We hope everyone had a great week! We were really busy with our community organization, We've Got Time to Help, so we didn't have a chance to post until now.
It has been a busy yard, too. We have been filling up the feeders just about everyday and going through about 8-12 suet cakes a day. We love it, and with the sun coming back for a few days, maybe we will get some Springtime visitors.
Here's wishing everyone good birding and a great weekend! Enjoy that sunshine!
A female Northern Flicker at her favorite feeder.
a female Downy Woodpecker taking some suet.
The brightest American Goldfinch that we have seen this year. He would not sit still or let me get close to get a good photo.
A hungry group of House Finches.
A Junco with a weird shoulder patch.
A Steller's Jay taking some suet.
A Chestnut-Backed Chickadee and a Townsend's Warbler grabbing some tasty suet.
A male Rufous and female Anna's hummingbird!! This was the first time we have ever had 2 species of Hummingbird at the same feeder. It's even rare for the same species to share a feeder in our yard.
It was so cool! It took us a while to realize that this is not the same male Rufous that we have been seeing. This one had different markings and he was not aggressive at all. There is a male Rufous that seems to have "claimed" the yard and he has no compunction about chasing any bird out of it. But this male below, wasn't chasing anyone off and even seemed a little intimidated by the female Anna's. There are a couple of other "oddities" about this specific Rufous at the end of the post.
A female Anna's
A female Rufous
A male Anna's
A male Rufous (look close and you can see his little tongue).
Here are a few photos that we found odd. Notice the green patch on the top of the Rufous' head? We have not seen this before and it's not on the other male(s) that come into our yard.
Also, notice the tail feathers. There seems to be no markings or coloration on it at all. I have looked through dozens of photos of different Rufous Hummingbirds and they all seem to show markings/coloration on the tips of the tail.
Here's a closer look at the tail. Is this normal?
3 comments:
I saw the most brilliant Rofous today in the yard and decided to get out my Sibley Guide to bird life and behavior.
In the guide it states that hybridization is common in hummingbirds. Many combinations have been reported.
I just love the photos! The tongue in the picture is awesome.
So many different birds in your yard, I love it. And 8+ suet cakes a DAY?!!!!! Yikes! You guys must make some darn good suet! Love your hummingbirds - our Ruby-throats have not arrived yet.
Ok here is where i have problems...I have the hummingbirds here now as well...been here for a couple of weeks now...the males Rufus always arrive first...the females are here...and I know that because of their green....but I have difficulties distinguishing the female Rufus from the Male Anna hummingbird.....
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