Artangel Loc: U.K. South Coast

Hello all, We have not been to Florida since 2003 and were not into photography in such a big way then. Never got to the Everglades so would like to make it this time. We would love to see and photograph Hummingbirds amongst other birds and wildlife in general and any info on where we should try or if indeed this is the right time of year would be gratefully received. Any tips on photographing these lovely creatures would be helpful, already looked at Debar article but although we have 300mm Canon prime 2.8 lenses on Canon !D Mk IV have not got into flash at all.

Many years ago we visited Gator World and Wekiva Springs and hope to stay in Kissimmee area so wonder what is around there to check out. How long a drive from there to Everglades and will there be a good bird/butterfly population or should we arrange a visit in the spring instead. Just doing research before booking. We can do the tourist thing of airboat rides out on the lake to see Alligators etc but local knowledge as over here is so much better, not asking for your prime sites just a bit of help to save precious time on hols (probably 17 days) as we have done for visitors to our shores. Thanks in advance. Got to get in the garden now, sun is out, weeds are growing faster than the Beans, Raspberries, Strawberries, Butternuts, Courgettes, bird feeders need topping up and Butterflies to photograph, not sure I have time for a holiday, this retirement lark is exhausting.

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

Artangel, I live in Sarasota, so I can be of some help, but not specifically about the Kissimmee area. One thing to check as well is The Great Florida Birding Trail. http://floridabirdingtrail.com/
1. Hummingbirds - Not sure you will be able to photograph them in abundance in the wild, not even sure where in Florida to send you for that. We have put up hummingbird feeders and so far have only attracted ants. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw059
2. For photographing all other birds, I mostly use the Tamron 150-600, gives better range and the ability to catch them from a greater distance.
3. Gatorland is in the Kissimmee area. They have built a rookery and it is a must in the spring when birds are nesting and raising their chicks. There is also Circle Bar B Ranch, closer to Lakeland and also Merritt Island in the Canaveral area. Spring is also best for these as well. 24-70 and 150-600 both places.
4. Plan on a 3-3.5 hour trip to the Everglades. It is in the Homestead area and magnificent. I like it in the spring as well. Also check out the Vierra wetlands area as well. You will need greater than 300 mm reach in some areas of the park. 70-200 should do you well in most areas, I use the 150-600.
Good luck, let me know when you are in the area, perhaps I could show some things . Gary

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Hummers have usually left for central and south America by October. You are not missing anything by not having a flash. Flashed hummers are easily recognized by the non-position of the wings. Shutter speed is the only tool you haver to freeze hummer wings accurately. Flash is the best way you have to cause the birds to leave the area, they do not like it. Maybe you can holiday with us earlier in the year next time. Your chances of capturing hummers would greatly increase. They only visit us in the summer months.

Artangel Loc: U.K. South Coast

[quote=gwong1]Artangel, I live in Sarasota, so I can be of some help, but not specifically about the Kissimmee area. One thing to check as well is The Great Florida Birding Trail. http://floridabirdingtrail.com/

Thank you so much for coming back to me and for the very useful info. I was pretty sure the best time would be Spring but had read that they fly south for the winter and Florida was quoted, so glad I asked the people on the ground so to speak. Will do more research and probably make it a next year visit to give ourselves the best chance of seeing more of everything. I do have a 1.4 converter and a x2 so would get up to 600 but would have to bring a tripod I think. Again many thanks.

Artangel Loc: U.K. South Coast

Thank you for the input, not sure what you mean by non-position of the wings, not heard that expression before. It certainly makes them sharp but to me not quite so realistic. Our friends have relatives living in Colorado and they have feeders out which attract the Hummingbirds but said they fly south for the winter. We are used to high speed shooting for birds in flight but would have to increase that a great deal for these delightful little birds with such a fast wingbeat. We will probably come over next Spring/early summer instead to give usthe best chance of seeing a lot of birds and breeding wildlife. Will have to do more research on what to see where. Again, many thanks for taking the time to respond.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Looking for hummers in Florida would be a disappointing venture! They mostly just pass through, I think. Even with feeders and flowers that attract them I see them only for a brief time each year. October will be variable for birds - the later, the better. It seems that the past few years the weather up north has not driven the birds south as early. The Circle B Bar Ranch would be good. The Viera Wetlands would be reached by heading East on HW 192 to I-(% and then north to exit 191, then Wets a mile and a half. Would take about an hour. Much closer than Merritt Island and possibly more productive. See my many posts on that location!

queencitysanta Loc: Charlotte, North Carolina

The Everglades is suffering toxic algea waste that is killing much of the wildlife, fish, manatee and producing horrible order. I would put off my trip for at least a year.

bobfitz Loc: Kendall-Miami, Florida

If you google your question you will find more answers than you will have time to read. To the best of my knowledge Central Florida is home to Hummers year round. I live in Miami and even though I do see Hummers in my gardens I have never really payed attention or made note of the season...mainly because, after spending most of my life in Connecticut it doesn't really seem as though Miami has seasons.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

As already stated most all hummingbirds have started the southern migration by October.
If hummingbirds are your goal in the future you would be well advised to go to Ramsey Canyon AZ just south of Tucson. I believe there are about 15 species of hummers along with a multitude of other types of birds. I went there many years ago without a camera Side trip while on business to just see what it was} and was amazed at the number of humers and the ease of seeing them in natural habitat.

Tjohn Loc: Inverness, FL formerly Arivaca, AZ

Few hummers in Central Florida but one can find a few. We see one, maybe, once a month here. Remember, there are multiple environments and a whole biomass of birds for each; sea, marshes, swamps, and different dry forests. Get up early and stay late. Best of luck.

