As a treat to online followers, former Northwest College professor Rob Koelling has been sharing hummingbird photos to help ease the pain of the Cowboy State's brutal winter weather.

"There's a reason [one of] the University of Wyoming colors is brown. They call it gold, but brown and yellow, and that's because in the winter, everything is that color out here," Koelling said. "So I like to post an occasional hummingbird photo, just because it has some color in it."

However, you don't need to be online to see the best of his work. Beginning May 1, Koelling will be unveiling his largest show ever at Plaza Diane.

The show is an intimate view of western hummingbirds, including rufous, broad-tailed and black-chinned hummingbirds, most of which he photographed in Powell. Many of the photos are thanks to his wife, Deborah Spangler Koelling, who died at home in 2018 from complications of ALS. She was 66 years old.

Before she died — knowing that ALS is always fatal — Deb planted a garden for Koelling in their backyard, cultivating plants with blooms that would draw in birds.

"When I first got interested in photographing birds, I had never seen a hummingbird in Powell. Deb did some research and ordered some plants that were known to attract [the species]," he said.

It was like a gift to Rob, who cared for her at the couple's westside home. He could be close, but step out the back door into a birding haven. The gift keeps on giving, although Rob said it provides a little guilt along with the countless hours of joy.

"I know it would look a hell of a lot better if Deb was still here attending to it," he said.

For more than a decade Koelling has been photographing every bird in the garden, yet the biggest challenge was the tiny, gorgeous hummingbirds sucking pollen from the perennial blossoms. He soon realized he would need better equipment capable of lower apertures to allow for the shutter speeds of at least 1/2,000 of a second. If he wanted to fully stop the wings in action he'd need a shutter speed of at least 1/3,200 of a second.

He doesn't spend all of his time in the garden. Koelling spends time almost daily traveling the back roads of the Big Horn Basin and the surrounding mountain ranges searching for any and all birds. His photos of raptors like bald and golden eagles, owls, falcons and hawks have inspired his fans for decades.

Koelling has developed a sixth sense; a rarely matched ability to find the birds of Wyoming thriving in their habitat — leaving many photographers (including at least one of those at the Tribune) jealous of his success and proud to call him friend. He shares his success with followers online and several thrilling shows.

But this show is different from the rest. Koelling made the series of prints in both metal and canvas to be sold at the show and will be making his own gift back to Plaza Diane with 100% of the proceeds. He is also pricing them to be accessible for most to call them their own. His art can bring in hundreds of dollars per print, but he wants them to sell fast, both for the benefit of the art gallery and the joy of some who could only afford to see his work in shows.

He hopes it will bring a lot of people to the popular Bent Street nonprofit organization.

"It's something that I enjoy," he said, specifying both bringing joy and education through his artwork and   providing a fat check for the gallery. "Plaza Diane serves the community and I'm happy to support its mission."

If you miss his show, which is open through June 21, Koelling is confident that anyone willing to grow the right flowering plants in their yard can enjoy hummingbirds while they migrate through the region. Trumpet-like (think honeysuckle) and/or red blossoms are their favorites. Hummingbirds have a long tongue that retracts and coils into their skulls, allowing them to reach pollen other birds and insects have a hard time reaching.

Yet, the best way to get the pro tips is to show up at the opening and bend his ear. The opening reception is from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday. The show can also be seen by appointment by email: plazadiane@gmail.com.