Hummingbirds

One thing that is really cool about having a camera and looking for pictures to take is that I feel much more observant about the world around me. Okay, I still don't notice people, cars, or buildings, but bugs and flowers, and other pretty sights seem to catch my attention.

The camera makes you look at things in different ways though. It used to be that spotting a hummingbird on my walk to work was exciting. There's the flash of green/red and it might hover around the flowers for a second or two and then poof, gone. Experiencing a hummingbird is fleeting because it's by the nature of the hummingbird all flashes and glimpses. Having the opportunity to (try to) photograph hummingbirds is exciting and weird.

 I noticed on my trip to the UC Berkeley Botanical gardens that a few hummingbirds were zipping around the place. I got a photo of one, but I was determined to go back and try again with a little more patience. It was still pretty hard though. Keep in mind these guys are 3-5" long and fly about 35 miles per hour!

 I'm not sure if this is a female hummingbird, a juvenile hummingbird, or if the front of the hummingbird if just a little plain compared to the iridescent feathers on the back. 

Ah a side picture is a little more interesting. To be honest if I didn't see the same flowers I would probably not think that these are the same bird. I'm a little disappointed in the overexposure on the highlights, but the sun was already pretty high in the sky and strong by the time I took this photo.

I got incredibly lucky that the hummingbird decided to rest on the branches a minute. I was able to take more photos than I would have otherwise. I've also learned that hummingbirds pretty much always look angry. 

 Well I supposed they look angry and puffy. Also did I mention I love my camera? Look at all of the feathers and the spot of blue iridescence on the tail.

I think this is one of my favorites as you can see the hummingbird eye a bit more clearly and the fluffy tummy feathers are just cute.

This picture is fun because there are actually two hummingbirds in the photo if you look carefully, and one of them is making a peeping noise so their beak is open. I don't think I've ever seen a hummingbird with an open mouth before I thought it was pretty unique.