Buildrt Loc: Sarasota Fl

I live in Sarasota and have humming birds at my feeders all winter.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

[quote=Artangel]

Both T/Cs work well on the EF 300mm f/2.8L. For what you want to do a tripod is almost mandatory equipment. When attempting to freeze the hummer's wings you might have to reach to 1/3000 ss, 1/4000 ss will definitely catch the wings in flight. By studying the birds you will note the wing actually is used in an inverted position during certain phases of hovering. Remember the wings on some hummers beat as fast as 75 times per second.

Some interesting facts about hummingbirds:Hummingbird Trivia

There are more than 325 hummingbird species in the world. Only eight species regularly breed in the United States, though up to two dozen species may visit the country or be reported as regular vagrants. The rest of the hummingbirds are primarily tropical species and do not regularly migrate.

A hummingbird’s brilliant throat color is not caused by feather pigmentation, but rather by iridescence in the arrangement of the feathers. Light level, moisture, angle of viewing and other factors all influence just how bright and colorful the throat may appear.

Hummingbirds cannot walk or hop, though their feet can be used to scoot sideways while they are perched. These birds have evolved smaller feet to be lighter for more efficient flying. They will use their feet for itching, however!

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The calliope hummingbird is the smallest bird species in North America and measures just 3 inches long. The bee hummingbird is the smallest species and measures 2.25 inches long. It is endemic to Cuba.

Hummingbirds have 1,000-1,500 feathers, the fewest number of feathers of any bird species in the world. Not only do they not need as many feathers because of their tiny size, but fewer feathers also keeps them more lightweight for easier flight.

The average ruby-throated hummingbird weighs 3 grams. In comparison, a nickel weighs 4.5 grams. It would take more than 150 ruby-throated hummingbirds to weigh one pound.

From 25-30 percent of a hummingbird’s weight is in its pectoral muscles. These are the broad chest muscles principally responsible for flight.

A hummingbird’s maximum forward flight speed is 30 miles per hour. These birds can reach up to 60 miles per hour in a dive, and hummingbirds have many adaptations for unique flight.

Hummingbirds lay the smallest eggs of all birds. They measure less than 1/2 inch long but may represent as much as 10 percent of the mother’s weight at the time the eggs are laid. A hummingbird egg is smaller than a jelly bean!

A hummingbird must consume approximately 1/2 of its weight in sugar daily, and the average hummingbird feeds 5-8 times per hour. In addition to nectar, these birds also eat many small insects and spiders, and may also sip tree sap or juice from broken fruits.

A hummingbird’s wings beat between 50 and 200 flaps per second depending on the direction of flight and air conditions.

An average hummingbird’s heart rate is more than 1,200 beats per minute.

At rest, a hummingbird takes an average of 250 breaths per minute. Their breathing pace will increase when they are in flight.

The rufous hummingbird has the longest migration of any hummingbird species. These hummers fly more than 3,000 miles from their nesting grounds in Alaska and Canada to their winter habitat in Mexico.

The ruby-throated hummingbird flies 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico during both its spring and fall migrations. It is a myth, however, that these tiny birds "ride" on the back of other birds during migration - they fly this distance completely on their own.

Depending on the species, habitat conditions, predators and other factors, including threats to hummingbirds, the average lifespan of a wild hummingbird is 3-12 years.

Hummingbirds have no sense of smell but have very keen eyesight.

Hummingbirds do not suck nectar through their long bills, they lick it with fringed, forked tongues. Capillary action along the fringe of their tongue helps draw nectar up into their throats so they can swallow.

A hummingbird can lick 10-15 times per second while feeding.

Hummingbirds digest natural sucrose in 20 minutes with 97 percent efficiency for converting the sugar into energy.

Many hummingbird species, including Anna’s, black-chinned, Allen’s, Costa’s, rufous, calliope and broad-tailed hummingbirds, can breed together to create hybrid species. This is one factor that makes identifying hummingbirds very challenging.

The peak fall migration period for hummingbirds is from mid-July through August or early September, depending on the route and the exact species. Species that nest further north generally begin migration earlier.

Despite their small size, hummingbirds are one of the most aggressive bird species. They will regularly attack jays, crows and hawks that infringe on their territory, and backyard birders often have one dominant hummingbird that guards all the feeders, chasing intruders away.

The bill of the aptly named sword-billed hummingbird, found in the Andes Mountains, can reach up to 4 inches long, and it can be so heavy that the birds may perch holding their bills straight up. These birds hold the record for the longest bill relative to overall body size of any bird in the world.

Hummingbirds are native species of the New World and are not found outside of the Western Hemisphere except in a few zoos or aviaries.


Hope you get a chance to see these birds in person. They can be fun to shoot, or just watch. Good luck.

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

Not true. These were shot all day long. Birds didn't care. Some with and some without flash.

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

Ok, I'll bite, where in Sarasota? We have tried and never any luck.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

David, your shots are beautiful. Obviously, whatever method you employ works very well for you. I know 2 people who set up flash systems similar, but not as extensive, as yours. The birds came to feed as usual and when the flashes began the birds left. The birds were Ruby Throated hummers, and they were gone for the season in mid-August. This thread shows many different methods work for some folks, not necessarily everyone. I met a photographer in the 70's who had a philosophy that made sense to me: "If it works for you, use it! If it doesn't work for you, either make it work or move on to something else that will work." Lots of different ways to get the same results? Maybe so.