I felt like I was having sensory overload while visiting Las Vegas in early February, the week before it hosted its first Super Bowl. The huge flashing LED signs, the dancing fountains and the sounds of traffic outside and slot machines inside was a lot to handle.
Fortunately, there is a popular birding spot about 15 minutes from the famous Las Vegas Strip that was a very calming experience. But with it being Vegas, I shouldn’t have been surprised to see one of the most colorful, glitziest birds around: Anna’s Hummingbird.
While at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, I spotted one Anna’s Hummingbird in a tree but it confused me. It looked like a normal hummingbird I am used to seeing in Florida, but when it moved its head, I started to see sparkling spots of red. What the heck?
Later, while getting ready to leave the preserve, another Anna’s Hummingbird landed on a branch right above my wife’s head. “Look!,” I said, excitedly pointing out the bird to her, which I quickly followed up with, “Don’t move!”
While the other hummingbirds I saw earlier in the day were pretty far away, this one was so close I had to back away several feet because it was too close to photograph with my long lens. But this little beauty sat and posed for about 2 minutes – which seems like an eternity for a humming bird to stay in one spot.
And that’s when I was able to see why AllAboutBirds.com described Anna’s Hummingbird as “more like flying jewelry than birds.” As the bird turned its head and the sun hit is feathers, its colors shifted from green to black to ruby and rose. It almost looks like it’s wearing sequins.
