Well, if an experienced bander like Chartier with the bird in hand
regards this as a "probable" Allen's, then I don't think anyone is going
to be able to identify it in the field. Even if the OBRC eventually
accepts it as an Allen's, it will almost surely be based on certain
features no one relying upon distant observation alone had been able to
discern.
        So, while listers are going to be disappointed by what looks just like
any immature rufous hummingbird, we may at least be able to add Allen's
to the state list. As for future possible reports of *adult* male
Allen's, we need to keep in mind that this might not be so
straightforward, either. See Fazio's article in the Ohio Cardinal
[remember that journal?] 15(1):1-5, "First Specimen Record of Rufous
Hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus for Ohio: an early fall appearance of a
green-backed variant", now a specimen (#9001) at the Ohio University
Museum. This bird died after being found in Guernsey County on or
shortly before the unusually early date of 25 July 1991.
        It would be great if Ohio could help add to our knowledge of the range
of Allen's hummingbird. As for listers, they of course may use their own
definitions, but not everyone would check off a bird seen but not
identified until months later by someone else, using features invisible
in the field. Does anyone else have other reflections on this?
Bill Whan
Columbus

p.s. Troy Shively just called me to say you can actually get images of
the yellow-crowned night-heron nests here in Columbus on Google Earth.
Which caused us to wonder if this is just another kind of observational
tool, like binoculars. And we wondered how many birds are on the Ohio
list that NO ONE reportedly observed or satisfactorily identified while
they were alive...sometime I'll have to count them up...



Su Snyder wrote:
> Hi all:  Bruce Glick asked me to post this, as he isn't near a computer
> today.  Allen Chartier of Michigan banded an immature male selasphorus
> hummingbird this morning near Sugarcreek that he deemed a probable Allen's
> Hummingbird.  The bird has been here since at least October.>
>
> The homeowner, May Miller, is welcoming birders.  The address is 4214
> Township Road 420, Sugarcreek, OH 44681.  Please park at the red barn on the
> left before you get to the house.  Please do not park on her lawn.  The
> feeder is on the back, right side of her house.  Su Snyder, Wooster

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