213/366 | Sentry
July 31 we watched four Ruby-throated Hummingbirds zoom around the feeder. Their acrobatic flying maneuvers are simply amazing to watch. They are fierce, territorial and FAST; like tiny flying wizards. Two males in particular were going at it, face-to-face, with beaks and wings briefly touching. How they flew so quickly and accurately between the wrought iron bars of the patio gate without knocking themselves out, I will never comprehend. I tried every single day to shoot them, but this is the best I could get. It was either this or a mediocre shot of a silver-spotted skipper. This male liked to perch on a dead lily near the feeder. As soon as his competitor tried to feed, he was chasing him away like a boss.
400mm | f/5.6 | ISO 400 | 1/1000 sec