Sunbird

My father recently pointed out that in the afternoons, sunbirds flock to feast on our yellow bells and I jumped at the chance for photo practice.  Last Saturday, I sat in the garden for two hours with some marking and my long lens in my lap.  

At about twenty metres away in the relative shade of my house, I could just about see when the flowers of the plant started to tremble under the tiny clutching claws of a visitor.  Given the distance and the subject, it was really difficult to catch a moment when the sunbird was in focus and there was no time at all to adjust exposure or aperture.  I ended up with only a few usable shots at the 135mm range of the lens (I tried to stay there to keep maximum sharpness).

In general, I think I could use a much steadier hand and be quicker on the draw for increased sharpness, but for now, I'm just so happy to see them enjoying the little bush and knowing that they're likely to be back soon.