This is a second image in series of seven images depicting something i never saw before- a hummingbird fighting for the life of her chicks. They were taken at the Ramsey Canyon Nature conservancy, at a nest located just above the entrance in a large sycamore which the staff at the center help me locate.

In the cropped image i circled a large, green, female mantis. the bird was attacking it (i will try to create a movie from ~200 frames taken later). to the left of the circle you can see the tip of a brown arms with two legs of a second, large female mantis- if you put the curser on the image you will see her marked. I am still clueless as I shoot short bursts.

Tags:   Berylline hummingbird life and death Arizona Raphael Kopan Photography Nature Z9 Nikon Wildlife 600 f4E VR 1.4TCIII Ramsey Canyon DX Crop

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American Lifer #547. I see resemblance to the hermit family..
From Wiki: The lucifer sheartail is distributed to deserts and arid areas with agave plants in the southwestern United States, from southwest Texas, extreme southwestern New Mexico to southeastern Arizona, and in central and northern Mexico. Its preferred habitat tends to be at altitudes of 3,500–5,500 feet (1,100–1,700 m) in canyons, mountain slopes, and dry washes having desert shrubs and cacti. In winter, the birds migrate to central Mexico. Feeds on nectar, insects and spiders.

Seen in Ash Canyon

Tags:   Nature Z9 Raphael Kopan Photography 600 f4E VR Wildlife Nikon Ash Canyon 1.4TCIII Arizona

© All Rights Reserved

American Lifer #547. I see resemblance to the hermit family..
From Wiki: The lucifer sheartail is distributed to deserts and arid areas with agave plants in the southwestern United States, from southwest Texas, extreme southwestern New Mexico to southeastern Arizona, and in central and northern Mexico. Its preferred habitat tends to be at altitudes of 3,500–5,500 feet (1,100–1,700 m) in canyons, mountain slopes, and dry washes having desert shrubs and cacti. In winter, the birds migrate to central Mexico. Feeds on nectar, insects and spiders.

Seen in Ash Canyon

Tags:   Nature Z9 Raphael Kopan Photography 600 f4E VR Wildlife Nikon Ash Canyon 1.4TCIII Arizona

© All Rights Reserved

American Lifer #547. I see resemblance to the hermit family..
From Wiki: The lucifer sheartail is distributed to deserts and arid areas with agave plants in the southwestern United States, from southwest Texas, extreme southwestern New Mexico to southeastern Arizona, and in central and northern Mexico. Its preferred habitat tends to be at altitudes of 3,500–5,500 feet (1,100–1,700 m) in canyons, mountain slopes, and dry washes having desert shrubs and cacti. In winter, the birds migrate to central Mexico. Feeds on nectar, insects and spiders.

Seen in Ash Canyon

Tags:   Nature Z9 Raphael Kopan Photography 600 f4E VR Wildlife Nikon Ash Canyon 1.4TCIII Arizona

© All Rights Reserved

American Lifer #547. I see resemblance to the hermit family..
From Wiki: The lucifer sheartail is distributed to deserts and arid areas with agave plants in the southwestern United States, from southwest Texas, extreme southwestern New Mexico to southeastern Arizona, and in central and northern Mexico. Its preferred habitat tends to be at altitudes of 3,500–5,500 feet (1,100–1,700 m) in canyons, mountain slopes, and dry washes having desert shrubs and cacti. In winter, the birds migrate to central Mexico. Feeds on nectar, insects and spiders.

Seen in Ash Canyon

Tags:   Nature Z9 Raphael Kopan Photography 600 f4E VR Wildlife Nikon Ash Canyon 1.4TCIII Arizona

© All Rights Reserved