Story of the hummingbird photos

Over at the photo site there's a new post featuring this picture of a nesting hummingbird:

as well as many others of this hummingbird. Please click over when you have a few moments and have a look.

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Who blew off exercising on a recent morning and instead spent over half an hour photographing a nesting hummingbird?

This guy!

(Probably should have been some reference to having two thumbs or something…)

Of course, how often does one come across a hummingbird sitting in her tiny nest, keeping two tiny eggs warm?

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Here's the story:

I’d been alerted to the existence of the nest on the Sunday previous by a neighbor who spotted me shooting the weekly progress of the sweetgum trees in our complex's courtyard (which is a project that will be featured on the photo site in the future). He pointed out that it was in one of the umbrella trees adjacent to the trees I was already shooting, but I couldn’t actually see the nest from where I was on the upper level. So I logged that in the brain for later investigation.

The next morning, after my workout, I made a bonus effort to capture some shots of the sweetgum leaves, as they were wet with drops from the previous night’s rain. While out there the wife of the aforementioned neighbor saw me in the courtyard with camera in hand, and also mentioned the nest. This time I had her point out specifically where it was to me, and then I finally saw it for myself. It was pretty small (but hummingbirds aren’t that big). Inside I could make out the white of an egg, which looked to be only about the size of a jellybean. I attempted a couple shots, but not having much time left to spare before I needed to get ready for work.

Having witnessed it for myself, I made another mental note to look for it on a sunnier day.

Then on the following morning (now a Tuesday) as my wife was leaving and I was heading out to undertake the morning’s workout I beckoned her to take the long way around the courtyard so she could see the nest. However, when I got within sight of it I spotted the bird atop the eggs. In an enthusiastic whisper I said, “It’s in the nest! It’s in the nest!” After she saw it herself, without skipping a beat, she whispered back, “Get your camera!”

I scurried back over to the condo and retrieved the camera, then hurried back to the site of the nest and began shooting. At first it was tricky to get a clear shot, because the bird kept moving, repositioning herself in the nest, but eventually she settled down and like a cooperative model remained relatively still.

Next thing I knew, the entire period I otherwise would have devoted to exercising had elapsed (plus several minutes more). I did go down to the lower level to get some shots from below her and one thing was certain: there’d be no working up a sweat that day.

No, that day was devoted to art and the appreciation of nature rather than health. (There was always a Wednesday for that.)

And last night I finally got around to processing, selecting the best ones, and uploading them. (If only that part was as easy for me as the initial shooting the shots would have been up sooner. But let's focus on the fact that they're up now.)