Illusive Little Hummer

     I have been trying to attract hummingbirds to my gardens for years. I dutifully put in all the recommended plants to attract them and always keep the hummingbird feeder cleaned and filled. In recent years, I have seen them occasionally, but I have never been able to capture a photo of one until yesterday!!! It was way too hot to do much gardening in the afternoon, so when I saw this little winged jewel, I put down my tools and ran for my camera. The stand of red bee balm seemed to be the center of interest. I moved my chair at least six or seven times to get the best lighting and best background and then I waited and waited and waited. The little hummer would flit in, take a quick sip from two or three different flowers and then dart off. Because of its speed, it was nearly impossible to focus fast enough. It would return in anywhere from ten to twenty minutes. No exaggeration . . . I sat there for a good hour trying to get this shot. This was the best that I could do, and I'm pleased with it. (If you would like, click on the photo to see a larger version.)