Just took the picture in the backyard, noticed a Rufous repeatedly diving at it trying to chase it away but it held its ground and seems to have taken over the prime part of the yard.
I put the two times teleconverter on the 400 2.8 to get some reach out to 800 mm and she landed on the perch in no time, as soon as I move around she leaves.
The back is a lot darker green than the Rufous juvi's that are around and when there chasing you can really see the difference.
Here is a close-up of the primaries, hopefully tomorrow I can get some pics that show them better.
Martin
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Vancouver Island, zone 8B
Nikon D70/D200 300 f4 af-s, 400 2.8 af-i
www.frogpondphotography.com
www.frogpondphotography.blogspot.com
This message has been edited by Martin_D on Aug 28, 2008 3:42 AM
The bird isn't a female but rather an immature male. The shapes of the tail feathers say Archilochus, the genus of Ruby-throated and Black-chinned. I know that Ruby-throated would be a super-rarity in your neck of the woods, but it looks more like that than Black-chinned. The length of the wings and the length of the bill look more like Ruby-throated as well. The bird appears to be very young. Try to see color on that 1 iridescent feather in the center of the throat. Try also to get more images, especially one in profile showing the length of the bill in relation to the length of the head and also, the length of the wing in relation to the length of the tail.
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Nancy L Newfield
Casa Colibrí
Metairie, Louisiana USA
USDA Zone 9
Thank you Patricia and Nancy, I will try to get some more pictures, at first I thought it was an Anna's and that I had finally attracted one to the yard but when I looked at the picture I knew it was something different.
Hopefully he will hand around and I can get some more pictures.
Martin
--
Vancouver Island, zone 8B
Nikon D70/D200 300 f4 af-s, 400 2.8 af-i
www.frogpondphotography.com
www.frogpondphotography.blogspot.com
I wish I could see the primaries side on. It does seem short-billed like a male Ruby-throat.
These kind of IDs can really be a problem for a birder who spends nearly all his time within the range of just one species. You can't help but fall out of practice. This is the time of year I become concerned about proper IDs in my own yard. This is the time of year other species might begin to appear among the Ruby-throats. Early rarities don't usually stay long in a garden at this time of year in this neck of the woods. Our gardens are like pilings in a river current. The gull perched on the piling might think it is all the same water, but it isn't. A better image might be that of a flash flood with a beginning and an ending and a mad rush inbetween. My point is that we don't have much time to make an ID. Often by the time we think we might be on to something it is already too late - the flow has swept past us.
Martin, yes, this is a very cool bird and I'd bet there are not many records of the species from British Columbia. Whatever records committee there is there should be notified and your images will document the record for posterity.
As a member of the Louisiana Bird Records Committee, I can say that we appreciate any and all reports. Our annual meeting will be 6 September and we'll be wrestling with quite a few records of rarities, some downright outlandish.
Ward, you are correct that rarities don't usually stay around long this time of year. However, we have not had any rarities of the hummingbird kind.
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Nancy L Newfield
Casa Colibrí
Metairie, Louisiana USA
USDA Zone 9
I managed a back view, when I sit out and wait he always faces me but when I am inside he sometimes faces the other way watching the Rufous up in the Elderberry tree, so I snuck out and got this picture when the back was facing me.
This is pretty exciting.
Martin
--
Vancouver Island, zone 8B
Nikon D70/D200 300 f4 af-s, 400 2.8 af-i
www.frogpondphotography.com
www.frogpondphotography.blogspot.com
Looking at the records for British Columbia Ruby-throated are not uncommon in the Peace River area which is the North East part of the province on the other side of the Rocky Mountains. There has been a couple of sightings on Vancouver island around 1977 very close to here maybe a fifteen minute drive, they were in May.
Martin
--
Vancouver Island, zone 8B
Nikon D70/D200 300 f4 af-s, 400 2.8 af-i
www.frogpondphotography.com
www.frogpondphotography.blogspot.com
Martin that is very exciting. There may have been several sitings but they are few and far between. Just think how far that little guy traveled to reach you.
Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39
Sounds like there were pictures but not good enough for identification, also it was a mature male so that would have been easier to id.
He is still there this morning and has already been chasing with the Rufous and has taken over the best spot again, this is good since I can get pictures again, this is the first time I have ever seen a Ruby-throated and heard there calls, I have seen Black-chinned before but never a juvenile.
Martin
--
Vancouver Island, zone 8B
Nikon D70/D200 300 f4 af-s, 400 2.8 af-i
www.frogpondphotography.com
www.frogpondphotography.blogspot.com
Well, Martin, your photos for ID'ing this hummer couldn't be better! Congtaulations.
Did you fee the earthquake there this morning as is being reported? Or were you just too busy with your visitor?
Another earthquake, that's like the third this week, there way offshore so we didn't feel them here. Doesn't sound like there is any risk since it is so far out in the ocean.
Martin
--
Vancouver Island, zone 8B
Nikon D70/D200 300 f4 af-s, 400 2.8 af-i
www.frogpondphotography.com
www.frogpondphotography.blogspot.com
