Light on 15 July

Clear sky

Light through the day, 15 July, local time, America/Phoenix
From	To	Light
00:00	05:11	Night
05:11	05:32	Blue hour
05:32	06:02	Golden hour
06:02	07:11	Soft
07:11	09:10	Medium
09:10	15:45	Harsh
15:45	17:43	Medium
17:43	18:52	Soft
18:52	19:23	Golden hour
19:23	19:44	Blue hour
19:44	24:00	Night

3.3 hours of golden and soft light.

Soft light by month

Hours a day

Soft light by month, hours a day, under a clear sky
Month	Golden hour	Soft
Jan	1.0 h	2.7 h
Feb	1.0 h	2.4 h
Mar	0.9 h	2.2 h
Apr	1.0 h	2.2 h
May	1.0 h	2.3 h
Jun	1.0 h	2.3 h
Jul	1.0 h	2.3 h
Aug	1.0 h	2.2 h
Sep	0.9 h	2.2 h
Oct	1.0 h	2.3 h
Nov	1.0 h	2.6 h
Dec	1.1 h	2.8 h

What's here, and when

1 subject

Shooting windows in Ramsey Canyon Preserve: subjects down, months across
Subject	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rufous Hummingbird	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window	Peak	Peak	Peak	Outside the window	Outside the window	Outside the window

Hides, lodges and tours (0)

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Rufous Hummingbird — SE Arizona sky islands — late July to early September

Shoot window

Rufous Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird: you will almost certainly see it (Jul–Sep)

Rufous Hummingbird by month
Month	Presence
Jan	Outside the window
Feb	Outside the window
Mar	Outside the window
Apr	Outside the window
May	Outside the window
Jun	Outside the window
Jul	Peak
Aug	Peak
Sep	Peak
Oct	Outside the window
Nov	Outside the window
Dec	Outside the window

Peak: Last week of July to second week of August for adult males. By mid August most adult males have already passed through and the birds are females and immatures. Overall numbers peak early to mid August. Rufous is common here late July to September and only uncommon in spring.
Days needed: 6 days
Behaviour: Migration / passage, Territorial fighting, Mass aggregation
Coat: Breeding plumage
Habitat: Dry season / dust, Green season / lush
Crowds: Moderate
Also here: Twelve to fourteen hummingbird species including Rivoli's, blue throated mountain gem, violet crowned, broad billed, white eared, berylline and the occasional Plain capped starthroat. Also elegant trogon, Arizona woodpecker, painted redstart, Mexican jay, sulphur bellied flycatcher, and monsoon lightning as a subject in its own right.

Light: 31.7N at 1200 to 1600m. Mid August max solar altitude around 74 deg, the worst sun angle in this file: it climbs fast and golden hour is 35 to 40 minutes. Average cloud cover peaks near 48 percent in the monsoon against 83 percent clear in the dry months, so August genuinely helps but this is not an all day soft light location. Afternoon buildup typically arrives around 16:00. One real asset the sun angle hides: these canyons are deep, and north and east facing walls hold shade well past sunrise and again before sunset, which stretches the usable window. Write off 09:00 to 15:30 on any day the storm does not build. Brightest of all the windows, so 1/3200 natural light is easy, but the light that gives you that is exactly the light you do not shoot in.
Weather risk: Extreme heat, Heat haze (kills long lens), Rainy season and High wind
Atmosphere: Monsoon storm skies and lightning, rain on agave and penstemon, steam off canyon rock after a storm, backlit dust ahead of the rain.
Permits: Ramsey Canyon Preserve is Nature Conservancy with an entry fee and set opening hours, the classic access failure: the gate may not be open for first light, so confirm current hours before relying on it. Ash Canyon and Beatty's charge small fees. Monsoon roads flood, never cross a running wash. Forest Service land otherwise open.
Getting there: Fly Tucson. One hour to Madera Canyon, ninety minutes to Sierra Vista and the Huachucas, three hours to Portal. Self drive throughout, normal car fine. Physically undemanding.

Who runs trips here: Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon is the useful booking because staying on site solves the first light problem entirely. Beatty's Guest Ranch in Miller Canyon holds the US day record for hummingbird species. Tom Bol runs July hummingbird in flight workshops in Madera Canyon, but those are multi flash feeder setups, the exact thing to avoid here.

Confidence: high · Last verified 20 Sept 2026

Species

Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus

Light and conditions

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Light through the year

Golden hour is when the sun is low, between the horizon and 6° above it: soft, warm light. Times are for the 15th of each month, in Phoenix time (with summer time where it applies).

Light by month at Ramsey Canyon Preserve, in Phoenix time
Month	Golden hour		Daylight	Sun at noon
Month	Morning golden hour	Evening golden hour	Daylight	Sun at noon
Jan	07:25–07:57	17:05–17:37	10h 20m10 h 20 min	38°
Feb	07:07–07:36	17:35–18:04	11h 6m11 h 6 min	46°
Mar	06:35–07:03	17:57–18:26	11h 58m11 h 58 min	57°
Apr	05:57–06:25	18:18–18:46	12h 57m12 h 57 min	69°
May	05:29–05:59	18:36–19:06	13h 46m13 h 46 min	78°
Jun	05:21–05:52	18:52–19:23	14h 11m14 h 11 min	82°
Jul	05:32–06:02	18:52–19:23	14h14 h	80°
Aug	05:51–06:20	18:31–19:00	13h 17m13 h 17 min	72°
Sep	06:09–06:38	17:55–18:23	12h 21m12 h 21 min	61°
Oct	06:28–06:57	17:16–17:45	11h 25m11 h 25 min	50°
Nov	06:53–07:24	16:47–17:18	10h 33m10 h 33 min	40°
Dec	07:17–07:50	16:43–17:16	10h 7m10 h 7 min	35°