled. Weird. Things are a lot more boring without images. Looks like the hamsters ran amok and put in some bugs in the code.

Railroader · Aug 25, 2007, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

I was walking into the ex's apartment building one afternoon, and spotted something on the sidewalk. Turned out to be a just-dead hummingbird in perfect condition. I've never been that close to one in my life - it was really amazing to hold it and see how tiny it is and how its wings and feathers are constructed.

The thing is still in my freezer. I'd love to take it somewhere and have it stuffed and put in something (a glass globe I can hang in the window or something...I don't know...), but I'm guessing it's too tiny for taxidermy.

So, you handled a dead bird that by all appearances was "perfect"?!?! Have you heard of the avian flu?

Originally Posted by shifuimam

<edit> Also, which part of Indy are you in? </edit>

Sorry, too many creeps read these posts to reveal that information here.

Railroader · Aug 25, 2007, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by torsoboy

I have the same question... no images appear in any of the threads here for me anymore starting yesterdayish. I see all of the other images (the macnn banner for example), but nothing in the posts themselves. No signatue images either. I checked my preferences and it has "show images" and "show signatures" enabled. Weird. Things are a lot more boring without images. Looks like the hamsters ran amok and put in some bugs in the code.

Hummingbird - powered by SmugMug

- - e r i k - - · Aug 26, 2007, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Railroader

And I have a question for you lighting/electrically intelligent people: Why is the light sometimes yellow looking? Is it the light, or my camera searching for white balance?

Well, it's both

Yes, it's definitely your camera's auto-white balance that will do it. White balance isn't a big deal to fix up in Aperture though. Mostly a one-click action

Railroader · Aug 26, 2007, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - -

Well, it's both

Yes, it's definitely your camera's auto-white balance that will do it. White balance isn't a big deal to fix up in Aperture though. Mostly a one-click action

Actually, I was wondering, technically is it the flickering of the bulb I am catching, or the XTi's Auto-White Balance wavering.

I know about white balance correction. I prefer Adobe Camera RAW. Aperture is a processor HOG!

- - e r i k - - · Aug 26, 2007, 10:05 PM

No, it would be your camera light meter having problems reading the correct colour-temperature. This often happens when you have mixed lightsources like daylight + bulbs/incandescent.

Railroader · Aug 26, 2007, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - -

No, it would be your camera light meter having problems reading the correct colour-temperature. This often happens when you have mixed lightsources like daylight + bulbs/incandescent.

Ahhh... I did have the garage doors open and it was a very sunny day. The light meter was probably wavering between sunlight and fluorescent white points.