Small birds are dagnabbedly difficult to photograph; hummingbirds are quintessentially small birds. Talk about your zoom zoom.
Hummingbirds are also tricky to identify:
- Being small, their distinguishing and/or differentiating characteristics are even smaller
- Being fast, they often don’t stay put for long enough for slow eyes to even note those tiny characteristics
So I’m always thrilled when I get a reasonably sharp photo of a hummer. “Ah hah!” I think, “I’ll be able to identify the species later.” I don’t know if pride goeth before a fall, but misplaced confidence often seems to.
Herewith, a lovely little hummingbird who obligingly stayed put long enough for me to get a reasonably sharp picture. But which species? Dunno. I’m not sharp enough for that . . .
Isabel:
After diligently consulting my copy of Edward S. Brinkley’s Field Guide to Birds of North America and based on the green back, straight beak and range of the species, it appears to me that your photogenic and cooperative hummingbird is a sub-adult male Anna’s Hummingbird. (And yes Madame Editor, I know that Field Guide to Birds of North America should be in italics, but I can’t get your website to cooperate.)
John W
John – I think that I can italicize the book title. (You’re welcome.) Thanks for the ID.