PAST

July 6, 2004

NEXT

This was an amazing shot that I felt very fortunate to get. This little hummingbird was buzzing around my aunt and uncle's back yard.

I had brought my camera to my aunt and uncle's pool area to get some shots of a bird nest on the leaf of a palm tree. AS I was leaving I heard the hummingbird whiz by my head. I knew what it was by the sound, but it was so fast I never saw it. Then I heard it again and saw a tiny streak zip across the yard. I watched as it whizzed back and forth all around the yard. But for a moment it seemed that something had its attention and it focused around this bush with small purple flowers. Of course it was still moving around like a little ghost. Darting from one flower to the next, I could barely keep up with it.

A little difficult to notice in this shot, and I didn't notice it until examining the picture more closely, but there is also a very small bee on the underside of the flower.

Even though it was light outside, I turned on my flash so that the shutter speed would be faster. In the past I have had the opportunity to capture and freeze the wings of some bees and wasps in flight. But the shutter speed still wasn't quite fast enough for this one.