Birders will be familiar with the colorful characters that may fly by the average person. Hummingbirds frequent the hill country and will delight and entertain if you give them an offering of their favorite drink. The recipe is simply four parts boiled water to one part sugar. (Cool before serving, refrigerate leftovers.) Yes, they are attracted to red, but stay away from the red colored water; it's not good for the birds.  Most feeders will have red on them and the birds will find them. When shopping for a feeder, look for one that looks easy to clean. You should clean them often for the health of the birds. I like the dish feeder over the bottle feeder for frequent use. If you prefer the bottle type, be sure to have a bottle brush to clean it. The birds would rather sit on the feeder to rest a bit while eating and this is good for clear photos up close, but I prefer a one spigot feeder for my shots of flight. This feeder is much easier to get the bird into a good position for the photograph.

Once the hummingbirds locate your feeders, they will return to them year after year, making your spring a colorful inspiring time and a hummer's delight. - Genoa

T.

Patience will be the key to great shots of hummingbirds. Digital photography isn't quite as easy as you may think; it will require many hours of setting up the shot and waiting for the poser to appear. If you love the thrill of fishing, and enjoy nature, you may have what it takes to be successful at taking great photographs of hummingbirds. Like fishing, the more you cast the better the odds are at catching the big one.

Look for a spot with ample sunlight to allow the camera to focus and capture the colors in your bird. Place your feeder so that the background enhances the subject matter. Use a tripod, and plan on your camera going into sleep mode every now and then when you least expect it, most often when the birds are returning to feed. They will develop a schedule after awhile.  Listen for the hum you may hear them before you see them. Have several charged batteries ready to go. Constant focusing will drain your batteries faster than a hummer on sugar water.

Hummingbirds are not afraid of humans and will often come look you straight in the eye while hovering a few inches away. They don't like competition for the sweet water and will often chase other hummers away. Watch out for the aerial attack zone; they are superb masters of flight but can be distracted by the pursuit. I witnessed one hitting the ground after it had been chased, only to shake it's head and take off with no apparent injury.

Hummers are truly a delight in flight. Enjoy your adventure shutterbug, and good luck at catching the little one. - Genoa

T.