Peter,
It's possible that the hummingbird/bumblebee is actually a clearwing moth. Go to the website below, which will show an photo of a moth, the snowberry clearwing, Hemaris diffinis, which occurs here that has a remarkable resemblance to a bumblebee. One of its close relatives is the hummingbird moth, (or common clearwing), Hemaris thysbe.

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/moths/wa/1060.htm



Greg

Greg Toffic
Curator of Birds
Woodland Park Zoo
5500 Phinney Avenue N.
Seattle, WA 98103
(206)684-4836 PH
(206)233-7278 FAX
greg.toffic at zoo.org

"Metaphors be with you"

>>> "Port Townsend Marine Science Center" <ptmsc at olympus.net> 05/10 5:52 PM >>>
Tweeters,
A local resident, without access to a computer, called today to ask if I
would post this query on Tweeters:
On April 24th he & his spouse sighted, in mid-day sunlight in the North
Beach area of Port Townsend, a bumblebee sized hummingbird,
brownish-yellow/tawny in color which was not, if at all, very much larger
than 3/4 of an inch. Upon questioning he stated that it moved & acted
exactly a hummingbird does, hovering & darting & poking into flowers. I
gave him my word that I would post this & respectfully await any ideas other
than that he seriously mistook a bumblebee for a hummingbird. He has tried
to ID this creature but has not been able to find a clue. I will forward
any thoughts on to our technology challenged friend.
Regards,
Peter Badame
Port Townsend Marine Science Center
532 Battery Way
Port Townsend, WA 98368

(360) 385-5582
(360) 385-7248 fax