The hummingbirds love our feeder. One visits just about every 5-10 minutes. Their presence is so regular, I can pick any sunny day, stand in front of the living room window, set my exposure and focus and wait, and be rewarded within a few minutes with a fluttering subject.
Except today.
My first round, I set my exposure while the sun was unobstructed. When a bird came to the feeder, I was in such a hurry to capture it that I didn't realize a cloud was covering the sun and my exposure was off. So I waited some more.
The next bird that came decided to feed on the opposite side of the feeder. I couldn't get it no matter where I stood.
I set the camera down and walked away. I was getting frustrated and took the opportunity to mix up a new batch of sugar water for the darlings.
After I finished, I came back, dialed in some forgiving settings, and waited some more. Much to my surprise, two hummingbirds came and danced around the feeder, sipping away. I couldn't believe my luck. It's very rare for us to see two at the feeder at the same time.
Of course, my settings were not quite so forgiving that I could get both birds in focus. But I'm satisfied with that top photo.
One bird flew away, and the other stuck around to snack some more. I could really nail focus when dealing with one bird, so I concentrated on him. It was fun to see his tiny tongue flickering after he took a drink.
Do you have a popular hummingbird feeder?
They're such fun to watch.
