Saturday, December 13, 2008



Another image made at the Desert Botanical Gardens, of another bird that only occasionally stays still. 

I don't know the specific species of this bird, but hummingbirds depend on sugar rich nectar for up to 90% of their diet. Insects (small!) and pollen make up the remainder.

Hummingbirds aren't really all that difficult to photo as they are territorial and they hover. As a consequence of territoriality they tend to return to the same roost spots and can become tolerant of humans. At the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum State Park (approximately an hour east of Phoenix) I made images of a hummingbird nest in a potted plant outside the park gift shop, as mamma hummingbird sat contentedly watching the people walk by. I wonder if she knew the humans would deter predators?

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