We dubbed him Mr. Wonderful. This Magnificent Hummingbird is indeed quite magnificent and he proved to be a wonderful photographic subject for us. His iridescent blue-green gorget and purple crown are striking but what is most noticeable about him is his size. The Magnificent Hummingbird is the second largest hummingbird in the US at almost 5 1/2 inches. The other hummingbirds we saw in Madera Canyon were only 3 1/2 to 4 inches. The buzz of this monster hummer’s wings is deep and resonant and we knew without a doubt when he flew over our heads that it was Mr. Wonderful.
I managed to get only a couple of clear flight shots of him but one afternoon he spent a long time perched in a tree by the parking lot, allowing all of us to approach with our long lenses and flash stands.
