There's an unusual flying creature in our yard lately. It looks and flies like a tiny hummingbird, but is less than half as long as any hummingbird I've seen. Monday, BM&TD visited us and B walked right up to it to take a close look. She convinced me it's no bird because it has big fuzzy antennae. I hadn't thought I could get that close to it, so I always saw it through a screen. Besides assuming I couldn't get close to it, I also assumed I couldn't photograph it, but now I'm excited to try. Yesterday I went out to see what kind of shutter speed I could use (not great, about 1/60 sec) and try some test shots. While I was there, A spotted a hummingbird and I was able to snap it, and these are the result. I believe this is a female ruby-throated hummingbird on scarlet beebalm (Monarda didyma).Stay tuned for pictures of our strange insect, if I can catch it before our flowers drop for the year.
