CUBAN EMERALD (f): PICTURE PERFECT ON ABACO (3)

I spent a wonderful 15 minutes with this little Cuban Emerald hummingbird (Chlorostilbon ricordii), which I found perched on a stick in a small clearing in the coppice at Delphi. I was several feet away when I first noticed it, so I spent some time inching forward towards it. Even from a distance, the metallic sheen of the feathers glinted in the bright sunlight. The bird watched me, tame and unruffled, as I approached. I took photos as I moved closer so that if it flew off at least I’d have something to remember it by. In the end it let me get so close that I could almost have touched it. When I’d taken some close-ups, I backed very slowly away. The little beady black eyes followed my retreat with interest. The bird was still happily perched on the stick when I lost eye-contact with it. In the end I was more moved (in one sense) than it was (in another).

Credit: Keith Salvesen / Rolling Harbour

7 thoughts on “CUBAN EMERALD (f): PICTURE PERFECT ON ABACO (3)”

H.J. for avian101 says:

March 24, 2020 at 2:32 am

That’s a gorgeous picture! 🙂

LikeLiked by 1 person

LISA DAVIES says:

March 23, 2020 at 9:40 pm

Wow That is a fantastic picture!!!!

>

LikeLiked by 1 person

- Rolling Harbour says:
  
  March 23, 2020 at 10:50 pm
  
  Thank you Lisa… how often does one get a really pretty bird, unafraid, with the sun full on its plumage???
  
  LikeLike
  
weisserwatercolours says:

March 23, 2020 at 8:49 pm

….the photograph is as lovely as the story accompanying it

LikeLiked by 1 person

- Rolling Harbour says:
  
  March 23, 2020 at 10:48 pm
  
  Thanks! It was quite moving… in a way it had the upper hand in the encounter, but in a good way
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
erikagatesgb@aol.com says:

March 23, 2020 at 8:10 pm

Thanks for this uplifting photo, Keith! I find my peace these days sitting in our nature preserve at home where I have the good fortune to be able to observe an average of 20 species every evening! (My husband and I practice self-isolation and what a perfect way to get out of the house and enjoy a variety of migratory and resident species!)

You can find my sightings with many photos on ebird under Freeport and West Grand Bahama – Grand Bahama Birders B&B (Gardenn of the Gates)

Stay save and thank you for your always highly anticipated Rolling Harbour article!

http://www.thegardenofthegroves.com http://www.grandbahamanaturetours.com http://www.grandbahamaislandbirdersbandb.com

LikeLiked by 1 person

- Rolling Harbour says:
  
  March 23, 2020 at 8:28 pm
  
  Lovely comment and great links to explore, Erika, thanks. In bleak times, people who ‘do’ birds also tend to ‘do’ congenial places – a definite advantage. We have just decamped from London (claustrophobic & with stupid people) to deep farming country for who knows how long. Self-isolation is automatic! We have tawny owls that use large oak trees in our field as roosts / hunting posts. A calmer life for now.
  
  LikeLike