Fun with Sunbirds

[Tirso Paris]

I'm a bit fortunate to have plants that attract sunbirds in my front lawn and backyard, thus providing me with birding opportunities. The Olive-backed Sunbird is definitely attracted to the flower of the The Sanchezia plant (Sanchezia speciosa) and the flowering banana (Musa coccinea) but occasionally it sips from the torch ginger (Etlingeria elatior). On the other hand, the Purple-throated Sunbird feeds most often on the torch ginger, but I have observed it sucking juices from the flowering banana.

All photos were taken with Canon EOS 5Dm3, EF 100-400mm L IS USM, tripod and in natural light.

Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-09-17 16:12, 1/125 sec, F 6.3, ISO 5000, 400 mm



Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-08-30 13:27, 1/100 sec, F 5.6, ISO 2000, 400 mm



Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-08-30 14:13, 1/125 sec, F 5.6, ISO 3200, 400 mm



Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-08-30 13:27, 1/100 sec, F 5.6, ISO 2000, 400 mm



Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-09-21 15:50, 1/100 sec, F 10, ISO 6400, 532 mm



Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-09-22 10:07, 1/1000 sec, F 5.6, ISO 1600, 400 mm



Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-08-26 11:02, 1/1600 sec, F 8, ISO 1250, 560 mm



Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-08-30 14:11, 1/125 sec, F 5.6, ISO 3200, 400 mm



Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-09-15 14:58, Shutter priority, 1/250 sec, F 8, ISO 8000, 560 mm



Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-09-18 12:46, Shutter priority, 1/320 sec, F 5.6, ISO 3200, 400 mm



Purple-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia sperata)
2012-09-21 14:21, Shutter priority, 1/125 sec, F 8, ISO 8000, 532 mm



Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) - Male
2012-09-11 13:29, Shutter priority, 1/500 sec, F 5.6, ISO 3200, 400 mm



Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) - Male Juvenile
2012-09-18 13:35, 1/1000 sec, F 5.6, ISO 5000, 400 mm



Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) - Female
2012-08-27 11:03, 1/250 sec, F 5.6, ISO 1000, 400 mm



Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) - Male
2012-09-21 07:01, 1/500 sec, F 8, ISO 800, 560 mm



Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) - Female
2012-09-07 17:24, 1/30 sec, F 5.6, ISO 3200, 400 mm

[des]

Great!

[Sylvia Ramos]

Amazing set Prof! I really like picture of the Purple throated with the dark background!
Thanks for giving the id of the plants too! Will add those to my planting wish list!

[Tirso Paris]

Thanks a lot Des.

[Tirso Paris]

Sept 25, 2012 7:16:59 GMT Sylvia Ramos said:

Amazing set Prof! I really like picture of the Purple throated with the dark background!
Thanks for giving the id of the plants too! Will add those to my planting wish list!

Thank you Sylvia. It so happened that the sunlight was hitting the bird so it made the background dark. Good luck with your plants!

[Mick Harris]

A great series of shots

[Ely Teehankee]

For the Purple-throated Sunbirds I like several of them but I like the sixth one best of all. You must have spent a couple of hours taking their pictures which is really worth it. I am drooling to take some pictures of them. Well done Tirso & Mabuhay.

[William Lim]

Fantastic set, Prof Tirso. When is the best time to visit you to capture these beautiful birds?

[Tirso Paris]

Sept 25, 2012 11:32:21 GMT Ely Teehankee said:

For the Purple-throated Sunbirds I like several of them but I like the sixth one best of all. You must have spent a couple of hours taking their pictures which is really worth it. I am drooling to take some pictures of them. Well done Tirso & Mabuhay.

Thank you Ely. These pics were in fact taken over a span of 3 weeks and it afforded me a lot of shots to choose from.

[Tirso Paris]

Sept 25, 2012 13:36:19 GMT William Lim said:

Fantastic set, Prof Tirso. When is the best time to visit you to capture these beautiful birds?

Thanks William. If the birds come at all, they usually show up at about 10 am but they come and go until around 5 pm. The problem is they don't show up every day, and at all hours. Anyway, if you wish to give it a try, you are welcome to come.

[Dennis Alfaro]

Great set Prof. Tirso! looks like you really had fun shooting them

[Tirso Paris]

Thanks a lot Mick Harris.

[Tirso Paris]

Thank you Dennis. I sure did have a lot of fun with these sunbirds.

[tina mallari]

What a truly wonderful set Prof Tirso !!!! You are so lucky to be living in a place with all those beautiful birds around you. The birds are so lucky too coz you have all those plants where they can get the nourishment that they need. Thank you so much for sharing these photos :-)

[Michael R. Anton]

Great captures Prof! So lucky to have them in your backyard. Thanks again for letting me shoot there.

[Tirso Paris]

You are much welcome Tina and Mike! It's been coming back each day since you last came, except yesterday, perhaps due to the bad weather. I hope it comes back as a few others are dying to photograph it.

[Michael R. Anton]

Im sure it will Prof. That PTS loves your garden

[Bob Kaufman]

You da sunbird man, Prof Tirso!

[Clemn A. Macasiano Jr.]

Love the last Male OBS shot. Perfect exposure of the blue-black throat area with excellent details. Well done Prof Tirso

[Nilo Arribas Jr.]

You are so lucky to have a "natural studio" Prof. Tirso. Thanks for sharing.