Subject: More details on the Broad-billed Hummingbird
Date: Oct 15 18:09:45 2001
From: Mike Patterson - celata at pacifier.com


Steve Warner, Todd Thornton and I held vigil at the Broad-billed
Hummingbird yard today. Steve was there from about 0800-1000hr
this morning (I was there between 0830 and 0900) and all of us
were there from about 1530 to 1715hr. We saw NO hummingbirds.

Steve and Susan Hinton have invited anyone who wants to come look.
They ask that watchers keep to the garden by the swing set where
they've set out a couple of chairs. They are located on MacKormick
Garden Rd. in Gearhart. Turn east at the light in Gearhart (Pacific
Way). The road turns north at about .5 miles. The house is on the
west side, just look for the wall of nasturtiums.

I have attached Sue's e-mail to me which includes her description
of the bird. She apparently did get pictures.

---- begin foward ----

I'm bummed I'm headed out of town for the week and am going to miss
all theaction. Steve and Sam (our son) should be around. People
are welcome to come check it out. By far the best viewing has been
to sit by the swingset and wait for it to come out of the willows
to the east of the garden. What a hoot to have something so rare
right in our yard - it will be great to share. Steve is a more
cautious than I and suggests people keep to the garden area and
not wander all over the yard.

It first appeared Oct 6 and was spotted twice that day. Yesterday
(14 Oct) it was everywhere including the feeder that we put up a week
ago. My husband (Steve) and neighbor (Jan Weitig) were able to get
good looks and we all came to the same conclusion on the identification.

Red bill, green/blue throat, dark back, white tipped tail, sounds like
an extened call of a ruby crowned kinglet.......It seems to really
like my "wall-o-nasturtiums" along the garden fence.

I should have a couple of decent photos, but hopefully there will be
more opportunity for people to get some too.

---- end forward ----

--
Mike Patterson When I despair, I remember
Astoria, OR that all through history
celata at pacifier.com the way of truth and love have always won.
There have been tyrants, and murderers,
and for a time they can seem invincible,
but in the end they always fall.
Think of it...always.
- Mahatma Gandhi

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html