Having another go...

Sneak a peek large.

Day two of hummingbird practice:
I set out today to get a hummingbird in-flight... you can see how that turned out. ;) We just didn't have enough sunshine to pull that off. I was however, happy to see this female at the feeder, feeding in peace. The aggressive male was nowhere to be found.

I set a chair about 8 feet from the feeder, placed my camera on the monopod (really I did), trained my eye on the feeder and waited for the photo ops to unfold before me... There was a LOT of waiting, but I liked what I got so much more today. Progress. My neighbor seemed to find my chair placement choice humorous... I heard him giggle a few times. You see, the only chance for sun in my yard is near the road; everywhere else is in the shade of the giant trees (we live in the woods). So my hummingbird feeder is hanging next to the pavement arching over into my garden. Not the most private place to be staking out birds. I'm sure, as this neighbor cleaned out his car behind me, he thought I was a bit bonkers for wasting 20 minutes aiming my camera at a mostly empty feeder. Oh well, he's not a blipper, so he just wouldn't get it. ;)

This was in the morning and this gal fed many times without having to fend off other hummers. Then later in the early evening, I thought I'd try again (I hadn't had enough ridicule yet). This time the female I photographed was the aggressor over a smaller, younger female. If the last two days of hummingbird observation are the norm, I'd gather that AM is peaceful and PM is time to get territorial. It got pretty intense as they swooped my head dozens of times... kind of a thrill and a little hard not to swat or duck. :) I'll have to try that theory out a few more times to see if the behavior continues. Right now (end of the day light) I see three fighting over the feeder. Yikes!

Next hummie day will be an in-flight shot... I can feel it! :))