Allen's Hummingbird

[Paul Lagasi]

While at the Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon, AZ, I saw an unexpected life bird. This Allen's Hummingbird was coming the feeders. It really didn't show up for me until almost dark. this image was captured at iso 8,034 or H 2.0. I flipped the image and just used Fotosketcher to create this painting. 137 species seen in 8 days of which 19 were life birds. Photos to come in the following days. Glad to be home, some days the heat was unbearable.

[Diane Miller]

This is a very interesting rendition. The artistic rendition on the goret mimics the real thing!

People shouldn't go from Ontario (or coastal northern CA) to the desert SW this time of year. It's not natural.

[Hazel Grant]

So glad for what you were able to do with darkness. I was trying hummingbirds this week on a shaded porch of a friend....9 feeders all covered up with birds, but couldn't get anything but silhouettes. You've given this an artistic treatment that saves the shot. The total vertical angle works well with the halo of flutter around the wings. I like the fame, too.

[Anita Bower]

This image says: hummingbird. Beautiful colors. Graphic design. Well done. Congratulations on seeing so many birds!

[Randall Farhy]

Congratulations on all those lifers! The thumbnail looked something like a flower- the abstract nature of this piece is strong. Well balanced in the frame with a repetitive pattern as Diane noted. The saturation makes the bird seem illuminated from within, nicely done!

[Kerry Perkins]

Very nice Paul! I envy you hard-core birders and all the birds you see. I have Allen's, Costa's, Anna's, Black-chinned, and Rufous Hummingbirds at my house, some of them year-round. I feel sorry for Australians, not having any at all!

I really like the image and the way the light works on both the front and back of the little bird. The bright reds really let you know what kind of hummer this is! Congrats on a successful birding outing for sure!

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Paul,

Greetings. Congrats on the lifer. Allen's are pretty tricky in my experience. We see mostly Anna's and Allen's with the occasional Rufous. The Allen's are fast and small chasing the Anna's away from the prime feasting areas when they pass through. Kerry, funny you should say that Australia has no hummingbirds (something I didn't know)... the prime feasting area that I was talking about is the Australian garden at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, described as a candy store for hummers.

Regarding the OP. I like the artistic rendition and particularly the color. Thanks for posting.

Cheers,

-Michael-