Hummingbirds

My first hummingbird pic ever....very exciting.  These guys are quick!

Taking a break before my last series of garden journals, I wanted to take you all to a place that is beyond beautiful....the Boyce Thompson Arboretum.  This is a world class arboretum and I hope you'll enjoy my visit from back in March.  There's too much to cover in one post so I'll break it up into several writes over the next few days.  One of the things you'll notice at BTA is that it is a bird refuge and attracts all kinds of feathered friends to their beautiful garden paradise.  BTA offers several features that birds love......shade, bird friendly bushes, hummingbird feeders, a beautiful manmade stream and lake, and places for birds to nest. Located near Superior, AZ, BTA does not disappoint the desert enthusiast.  Let's take a look at several of the hummingbirds in the area along with several other shots of birds that I found flying around this magical botanical garden.  If you are a birder, this is definitely a place to stop and visit.   So you may ask me what all these hummers are called and I am not going to lie....I haven't a clue.  It looks like there are at least 3 kinds...maybe 4?  The only thing I know is that I was on a mission to snap pics of the hummingbird....and I did.  Next time I will learn to identify. Birding is a serious business as I run into birders all the time while identifying plants.  See if you can name these beautiful birds.  What's even more confusing is that the males and females are all different looking....I'm not a birder, but I do appreciate birds.

Anna's Hummingbird

The throat of that hummingbird in the background is stunning.

Adorable.  Hummingbirds are territorial and will fly right at you. 

While waiting for the shots, a pretty blue hummingbird would kick the rest of them off the feeder to keep it free for its own drink.

 I heard this bird scratching in the leaves and I started laughing.  It reminded me of my cats using the kitty litter.

Cute little thing. Scratch scratch.  Scratch scratch.

I loved the creek that ran along this part of the trail.  It was really relaxing and beautiful to watch all the birds flying around.

This is the hummingbird I mentioned several pics back.  This blue guy was very aggressive with the other hummers. What is the name of this hummingbird?

Below is an example of my shaky hands....to get hummingbirds with a quick shot, I have to keep my camera balanced on a branch or somewhere stable.

Patience patience patience....and SNAP!

Broad billed Hummingbird?

Until tomorrow.....