(THIS JUST IN: The bird was banded this morning, Tuesday, December 22nd. It was positively identified as a hatch year female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD!)
You make the call. To help with your decision I've posted several really awful (I like refer to them as 'artistic') images HERE. Mull through them. Get out your Sibley's, perhaps the Peterson's, dust off the Audubon's, your Nat Geo, find your Kaufmann's, your favorite bird book, whatever...
Leave a comment or send me an email if you think you know the answer. A professional bander will be attempting to catch the bird tomorrow, band it and make a positive identification. In the meantime, let's have a little fun, shall we?
And people laugh when they drive by our home and notice that there are FOUR hummingbird feeders still hanging out in my yard. Hah!
UPDATE:
On Thursday (my birthday), George Jett was able to get some additional images of this hummingbird. The certified hummingbird bander hasn't made the trip yet to Calvert County, so the bird's identification remains a mystery. But your comments are most welcome. Here are George's two images. While you're at it, visit George's website. And PLEASE consider donating to George's BIG PHOTO YEAR FUNDRAISER for ABC!
Happy Holidays!
Dan
4 comments:
I think Allen's
http://www.the-scoop-on-wild-birds-and-feeders.com/images/iStock_000001885816Small_Allensatfoxglove.jpg
I second that. Allen's
Females are always the hardest to call, but her tail feathers look too wide for even a juvenile female Allen's. She still appears to have an entirely juvenile tail, so the only way to get a definitive ID at this stage is to capture her and take measurements. The alternative is to wait until she replaces her tail (if she stays/lives that long) and look at the width of R5 and presence/absence of a "pinched" tip on R2.
--Sheri Williamson
Without looking at the bird to hard, my first guess is Rufous. I only say that because I recall more common sightings around MD of this bird in winter.
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