It's gnat season in 4-Hill Albuquerque New Mexico. This means that from the time it is desirable to be outside until it is undesirable to be outside, these little, almost invisible demons torment every orifice of your body (that is those that are exposed) and any moist area - eyes. They don't bite, but the way they swarm and annoy, one would almost wish they bit, at least then you could legitimately wish their existence to cease in the universe.
I want to photograph birds, all birds, but especially hummingbirds. Regardless, it requires that I be still; still enough for my subjects to understand that I present no threat, and they are willing to approach and use the feeders, that I religiously fill. The presence of the annoying little orifice seekers makes that task of being still difficult, especially when the fly into my ear. I find my hands flailing around trying to keep them out of my nose, my eyes, and my ears.
Interestingly, when I start shooting my quarry I can often ignore the little pests flying between the camera and my face into my eyes, or into my ears, their mosquito pitched whine filling my head. The minute the hummingbird flits off on some other tangent out of my field of view, I suddenly become aware of the monsters tormenting me, and I have to, reflexively start swatting them from my face and ears.
It would seem that there is no escaping these demonic pests. Even sitting in one of our numerous pieces of patio furniture is no escape. It is nearly impossible to sit and review photos. I am often driven inside, inside with the air condition and the relative safety from the monsters, though minuscule.
Despite repeated reminders to wipe myself in insect repellent I invariably forget, and thus suffer the fate of that forgetfulness.
Every morning between 0530 and 0600 I go out and take down the hummingbird feeder that is under the tree. I fill it, and by daylight, which comes later each morning, the feeder has a small swarm of bees clustered on it, in search of water and sugar.
It takes the bees, with a little help from the hummingbirds to drain this feeder down sufficiently far enough that the bees cannot obtain any further sugar water so they leave. The hummingbirds continue to use it until it is empty. It takes the bees about 2 1/2 to 3 hours to bring the level down sufficiently that the are no longer able to feed, so they leave.
