Up to two weeks ago, I have never seen a hummingbird in real life. Since that time, I have spotted them twice, and each time, they have left me standing on the pavement in awe.

I have marveled over those incredible creatures in books, magazines and even video, but for 47 years, they eluded me.I belong to a Nikon camera enthusiasts group and often see the most amazing photographs of various hummingbirds.I find that they have the most beautiful colors and I can't help but marvel over their flight abilities.They can beat their wings anywhere from 60-200 times per second.They fly at speeds up to 60 mph and can fly up, down, forward, backward, sideways and can even hover in mid-air.Since viewing others' images of these magnificent birds, combined with my own passion for photography, it has become a goal of mine to capture the perfect image (or any image for that matter), of this most noble specimen.The first time I spotted one I was walking alongside of the courthouse annex in Jim Thorpe.The garden there contains brilliantly colored flowers.As I walked by admiring them, I heard a buzzing noise go whizzing past my head.At first I thought it was just a very large bumblebee, but when I looked more closely, I saw that it was a tiny bird dining on nectar from one of the flowers.I must have looked like a little kid who had captured a glimpse of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve just standing there wide-eyed, mouth hanging open with a goofy smile of wonderment plastered to my face.It was so fascinating, the way it quickly bounced from flower to flower and after a few moments I took off for my car in order grab my camera and get that shot I have been after for quite some time.When I returned, I was disheartened to find that my little friend had disappeared.I walked back and forth along the garden's edge searching but it was gone.I spent the next week scouring every garden I came across with the hope of being able to spot one again, but deep down I feared it would be another 47 years until the opportunity arose.Then, on Tuesday evening, I decided to call my pastor to discuss a decision that I was having a difficult time making.For some reason, I ended up taking my phone call on the pavement outside of my home.As I walked back and forth during our conversation, I heard a buzzing sound above my head.I covered my head with my hands as I looked up (thinking of course it was a bee or a wasp) only to discover that it was in fact another hummingbird!I announced its arrival to my pastor and immediately became captivated as it flitted back and forth up the sidewalk.I wanted to throw the phone to the ground and run in for my camera, but just like that, it was gone.Although I felt disappointed at missing the shot once again, with two sightings in as many weeks, I feel as if I will have yet another chance.It took me a while as a stringer for the Times News to realize that I needed to bring my camera with me wherever I go.Now I feel I need to up the ante and keep it around my neck whenever I leave the house.So if you see a crazed woman running about the streets with a Nikon plastered to her face, rest assured it's not a tourist or some member of the paparazzi, it's just me, hunting hummingbirds.