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Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Serendipity

Getting started on the west side
The fortuitous situation for which the post is named has to do with the hummingbird that appears in the below images.  When I spotted the very late-blooming Ocotillo flower I got my camera out, focused on said flower with my viewfinder and, lo and behold, the iridescent visitor appeared out of nowhere to drink nectar while I snapped several images of it.  It was unperturbed by my proximity.  I guess when you can dart around as fast as a hummingbird you don't have to worry about any human threat to your personal safety.
The road around the mountain

Back behind the mountain

Incoming

Some vintage nectar

Sampling some Ocotillo flowers on top of the bunch

Iridescent green feathers

A hummingbird can beat its wings 12 to 80 times per second

This Gopher Snake was 3 1/2 to 4 feet long

The Gopher Snake's head, unlike the rattlesnake's, is narrow

The snake didn't even move away while I photographed it

Desert Zinnias, Prickly Pear Cactus and Tortugas Mountain

5 comments:

Scott said...

Great set of images today, Packrat. And how incredibly lucky to get the hummingbird's image several times.

It's a shame there's a tower on Tortugas (for several reasons), because your final image would be great if the tower weren't in the frame. PhotoShop anyone?

Caroline said...

Great photos!

packrat said...

Scott:

There is a tower atop Tortugas, but that's not it. What you're seeing there is the flowerless stalk of a Soaptree Yucca.

I appreciate the compliment on the images. I was indeed lucky to photograph that hummingbird.



packrat said...

Caroline:

Thanks! Hope all is well in San Francisco.

Dr. K said...

Those photos of the hummingbird are amazing.

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