Rufous Hummingbird, Gull Cove, Alaska #3350

Last week I spent some time at Gull Cove Lodge, operated by my dear friends, Paul Johnson, Tami Mulick and their adult children, Rick and Alice. I spent a lot of time at the three hummingbird feeders on the deck rail. Paul tells me there have been at least eight generations of hummingbirds that annually return to his lodge starting in April and leaving some time in July. The feeders are close to the Sitka spruce trees where hummingbirds like to rest. There are so many wonderful hummingbird images in the world that feature lush tropical flowers as their habitat. As an Alaska photographer, I want my photos to speak to Alaska. A Sitka spruce branch helps place this tiny creature in Alaska. Hummingbirds are the smallest bird species in the world with the rufous hummingbird weighing in at 2-5 grams (.071-.176 oz) and measuring 7-9 cm. (2.8-3.5 inches), not much bigger than a ping-pong ball. Stay healthy and thank you for visiting – Camera: #Nikon #D850, Lens: #Nikkor 80-400, Digital Capture, Handheld ©Mark Kelley