Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 16:34:51 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Gail Mackiernan Subject: Smithsonian hummer continues Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hi all -- Barry and I finally had a nice connection with the Archilocus hummingbird at the Smithsonian's Ripley Garden this noon. We arrived around 10:15 am and waited for almost exactly two hours before the bird showed up -- by then some other birders had accumulated and suddenly, there the hummingbird was, at its usual blue salvias. It fed at the flowers for a bit, taking time to dive at a female Yellowthroat that was under the salvia plant. Then the hummer perched for some long minutes in two bare trees, allowing close focus-length views of all aspects from side, front, back and below. After about 15 minutes, we left it perched. Close examination showed features all consistent with Black-chinned -- sooty gray to brownish-gray crown (depending on light) contrasting with green back, long dark and obviously slightly decurved bill, primary projection just slightly shorter than tail length, and when the bird sat with slightly drooping wings, the broad, expanded tips to the first primary could be noted. The facial markings and throat markings were also brownish and from the front, the bird looked very dull and brown-gray, with tawny-gray flanks. It really did look "different" from several late female Ruby-throats we have examined hopefully this year, and as Barry said, if it showed up at our feeder would raise some alarm bells. Also, it flicked or pumped its tail consistently while feeding. Hopefully it can survive the upcoming cold weather, there are still lots of flowers in the garden but how much nectar they will produce as temperatures fall is a question. While waiting we saw the aforementioned female Yellowthroat, a Cooper's Hawk and a banded Northern Mockingbird (white on right leg, green over silver on left.) Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper Silver Spring, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================