Winged Wednesday 8/26/2020

[Eric Gofreed]

My contribution are photos of two hummingbirds discussing the finer points of fencing. This is a multi-flash series with six flashes set at 1/32 power freezing action to 1/20,000 second. The Sony a9M2 is awesome at tracking birds in flight and take 20 frames per second. So my 3 photo sequence lasted .15 seconds. Regrettably, even at that incredible speed a lot of action was missed

En-garde' is uttered by the referee before the start of the bout to signify to the fencers that they should get into positions.
The behavior of the female broad-tailed hummingbird was my "En-garde' " clue to depress the shutter button before the other bird arrived. This was the first image of two hummingbirds in the same frame.

This is the second photo showing the full out attack. In fencing terms for the rufous hummingbird's move is a "Thrust." The defensive posture of the broad-tailed is a "parry," a move that deflects the blade while retreating.

Continuing the fencing analogy, Corps-à-corps refers to body contact in fencing and that's illegal. Had the hummers faced the camera, I might have captured the sward battle. Two hummers embattled and in tack sharp focus is a rarity. This is as close a I have ever came.

To see my humming bird set-up: https://flic.kr/p/2bMuiGL

 

[Ken Rennie]

My contribution are photos of two hummingbirds discussing the finer points of fencing. This is a multi-flash series with six flashes set at 1/32 power freezing action to 1/20,000 second. The Sony a9M2 is awesome at tracking birds in flight and take 20 frames per second. So my 3 photo sequence last .15 seconds. Regrettably, even at that incredible speed a lot of action was missed

View attachment 31590
En-garde' is uttered by the referee before the start of the bout to signify to the fencers that they should get into positions.
The behavior of the female broad-tailed hummingbird was a clue to start the series before the other bird arrived. This was the first image of two hummingbirds in the same frame.

View attachment 31589
This is the second photo as the face escalated into an attack. In fencing terms for the rufous hummingbird, is a "Thrust." The defensive posture of the broad-tailed is a "parry," a move that deflects the blade while retreating.

View attachment 31587
Corps-à-corps refers to body contact in fencing and that's illegal.

the last photo would have shown the battle had they faced the camera. Two hummers embattled and in tack sharp focus is a rarity. This is as close a I ever came.

I titled this photo, "Dancing Cheek to Cheek.
"Cheek to Cheek" is a song written by Irving Berlin in 1935, for the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie Top Hat
You tube: <a href="

" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnR_Biw8lB0</a>

Stunning and thank you for the setup video. Ken

 

[Ken Rennie]

I will need to start experimenting with using low powered flash to freeze and therefore sharpen my butterfly and bee shots but I am unlikely to go to Eric's wonderful setup. This is me playing in my garden earlier this week with my Sony 24-105mm lens which allows you to focus fairly close, around 1:3. We usually have lots of Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies but I could only find Cabbage Whites. I will need to practice catching bees in flight before I move on to what looks like the more difficult butterflies in flight. Ken

 

[AlanLichty]

Incredible scene with the hummingbirds Eric. I have 4 feeders around my house and they each have their "defenders" so this sort of thing happens all day long but it's so rapid fire I have never really seen what they do in chasing others off like this.

I have another Great Blue Heron strolling past a large collection of grazing Canada geese at the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge.

 

[Kyle Jones]

Compared to the pictures above, this one is kind of a turkey...

 

[Ben Egbert]

Thanks for the video Eric, what dedication and the results are marvelous.

I have dived into my stash of decade old Eagle images. Taken with a great lens, but aged cameras.

An immature bald eagle catching a kokanee at lake Coeur D Alene Id.

 

[Eric Gofreed]

I will need to start experimenting with using low powered flash to freeze and therefore sharpen my butterfly and bee shots but I am unlikely to go to Eric's wonderful setup. This is me playing in my garden earlier this week with my Sony 24-105mm lens which allows you to focus fairly close, around 1:3. We usually have lots of Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies but I could only find Cabbage Whites. I will need to practice catching bees in flight before I move on to what looks like the more difficult butterflies in flight. Ken
View attachment 31593View attachment 31594View attachment 31595

superb photos, Ken. I have been using the Sony 100 to 400 for butterflies. I hadn't considered the 24 to 105. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Eric Gofreed]

Incredible scene with the hummingbirds Eric. I have 4 feeders around my house and they each have their "defenders" so this sort of thing happens all day long but it's so rapid fire I have never really seen what they do in chasing others off like this.

I have another Great Blue Heron strolling past a large collection of grazing Canada geese at the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge.

View attachment 31598

Th GBH towers over the geese. Did you see the white-fronted goose in the flock of Canada Geese? I didn't either (that's not funny, Eric) Superb photo, Alan

 

[Eric Gofreed]

Compared to the pictures above, this one is kind of a turkey...
View attachment 31600

definitely a turkey and I fine looking bird too. Superb photo, Kyle

 

[Eric Gofreed]

Thanks for the video Eric, what dedication and the results are marvelous.

I have dived into my stash of decade old Eagle images. Taken with a great lens, but aged cameras.

An immature bald eagle catching a kokanee at lake Coeur D Alene Id.
View attachment 31601

this is awesome no matter how long ago it was photographed. I hope I get shots like this some day.

 

[Jim Sanderson]

My contribution are photos of two hummingbirds discussing the finer points of fencing. This is a multi-flash series with six flashes set at 1/32 power freezing action to 1/20,000 second. The Sony a9M2 is awesome at tracking birds in flight and take 20 frames per second. So my 3 photo sequence lasted .15 seconds. Regrettably, even at that incredible speed a lot of action was missed

View attachment 31590
En-garde' is uttered by the referee before the start of the bout to signify to the fencers that they should get into positions.
The behavior of the female broad-tailed hummingbird was my "En-garde' " clue to depress the shutter button before the other bird arrived. This was the first image of two hummingbirds in the same frame.

View attachment 31589
This is the second photo showing the full out attack. In fencing terms for the rufous hummingbird's move is a "Thrust." The defensive posture of the broad-tailed is a "parry," a move that deflects the blade while retreating.

View attachment 31587
Continuing the fencing analogy, Corps-à-corps refers to body contact in fencing and that's illegal. Had the hummers faced the camera, I might have captured the sward battle. Two hummers embattled and in tack sharp focus is a rarity. This is as close a I have ever came.

To see my humming bird set-up: https://flic.kr/p/2bMuiGL

These are really great shots!!

 

[Jim Sanderson]

Been floating a remote river in the Yukon the last couple of weeks. Not so much wildlife as sign of wildlife (tracks). An eagle shot while floating and a still grab from the GoPro of me taking an eagle shot.

 

[Douglas Sherman]

These are male and female Mountain Bluebirds.

 

[Eric Gofreed]

Incredible scene with the hummingbirds Eric. I have 4 feeders around my house and they each have their "defenders" so this sort of thing happens all day long but it's so rapid fire I have never really seen what they do in chasing others off like this.

I have another Great Blue Heron strolling past a large collection of grazing Canada geese at the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge.

View attachment 31598

I have 14 feeders and so many hummingbirds that they can't be defended for very long

 

[Eric Gofreed]

These are male and female Mountain Bluebirds.

View attachment 31608

great find! Picasso would be jealous seeing all that blue.

 

[Eric Gofreed]

Been floating a remote river in the Yukon the last couple of weeks. Not so much wildlife as sign of wildlife (tracks). An eagle shot while floating and a still grab from the GoPro of me taking an eagle shot.

View attachment 31611

View attachment 31612

superb photos, Jim. I recognize the lens.