Subject: First Hummer
Date: Mar 15 21:37:26 1998
From: William Ward - wward at mail.cco.net


Hello Tweets.

I sighted my first hummer this morning at my hummer feeder. This is in
the Cottages at 50th Ave SE just off Ruddell Road in Lacey (near the
Yelm Hwy - Ruddell Road 3-way intersection). A close neighbor, however,
has seen the bird around for a good week.

But I have a question. For several springs I've had the same experience:
I know in my head that the first hummer I see is going to be a female
Rufous. But then when the first hummer appears, she looks so tiny and
the rufous coloration on the flanks and edges of the rump is so "light"
that I'm tempted to say a female Calliope. So I pull out several field
guides and reference books and read again that the Calliopes follow the
hills and uplands, and only occasionally might wander to the lowlands.
But then I think, well, if the bird is just arriving, might be a
Calliope. But then I see it for a week or more and think she's not just
stopping over on her way to the mountains. To add to the puzzle, this
year's "first hummer" as with a previous years does not have dark
streaks or spots on her throat so much as a dark, shady 'triangle" spot.

Would like to be reassured by you Tweets that I am indeed just seeing a
female Rufous. Every year I say I'm not going to let it happen to me
again, but it does, and I need some Tweeters Therapy! Good Birding!

Bill Ward
Lacey WA
wward at cco.net