Subject: Allen's Hummingbird report
Date: Jun 3 11:37:49 2004
From: Gary Bletsch - garybletsch at yahoo.com


Dear Tweeters,

When I moved from New York to San Francisco in the
early 80's, it was several years before I figured out
how to find an Allen's Hummer I could identify. I just
called them all "Selasphorus species," an imprecision
that nettled me.

Then I realized I could go out during the breeding
season, when (according to my Golden Guide) all the
Rufouses would be up north. In Golden Gate Park, for
example, it was easy to find Allen's on territory,
giving their impressive circular breeding display
flights.

Just the other day I was wondering to myself, as I
puzzled over a Hammond's/Dusky Flycatcher--"Is there
any identification problem in the ABA Area that's
tougher than this one?" Then I thought, "Selasphorus
hummingbirds!" They make the Empidonax problems look
like child's play!

=====

Yours truly,

Gary Bletsch

near Lyman (Skagit County), Washington

garybletsch at yahoo.com





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