Defender

Perched on a branch about two feet above the Hummingbird Feeder, this young Anna's Hummingbird is defending his territory.

He chases away any intruder that happens into our backyard. Then he returns to this favorite spot like a lifeguard on alert.

He will not even share the second Feeder on the other side of the yard.

One strange behavior that I noticed is the spreading of wings when detecting the pre-flash. It seems to be similar to a knee-jerk reaction. My eye cannot see the spread, but the camera catches the motion.

In all but the most direct light the brillant purple feathers show as black.

If he chases away all other hummers in his territory, how will he ever find a girl friend? Maybe this photo should be titled "Friendless".