I got nothing today: I am struggling with a book, have three new talks to write and deliver in the next three weeks (one at a conference next week on the evolution of morality at Oakland University in Michigan, and two Storer Lectures at UC Davis), must file two final reports on grants, prepare for teaching Speciation this spring, and, of course, keep up this website. It’s too much! Which reminds me of a joke:
Morris gets a new dog and can’t wait to show him off to his neighbor. So when the neighbor comes over, the guy calls the dog into the house, bragging about how smart he is. The dog quickly comes running and stands looking up at his master, tail wagging furiously, mouth open, tongue hanging out, eyes bright with anticipation.
Morris points to the newspaper on the couch and commands, “FETCH!”
Immediately, the dog climbs onto the couch and sits down. His tail wagging stops and the doggie-smile disappears. Looking balefully up at his master, he says in a whiny voice……….”You think this is easy wagging my tail all the time? Oy! It hurts from so much wagging! And you think that designer dog food you’re feeding me is good? You try it. It’s dreck! Too salty! And what do you care? You just push me out the door to take a squirt twice a day. I can’t even remember the last time you took me out for a good walk,”
The neighbor is amazed. “What the hell is that? Your dog is sitting there talking!!”
“Oh, I know”, explains the dog owner, “He’s young, and I’m still training him. He thought I said “KVETCH!”
But on to the good stuff. Reader Charlie Brown sent me three photographs and some information:
Here are a few backyard hummingbird photographs taken at my home in Mesa, Arizona. I’m primarily a landscape photographer but over the last few years I’ve become fascinated by hummers. Our yard is primarily planted with desert plants and the birds were initially attracted to blooming ocotillo. After a few failed attempts to photograph them high in the ocotillo I broke down and put a feeder on our patio. We usually have two or three year-round residents competing for territory in our yard with the feeder being the focus of their disputes. I believe that these are Calypte anna or Anna’s Hummingbird but I’m not really a birder and could be wrong.
I’ve taken hundreds, if not thousands of pictures and perhaps one or two percent are keepers. Here are two of my favorites:
Taken on a cold day: feathers fluffed against the chill
Although the bird above looks different from the one below, Charlie thinks they are both Anna’s. Readers can weigh in on this.
And a cat as lagniappe:
In compensation for bombarding you with more bird pictures here is a Cat. His name is Milo and he’s a rescue (as are all our six cats). He is the most talkative cat I’ve ever lived with. He weighs about 16 pounds but he carries his weight with dignity and aplomb. He’s been with us since 2003 and was about two when he decided it was OK to move in. He’s also particularly proud of his striking green eyes.
Perhaps that is what Jerry Coyne (the cat) will look like when he grows up.
Nice shots, all.
Nice fill-flash on the first one.
I’m looking at the specular reflection on the eye, and I’m not so sure it’s electronic flash…I’m thinking it’s a reflector, though possibly more opportunistic or improvised than something dedicated. There’s a rectangular hole / shadow in the reflection, and the reflection itself is irregular. On-camera flash would be more of an on-axis small point, and it doesn’t look like a typical flash modifier.
Still, agreed: very good balance of the light on the bird against the sky.
b&
Thanks for the complement. The light in the eye is likely reflected light from the house behind us, but isn’t from a fill flash.
I believe “Anna’s” is correct. I used to see them in California. Nice photos.
Very nice, Charlie! Yes, these both appear to be Anna’s Hummingbirds. That’s the Phoenix-area default hummer, you know.
Nice pictures! Hummingbirds are dodgy little things. I have to put my camera on servo to track the quick little monsters.
The bottom hummingbird looks like a female ruby throat.
They do look similar, but the Ruby-throated’s range doesn’t include Arizona.
Yeah and I couldn’t see that slight tell tale ruby spot on the throat.
Is there any African/Asian bird that hovers or is that a purely American avian niche? I cannot think of one but I am more of a mammals than a birds person…
I think some swifts can hover, and I’ve seen some soaring birds — a few seagulls and especially some ravens — hover most impressively in wind conditions that were obviously favorable but that you wouldn’t think so to be standing in them.
b&
I was think of nectar drinkers…
Some Sunbirds can hover, but not most.
Fluffy hummingbird is excellent.
That is a tough workload but I bet the grant reports are the hardest/most tedious?
Three talks of circa 40 mins is what 4,000 words per talk maximum? That is 12,000 words. When I was a student, being a bit of a plodder I had to pace myself writing ‘x’ number of words per day until I hit the target. Never quite sure if I prefer a speaker who just talks or one who reads a paper – depends on who it is perhaps.
Speciation? You wrote the book! well, a book… You can do it!
As for WEIT, ask Greg & Matthew to contribute a couple of bits 🙂 !
Aahhh, lovely photos.
Ummmmmm. Birds and cats together. Without even hinting how you might organise your website Jerry it does strike me as a slightly uncomfortable combination – especially given the look in the cat’s eyes.
Both the hummingbird photos are excellent, but the second one is more techically difficult. Last summer I tried to freeze hovering hummingbirds’ wings at 1/8000 and it didn’t quite make it. I think I need to use a flash. The motion blur of the wings in the second photo, combined with the sharpness of the body and head, is very pleasing and gives the photo a “hovering” feeling.
If you don’t want the feeder in the photo try putting freshly cut natural flowers in the feeding holes. Some photographers use artificial flowers, but that’s going too far IMO.
I have froze their wings. I think the trick is good sunny days. I’m not sure off hand what I was shooting at.
I’m probably seriously pushing my luck here but a paper at a conference next week “on the evolution of morality at Oakland University in Michigan” sounds a seriously narrow although probably fascinating paper. I will now pull my head in ans sin no more.
You have to start small, you know. Maybe it’ll spread to U of M in a decade or two.