Hummingbirds at 20 paces.

[Chris Dana]

I got home and grabbed my camera and did my little "walk about" in the backyard. I do this almost every day to take pictures and just make sure everything is alright in the back (it's not big at all, so it doesn't take much time at all). I look at the garden and I see two hummingbirds (I think they were a mother and youngin') go rushing off. I curse myself for not looking up more quickly and move on. Check the garden, get some tomatoes, and walk back. I turn around to look at the garden again and see the two hummingbirds back. So I start shooting.

This is why I now love my new telephoto lens (Canon 70-200mm f/4L). I was approximately 30 feet away from the hummers. More will be coming as I get them processed. These were taken without a tripod, either and are either close to or are 100% crop. I know they're not the sharpest in the world, but I'm happy with them so far.

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p167/Tossin1/img-2-66.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p167/Tossin1/img-2-71.jpg

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p167/Tossin1/img-2-43.jpg

[Kathy Rappaport]

Those hummingbirds are sure a difficult subject. Small, fast moving and they don't want us too close to them. My favorite is the one with the flowers....I like your idea of going into your yard daily to see what there is to shoot at!

[Asher Kelman]

Chris,

Can you identify these birds?

Asher

[Chris Dana]

Asher,

As best as I can tell, they're ruby-throated hummingbirds. I don't really know of any other species of hummer that gets up into Michigan.