Birds, Nature, Monthly Challenge, and Photography

Even Hummingbirds Take Breaks

September Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Comfort”

I earned this time to relax.

Whether peering out the back window at home or hiking through the woods, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are favorite summertime sights. These tiny birds, which weigh between 2 and 6 grams (0.071 to 0.212 ounces), beat their wings 80 times per second while flying and hovering.

Lucky for me, as a wildlife photographer, hummingbirds rest and take comfort now and then as they perch on branches. While I have photographed them in flight, images of them are easier to capture while they sit still.

Sometimes, getting caught up in the human rat race is easy. But even the fast-moving hummingbird reminds us that taking comfort is essential, too.

Thank you to editor Ellie Jacobson for sponsoring the September 2022 “Comfort” challenge. Thanks also to Six Word Photo Story Challenge founder Mary Chang Story Writer and editors Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, and Sandi Parsons for making this publication an inviting and fun place to read and write.