Birds in Nature - images of wild birds by Richard Ditch

Subject: Costa's Hummingbird (Calypte costae)
Place: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Date: October 2003
Equipment: Nikon N90S, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8, TC20E (600/5.6), tripod, SB28
Film: Fujichrome Sensia 100
Exposure: flash as main (auto TTL), BG metered -2
Scan: Minolta Dimage, 90% of frame

Commentary: Taken on our patio, but from outside for a change. My wife nailed the stick near a feeder so the hummers would have a place to sit.

Costa's are the best adapted to the desert heat, and we have them in our yard every day of the year. Adult birds have a wonderful purple gorget that extends a bit to each side of the throat, but the color only shows when the light is at the proper angle. With flash you don't know what you've got until the slides come back.