The Great Hummingbird Chase takes us on a passion-fueled journey that starts in a single backyard and blooms into a full-blown pursuit across one of the richest birding landscapes in North America. When photographer John P. Schaefer realizes he has captured only a handful of the hummingbirds that zip around southeastern Arizona, he sets his sights higher. Teamed with acclaimed nature writer Ken Lamberton, the photographer and the writer embark on a three-year quest to find, observe, and photograph all fifteen species that visit Arizona's desert canyons and sky islands. From Bisbee's feeder-lined yards to canyons in the Chiricahua, Huachuca, and Santa Rita Mountains, Schaefer and Lamberton chase rarities most birders only dream of—white-eared hummingbirds, violet-crowned jewels, the elusive plain-capped starthroat. Thanks to patience, humor, and wonder, the chase becomes an intimate encounter of light, motion, and chance. At once a natural history, a travel narrative, and a visual feast, this work offers an immersive journey for birders, photographers, and nature lovers alike. The Great Hummingbird Chase is a love letter to southern Arizona—America's hummingbird capital—and to the enduring thrill of paying close attention to the wild.
