Ruby-throated Hummingbird photographed at Collinsville, CT
A female worked steadily along a line of blossoms, hovering at each one for a second or two before backing out and dropping to the next. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds beat their wings past fifty times a second, which is why even 1/4000s leaves the wingtips soft. By mid-August they are feeding hard to put on fat for the journey south. Many cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single night, doubling their body weight before they go.

Songbirds

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Photographed
August 11, 2026
Location
Collinsville, CT
Habitat
Flower border on the edge of the Farmington River
Season
Summer Breeder
Lens
Sony FE 200–600mm G OSS @ 371mm
Focal length
371mm
Aperture
f/6.3
Shutter
1/4000s
ISO
ISO 10000

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