These bats spend the summers in Arizona. They are great pollinators for Saguaro, Agave and Organ Pipe, as well as other plants. They migrate back to Mexico in the fall, September and early October. They do not hover, but fly by and stick their tongues into the feeders. They empty a feeder over night. Mexicans realize that they are essential for the tequila industry. There is one brand that has it on it’s label as being Bat friendly.
I set up a Pluto trigger with laser beam and a Godox 658 flash. After over 200 shots, I finally got one with it’s tongue in the feeder. I don’t mind filling the humming bird feeder every day to help them on their journey home.
Specific Feedback Requested
I got a lot of red reflection on the wings from the flash. Not sure how to get rid of that.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Canon R6, Canon RF70-200, 106mm, ISO 4000, f /7.1, 125ms. Godox M 1/4.
LR, PS, Topaz De Noise. Tripod. All remote. Huge crop 85%.
This is my first venture with flash and Pluto.
All comments are welcome.
Charlie, I am sorry I have been so slow viewing and commenting on this. Our internet has been down for a few hours, but before it was, when I saw this shot I didn’t think of it as macro and passed over it for when/if I got a chance to enlarge and view closer. I think this would probably better fit in the Wildlife category.
That is an interesting story about the bats being pollinators. I never knew that. And that they will feed out of a hummingbird feeder too. I’m glad you got this shot, and I really appreciate the story with it.
Yes, interesting image showing rarely seen behavior. I like that you caught the tongue out. The flash work looks good to me given the situation. Nice capture.
Charlie, Allen had a good suggestion, Human and Fauna I think would fit best, given the feeder in the image. I hadn’t thought of that. If you need help in moving it, I would be glad to do it for you, just let me know.
I too like the lighting. You provided us with a scene very few of us ever get to see, I am quite sure.
Bats are fun to see and the nectar feeders are quite the catch. You may want to try a multi flash setup so that you can drop the ISO down a bit for future endeavors. Getting one with the tongue in the feeder is an excellent result for your effort. Well done…Jim
Excellent work on this one, Charlie, you caught a great moment in this one. I wouldn’t worry about the red reflection, since it’s obvious in the image where it came from.
Thanks. I only have one flash and borrowed the Pluto laser. I’ll have to decide whether I want to do more and make further investment. After posting, I noticed that PBS has a feature on Nature called “The Bat Man” and it is all about these bats and their importance to the tequila industry in Mexico.
