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December 2009

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From:
"Lehman, Jay" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lehman, Jay
Date:
Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:28:13 -0500
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After taking care of necessary chores on Saturday morning, a consequence of working full-time, I arrived at the Miller residence near Sugarcreek between 4:00 and 4:30 pm just in time to watch the Allen's Hummingbird come to the feeder twice and roost in the apple tree in the back yard.  I wanted a better look, so I stayed the night near Dover.  Sunday morning was rather wintery and reminiscent of my 17 years living in upstate New York before migrating to Cincinnati.  After negotiating icy conditions on the local roadways, I arrived at the Miller residence a little after 8:00 am.  The feeder was in place.  Mrs. Miller told us on Saturday evening, that she takes the feeder down at night and puts it back up early in the morning, and that the bird arrives at the feeder at about 7:20 am.  On Sunday morning, given the cloudy, rainy and icy conditions, I decided to arrive a little later for somewhat better light.  I was the only birder present for my stay.  Either I'm the crazy one or dedicated-probably both!!   I stayed until 9:45 to 10:00 am, huddled under an umbrella bundled up in warm coat and hat with a rain jacket and gloves, and peering determinedly though a telescope.  The hummingbird came in to feed about every 20-30 minutes or so.  Unlike on Saturday evening, on Sunday morning, it did not roost in the apple tree for very long although it tried several times.  It roosted on a plant hanger at the corner of the house near the feeder, which appears to be under the roof overhang.  Seems like an adaptation to its local habitat.  The last time it roosted there on the hanger, it stayed for about 10 minutes, and preened.  Two times it spread its tail, so that I could see the tail feathers quite well, considering the difficulty in doing so on a moving hummingbird!  Of note were the stiletto tips (very narrow and pointed) to R1 and R2 and the very narrow outer tail feathers.  One outer tail feather was white tipped.  Until I saw that and with some study of reference texts and much later seeing Allen Chartier's photograph, I did not understand the significance of Allen Chartier's comment that one out tail feather was an immature type feather and the other was an adult type feather.  I was also able to see the shape of R2-without the characteristic notch of Rufous Hummingbird.

Until today, I had not seen Allen Chartier's photo of the tail of this bird.  I was very satisfying to see Allen's photo confirming what I saw through my telescope, but not nearly as well as the photograph.  However, I studied Sheri Willimason's A Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America before I arrived on Saturday and in my motel on Saturday night.  I managed one reasonable distant photograph that will be OK when zoomed in and cropped but it is not diagnostic.  It's difficult under the circumstances to get any photos, when holding an umbrella to keep rain off of optics and oneself!!  When I have downloaded this photo, I will post it and announce the location, probably sometime tomorrow evening.

For those who have not gone to see this bird for one reason or another, it was worth it to observe this bird for several hours under these conditions.  While it was preening, it appeared to be using the rain to bathe by fluffing its feathers to remove the rain drops.  This was much like hummers I have seen in Arizona in French Joe Canyon, using shallow water above a waterfall and a waterfall to bathe followed by fluffing the feathers to remove the accumulated water droplets.  On Sunday, this must have been a very cold bath!   The bird returned to the feeder from several directions.  Once, it returned around the back of the house from the other end of the house opposite to the end with the dog house.  Once the bird left the hanger perch and disappeared across the cut corn field to the east. I though it left for good.  I did not see from what direction it returned to the feeder area.  I wondered if it visited a nearby conifer stand to look for small insects, or if this excursion was a scouting trip.

It was well worth the trip to see this bird!

Can we now call this hummingbird Allen's Allen's?  :>)  :>)
Jay

Jay G. Lehman
Cincinnati, OH
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