So, over the last two months I have worked my way through most of my worthwhile hummingbird pictures from a few days spent in Costa Rica. It is amazing to me that there are 11 hummer species we photographed - maybe one or two more we saw but didn't get pictures of. Some are from the lowlands in the rain-forest, some from the cloud-forest highlands and some like this rufous-tailed were seen at thecoast. I think this brings to an end my series for now - there are a few more but they are almost duplicates so I I may come back to them later. I end this streak with one of my two favorites. The Porter Weed that the hummer was drinking from was at a great angle, the Rufous-tailed presented me with a nice profile and the flowers behind made for a wonderful background. Hope you enjoyed my hummers in this sequence half as much as I enjoyed capturing them.
You will find Pulteney Bridge in the City of Bath, over the River Avon. This is not the same River Avon as you find in the Cotswolds (Shakespeare country), or for that matter other Avon rivers in England, Scotland and Wales. The word Avon is a cognate of the Welsh word Afon which means "river". So I guess the naming of this river is somewhat redundant. The bridge, with that beautiful golden stone found in much of Bath, was built in 1779 and has shops on both sides with the street running down the middle. The windows of the shops on the left side of the bridge facing us, house a tea-room that makes great tea and even more amazing scones with jam and clotted cream.
This lake is home to an amazing rookery which is wonderful to see in the spring. On a hot summer's day, there is still plenty of wildlife here, including this Great Blue Heron that allowed us to drift slowly by its perch on an old cypress tree. The spanish moss rounds out the background wonderfully.
I know, I know! It's another hot air balloon shot from Temecula. But I just had to share this one as it's my favorite. I really love the gorgeous early dawn light just hitting the ground. And of course the fog adds so much too, and then there's the other balloon which seems to be at a perfect spot. http://colinmichaelisphotography.com/
There are times when it seems we don't have the best seasons in the midwest. Then there is the fall, which never ceases to amaze and doesn't seem to disappoint. Today was a rainy day, and grey when it wasn't raining. I forced myself to get out and hit the trails - in this case, Daniel Wright Woods. Actually, truth be told, I had some new gear to try out so there wasn't much forcing happening. And of course I am glad I did. I could be wrong, but this may look better on black ("L").
There is a lot I love about this little Green Violet-ear Hummingbird. First it is tiny - only 4" long. Then it has those glowing colors - green with the violet splotch on the side of its head. And look at the tones in those tail feathers - they're gorgeous. Oh and what about the delicate filigree of its feathers (when you look close). The fine curve of its beak, with hints of nectar on it, is beautifully sculpted. Perhaps what makes this so special is that it chose to hover for a few seconds right in front of me. During that time its little wings were flapping at about 50 times per second (yes per second). Put it all together and there is a lot to like about this little hummer. Seen in the highlands of Costa Rica near Los Quetzales National Park.
An afternoon walk in Lincoln Park yielded this view of the city.
Floating over the patchwork of wineries, orchards and homes as dawn breaks over Temecula.
After an early morning rain shower we came across a leopard lying on a termite mound in The Timbavati. He was enjoying the golden light of a warm morning as much as were.
On the dunes of the Namib Desert, in the NamibRand Nature reserve near Wolwedans, the Oryx (Gemsbok) graze on the few tufts of grass around. The sunsets are rich in gold and orange hues, due in part to the sand particles suspended in the air. The combination of of oryx and sunset makes for this beautiful silhouette.
Romantic hippos in the Chobe River at sunset.
I was hoping I would get one last chance to capture these amazing little creatures before they left for Central America. So I was delighted to find a couple of them still enjoying the flowers at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It is hard not to be astounded by the sheer perfect detail in these tiny little birds. (Ruby-throated Hummingbird).
The Pueo is a type of Short-eared owl endemic to Hawaii. This one, that we spotted while we were driving across the Big Island of Hawaii and entertained us for a few minutes before perching on a fence post.
A hazy day, a hurried composition, bright sunlight, people milling around everywhere and yet this is still a magnificent view. Oh to go back at sunrise... One day!
This lovely tunnel of trees is near the town of Halnaker in West Sussex. It was as if there was a sign hanging here saying "please photograph me". I was happy to oblige. Every now and then you find a scene that is breathtaking - either because it is beautiful or unique. Sometimes it is both.
When I came upon this bench, I figured it needed to be part of the story I wanted to tell with this picture. The problem was it needed a person or two sitting on it who was oblivious to me, staring off into the mist. For me it was that looking into the distance, unable to see anything clearly - a sense of magic and mystery. Of course, it suddenly occurred to me that I had my own subjects with me, and after obediently jumping onto the bench and obeying my stay command, they quickly lost interest in me and stared off into the mist. It maybe squirrels they were contemplating, but it worked for me.
One of the towns of Cinque Terre on the northern Italian coast clings to the rocks above the Mediterranean Sea.
Another little bee eyeing the sage (I think) flowers. Bees are prolific at the moment and probably will be until our first frost (an event I am not at all trying to hurry along). While bees don't bother me much - bumble bees for some reason bother me even less. They are just so cute and not the least bit scary. Not sure if everyone differentiates the same way - do you? More pictures here - http://colinmichaelisphotography.com.
