As Long As The Camera Was Out

This seemed like a good day to demonstrate the camera’s mount, so I brought “Clicky” outside, pointed toward the second floor window and fired away. With this setup do the neighbors think I’m a spy or perv or both?

As soon as I walked outside I knew this would be a good time lapse day. Cumulus clouds were building over Santiago Peak in the nearby Santa Ana Mountains. I suctioned my little NABI Square HD camera to the window in the master bath and pointed it skyward.

This seemed like a good day to demonstrate the camera’s mount, so I brought “Clicky” outside, pointed toward the second floor window and fired away. With this setup do the neighbors think I’m a spy or perv or both?

As I walked back toward the house I noticed a hummingbird at my feeder. It’s a little dark for hummingbird shots, but what the heck. Click, click, click, click.

Then I pointed the camera at a daylily near the front door.

The time lapse is dynamite. And, a few more shots for good measure!

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The Solution To The Hummingbird Feeder Problem

We’ve decided to take the Roy Scheider approach. You remember him from “Jaws?” He was the guy who said, “We’re going to need a bigger boat!”

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We’ve got a hummingbird dependency problem here at the Fox house. Too many. They’ve discovered we’re open to all and all have come!

When first put up, the feeder lasted three or four days. Now, seven or eight hours!

Helaine went to Amazon and began looking. We’ve decided to take the Roy Scheider approach. You remember him from “Jaws?” He was the guy who said, “We’re going to need a bigger boat!”

We’re not sure what the current feeder holds, but this looks to be around four times the capacity.

I’m not sure the current suction cup will hold. We ordered a heavy duty unit with ten pound capacity. Maybe it is overkill, but think of the insect implications should a full feeder of sugar water fall!

The new unit has a comparably sized perch. There might be room for one more hummingbird–that’s it.

The old feeder will go into deep storage for a while. It’s definitely not going up. The last thing I want to do is encourage them.

Video Of Hummingbirds At My Feeder

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My hummingbird feeder is like LAX on a busy afternoon. Flights are constantly arriving and departing. There is congestion at the gates.

It didn’t take long to get this video of my feeder’s popularity! No wonder the nectar’s long gone before a full day passes.

More Hummingbirds

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Hummingbirds have no fear of me! This is crazy. They let me stand a few feet away and take as many shots as I like.

This is part of our unwritten nectar contract, right?

The more I see them and their amazing individuality, the more I like them! How can so much be happening in a bird the size of my thumb?

94 Seconds With My Hummingbirds

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I was fooling around with my GoPro camera this afternoon. It’s perfect to suction near the hummingbird feeder.

Notice how amazing agile they are and how they always hit the right spot with their long beaks. Each bird feeds a little differently.

The Hummingbirds Are Drinking Us Out Of House And Home

At one point this afternoon five hummers were blissfully sipping nectar at my window!

The problem is, the feeder was filled this morning. There’s still another hour of daylight. It won’t last through tomorrow night.

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Our hummingbird feeder is suctioned to a window off the family room. I turn and stare each time I pass by. Lately I’ve noticed a whole lot of hummingbird activity.

At one point this afternoon five hummers were simultaneously sipping nectar at my window!

The problem is, the feeder was filled this morning. There’s still another hour of daylight. It won’t last through tomorrow night.

That’s crazy. The hummingbirds like Helaine’s cooking as much as I do! Not only that, they’re not scared of us. I get buzzed while filling the feeder. These shots were taken handheld, no more than two feet away.

I thought with loads of flowers in bloom our tiny friends would opt to eat organic. No such luck. If anything, they’re getting thirstier.

Maybe I can post a note asking them to slow down a little?

Hello Hummingbirds

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One of the biggest surprises in SoCal living has been my hummingbird feeder. It was a spur-of-the-moment purchase, now suctioned to a window from our family room. The birds hit my feeder dozens of times a day, year round.

Photographing hummingbirds is tough. Their wings flap rapidly. Very high shutter speeds must be used.

High shutter speed means less light gets in the lens. Even in bright daylight my camera, a Canon 7D, is being pushed near its limit.

Everything happens quickly. No time for autofocus. My lens is open to f/8 and pre-focused where the birds are most likely to light.

Sometimes that works. Most times it doesn’t. Over 300 photos for the six you see here!

Magic Lantern software loaded into my camera controls when the photo is shot. It looks for changes in the frame, then shoots three times.

There are lots of out-of-focus snaps and plenty where the bird is partially out-of-frame. Sometimes a puff of wind will rock the feeder and… click, click, click. It’s expected most shots will be deleted.

This is a technique thing. If you know how to do it and spend enough time, you’ll get the shot. Otherwise, shooting hummingbirds is nearly impossible.

The Hummingbirds Come Into Sharper Focus

Photographing hummingbirds has gone from experiment to obsession. That didn’t take long!

Yesterday I set up my camera with Magic Lantern firmware and shot away. Today I made more modifications. The lens is longer, bringing me closer (though these are still cropped images). The light is a little better.

My shutter speed still isn’t fast enough! 1/1000 second doesn’t freeze the hummingbird’s wings.

If I speed up the shutter and leave the aperture where it is I’m going to start adding too much noise. Where’s the balance? Still to be determined.

Here are the best four of 136.

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A Decent First Try

A little while ago I attempted some motion triggered photos of my friendly neighborhood hummingbirds. Here’s the first small set. There are improvements to be made, but I’m happy so far.

Now, to recharge the batteries for the next try, tomorrow.

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Awaiting Results

“Clicky” is on a tripod pointing toward my family room window. Its lens is focused on the hummingbird feeder that’s suctioned on. All the photo settings have been manually dialed in. The shutter is fast, trying to freeze wings that are always in motion.

“Clicky,” in real life a Canon 7D camera, has been loaded with aftermarket firmware called Magic Lantern. With its new extra brainpower it has been commanded to photograph the bird feeder only when something in the shot is in motion–like a hummingbird.

This is really a learning experience. There are many steps before a shot like this works. It’s doubtful all will be right on the first try.

Hopefully, some nice hummingbird shots before the day is through.