Shooting hummingbirds

Up to two weeks ago, I have never seen a hummingbird in real life. Since that time, I have spotted them twice, and each time, they have left me standing on the pavement in awe.

I have marveled over those incredible creatures in books, magazines and even video, but for 47 years, they eluded me.

I belong to a Nikon camera enthusiasts group and often see the most amazing photographs of various hummingbirds.

I find that they have the most beautiful colors and I can't help but marvel over their flight abilities.

They can beat their wings anywhere from 60-200 times per second.

They fly at speeds up to 60 mph and can fly up, down, forward, backward, sideways and can even hover in mid-air.

Since viewing others' images of these magnificent birds, combined with my own passion for photography, it has become a goal of mine to capture the perfect image (or any image for that matter), of this most noble specimen.

The first time I spotted one I was walking alongside of the courthouse annex in Jim Thorpe.

The garden there contains brilliantly colored flowers.

As I walked by admiring them, I heard a buzzing noise go whizzing past my head.

At first I thought it was just a very large bumblebee, but when I looked more closely, I saw that it was a tiny bird dining on nectar from one of the flowers.

I must have looked like a little kid who had captured a glimpse of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve just standing there wide-eyed, mouth hanging open with a goofy smile of wonderment plastered to my face.

It was so fascinating, the way it quickly bounced from flower to flower and after a few moments I took off for my car in order grab my camera and get that shot I have been after for quite some time.

When I returned, I was disheartened to find that my little friend had disappeared.

I walked back and forth along the garden's edge searching but it was gone.

I spent the next week scouring every garden I came across with the hope of being able to spot one again, but deep down I feared it would be another 47 years until the opportunity arose.

Then, on Tuesday evening, I decided to call my pastor to discuss a decision that I was having a difficult time making.

For some reason, I ended up taking my phone call on the pavement outside of my home.

As I walked back and forth during our conversation, I heard a buzzing sound above my head.

I covered my head with my hands as I looked up (thinking of course it was a bee or a wasp) only to discover that it was in fact another hummingbird!

I announced its arrival to my pastor and immediately became captivated as it flitted back and forth up the sidewalk.

I wanted to throw the phone to the ground and run in for my camera, but just like that, it was gone.

Although I felt disappointed at missing the shot once again, with two sightings in as many weeks, I feel as if I will have yet another chance.

It took me a while as a stringer for the Times News to realize that I needed to bring my camera with me wherever I go.

Now I feel I need to up the ante and keep it around my neck whenever I leave the house.

So if you see a crazed woman running about the streets with a Nikon plastered to her face, rest assured it's not a tourist or some member of the paparazzi, it's just me, hunting hummingbirds.