Mexico – Hummingbirds

I was keen while on holiday in Mexico to test my skills and get some of the Hummingbird family photo’s if possible and a little research on the internet before we went out pointed me to the resort village of Bucerias just a 15 minute taxi ride from my hotel in Nuevo Vallarta, the restaurant was called Helechos and was reported although some years back as having a feeder up for Hummingbirds so you could watch them while you dined.

So with this as part of the plan for a day out in Bucerias Karen and I got the taxi; did the walking around the flea market, shops and the back streets to soak in the true atmosphere of a Mexican village / resort then we headed for the Helechos restaurant for a beer and to see if the Hummers were about still.

As soon as we got to the location which was on the corner of a crossroads in a quite part of the village I spotted a Cinammon Hummingbird in the shrubs opposite the restaurant, result!

I snapped a few images while the bird was low but it soon went onto what I soon learnt was its favourite perch high and safe in a tree. We then we went in and got sorted out with a beer and yes the Hummingbird feeder was in place loaded with; as the proprietor Hector called it; “Hummingbird soup!”

Initially we sat too close to the feeder but after being guided to a better table by Hector to match the focal length of my 400mm lens we settled down, sipped on the tasty and cold Pacifico beer and awaited the arrival of the birds. I can assure you all it was hell!

Soon 3 types of Hummingbird along with Orchard and Hooded Oriole came to the ‘Hummingbird soup’ feeder. I could only confidently ID two types of Hummingbird as one small species with lots of blue only flashed in and out from the spot a couple of times, it was bullied away by the Cinnamon Hummingbird which seemed to be top dog at this feeder. The Cinnamon and then Black Chinned varieties called in from time to time giving me the chance .

I managed a few shots of the birds as they zipped in but the better photographic results came on our second visit to the restaurant a week later, see what you think below.

Black Chinned Hummingbird first …..

Then the Cinnamon Hummingbird …..

Hummingbirds were spotted on a couple of occasions while walking around our resort of Nuevo Vallarta but you really had to look for the busy little things that looked in most cases like large flies buzzing around.

Black Chinned Hummingbird?

Plain Capped Starthroat?

Half way through our holiday we went for a day out to Vallarta Botanical Gardens for a change of scenery with the ulterior motive of seeing different species of birds maybe as it was an hour south of our resort and a little inland also. The gardens restaurant again had a hummingbird feeder so a good location was picked near the balcony and with a drink or two and meal it was once again very challenging birding to say the least!

I saw once again Cinnamon Hummingbird, possibly Black Chinned and I also got great views of Plain Capped Starthroat too.

I am really pleased with my first efforts at Hummingbird photography easy in one way with them being at feeders but trying to get a fast enough shutter speed to capture the stunning fast movements and flight of these little beauties was certainly a challenge, but a challenge I enjoyed, hope you like my efforts too?

COMING SOON! – last blog on my Mexican holiday