Hummingbirds - A Hackberry Farm Nature Photography Workshops Field Report

Overnight, a big thunderstorm dropped a couple of inches of rain on the farm.  It’s unusual for so much rain at this time of year. Typically, July through October is the dry season around here.  Usually by now, we’ve endured a long, hot, and dry summer with the temperatures still in the 90s.  This year isn’t typical, and as such, the hummingbird migration is a bit slow.

This year, the number of birds passing through is off. We’ve had hummingbirds, but not in the numbers we’ve had in years past. In fact, when I sent out an orientation email to the day camp participants, I told them that while we have hummingbirds, the numbers are lower than in previous years.

By Saturday, a cool front blew through, and the entire situation changed. Instead of six to eight hummingbirds constantly feeding, thirty-plus birds were swarming.  

Even before the guests arrived, the birds were actively feeding despite the light mist that persisted after the overnight storm.

I was a little concerned about the hummers because this was the first Hackberry Farm Nature Photography Workshops day camp I’d done in a year. While the camps are fun and productive, my travel schedule prohibits me from adding more. These legendary hummingbirds are too special to ignore, so I make time in my schedule to have people out.

After a light breakfast, a quick orientation, and some instructions on photo opportunities and settings, we get started. The sky is overcast, and the light is soft, but the conditions lend themselves well to good hummingbird photography.

In the ensuing hours, we photographed the birds perched, silhouetted, feeding from flowers, and flying. The poses ran the gamut of just about everything we could photograph. We also worked on a few post-processing techniques inside the barn.

Time flies when you are having fun, and soon, one of the famous Hackberry Farm lunches will be served. Pot roast tacos with queso are on the menu today. This homemade concoction is a crowd pleaser.

After lunch, more photography is on the agenda. By now, the clouds are moving in and out, but even in the sun, the 75-degree temperature makes it comfortable outside. Therefore, the guests turn their attention to photographing dragonflies, our chickens, and our new arrivals—the turkeys.

It’s always great spending time with like-minded people, and the Hummingbird Photography Day Camp is no exception. The day went by quickly, but it was a good day. I’ll have to go out and spend more time photographing the hummingbirds before they’re gone for the season.