HLJ, I am so glad you decided to stick around. These pictures are spectacular. You don't mention what shutter speed you are using to get crisper wings on the birds. SO cool. Thanks!!


That last one looks like it belongs in a clone thread for NSFW.... :lol:

Laborah -- that's the second nicest thing you've ever said to me. Thanks.

Regarding the clone thread, I see exactly what you mean. That sounds like a photoshop job for Flint or LJ. (I can just imagine myself trying to stand outside on the stepladder trying to get the picture that you might have in mind.)

=============================
The camera automatically synchronizes to 1/60 second when using flash. Here's the Exif information for the finger picture:

EXIF Image Details

Make: Nikon Corporation
Model: Nikon D70
Width: 3008 pixels
Height: 2000 pixels
Focal Length: 60.0mm
F-Number: F/13
Exposure Time: 0.0166 sec. 1/60
Metering Mode: Multi-segment
Flash Mode: Auto, Fired, Return detected
Date: 2007-07-03 19:34:37

I was experimenting with different F stops to see what effect that has. I believe that a wider aperture results in less depth of field. This last set was taken with aperture settings of F/11 or F/13. The pictures in the first post were mostly taken with the aperture set at F/6.3, which is the largest aperture for that lens at full zoom. (If I've got that backward, I hope someone will correct me.)

Those are some outstanding shots there, HLJ!
I love hummers and try to attract them every year.
I thought the late freeze got them this year, but I've been seeing some
lately so they made it.
They are the 1st to go when fall comes, so enjoy them now!
I'd like to recommend feeders with perches for the little buzzers if I may. It gives them a resting place so they don't burn so much energy.
Did you know some of them fly entirely across the Gulf of Mexico non-stop when they migrate?

Thanks beauregaard,

We had a nice feeder with 3 little bottles, like perfume bottles, and it had little perches. Unfortunately, it was suspended by fishing line which broke one day, resulting in one of the bottles breaking. I'm trying to find another like that.

No not Hummingbirds, Iiwi, Apapane and Anianiau... tiny little honey creepers. Thousands and thousands to make one cape.

I stored all of these pictures in Fotki. They just sent me a note saying that my "trial membership" was expired, but they didn't tell me when I signed up that it was a trial membership. They switched me over to a free membership, but the links that I used are no longer valid.

Now, after all that work - uploading the pictures to Fotki, linking them to posts and adding comments - they are all gone.

Sorry. A Quality Images thread without the images isn't very interesting. I don't know if I can put the pictures somewhere else (like PhotoBucket) and fix the links because the edit window has closed.

The Hummer Wars are on!
 

Hummingbirds are trying to fatten up and head south, and they are being *very* defensive of their feeders.
I've had a feeder in the back yard all summer that has attracted at least a couple, male and female. I suspect they mated, but they still try to run each other off.
I hung another in the corner of the house, out of sight from the 1st one, and the female found it within a couple of hours! There is also a juvenile (I think) that the female seems to tolerate a little more, but it still gets run off after a bit. They'll perch on a twig in a tree and keep an eye on the feeder. When another hummer approaches it gets dive-bombed. Their flight is very similar to a bumblebee's.
They are going through the sugar-water (1 part sugar to 4 parts water) in a flash!
btw, in this hot weather, avoid the temptation to put out a big feeder full because it can sour and go bad quickly. It's better to use a small feeder and re-fill every other day.
Feeders with perches are better so they can rest while feeding.
Also feeders with yellow are more attractive to insects, so avoid those.

We bought two new feeders a few weeks ago. They both have perches, as you suggested earlier.

We will take them down soon, so the HBs start heading south and aren't tempted to stay around too long.

I thought we only ate IotDs? Now, who was looking for hotwing recipes? ;)

From what I've read, that is a fallacy.
The urge to head south is much stronger than the urge to feed. Some have been known to stay for the winter, but it may be because they are at the end of their life span or too sick to head south.
Some don't naturally head south till November, usually juveniles, so leave them up.
There is lots of good info at
<hummingbirds.net>

btw, what are aspirsions?
and how far can they be cast?

Well, they're mostly gone.
I've only seen a couple in the last few days.
Just 2 weeks ago there were at least 1/2 a dozen dive-bombing and zipping by so close we'd duck while sitting on the porch to watch!
BTW, now is a good time to buy feeders for next year.
I went by KMart and all their bird feeders and seed were on sale at 20% off!

Thanks. We just bought two new feeders at the end of July. We haven't seen any hummingbirds in the last few weeks.

You are correct. The smaller#/wider/"larger" aperture will give you the shallowest depth of field making only a select portion of the image in focus. Whereas the larger#/narrower/"smaller" aperture will give yo a larger depth of field making more of the image in focus. The "sweet spot" for each lens to get the sharpest image is different, but usually is around the f/8-11 range. Not to say that your images of larger or smaller aperture will be soft, just that most lenses are sharpest around that range. Using a shallower depth of field and good composure will better isolate your close subjects and bring more of the viewer's attention to the part of the image that you want.

I have learned a ton of information from Nikonians.org and NikonCafe.com (forum member at both places: BullittMan), so I humbly invite you to join in and get ready for more photography info than you will ever have time to read.

Photobucket is a very easy image hosting site to use btw, free and very easy to use. It's what I use to post images to various forums, and keep the Smugmug for my "personal portfolio" if you will.

Bullitt - thanks. I'll have to save those sites for later - but maybe you can clear up the distinction between depth of field and depth of focus.

They're basically one in the same.
A very good but probably overly long explanation is available here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field
Ignore the formula section, that's going a bit too far into the subject IMO.