Subject: [Tweeters] Re: [inland-NW-birders]Late Hummingbird
Date: Sep 12 17:32:12 2005
From: Bob Flores - rflores at smwireless.net


I also had a calliope on Sunday. This is not a late date for me, I have had them as late as 16 Sept. I have atleast one sighting a year in Sept. There must be something going on like a late push by birds coming from a distance? Who knows?

Bob Flores
Othello, WA
----- Original Message -----
From: SJPeterson at aol.com
To: inland-nw-birders at uidaho.edu
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 11:29 AM
Subject: Re: [inland-NW-birders]Late Hummingbird


In a message dated 9/12/2005 9:55:46 AM Alaskan Standard Time, rrfrobe at msn.com writes:
Hi. I had a rather late hummingbird on Saturday morning, September 10th, in my garden. I was inside looking out a window and didn't get a very good look and it didn't stay long, but I'd say it was probably a Rufous. It was larger and had a longer bill than the tiny Calliope's I usually get in the summer.
Marian Frobe
Spokane WA
Marian & other birders,

This is not intended to question the ID, but keep in mind that as the season progresses, "late" hummingbirds are more and more likely to be Anna's Hummingbirds -- a species which tends to wander widely in the fall and early winter. There are 28 records for the state of Idaho that I'm aware of (see: http://trochilids.com/Idaho/annas_records.html), and very few for eastern Washington, but the species is probably much more "common" than those numbers show. I suspect that increased awareness of the possibilities will increase the numbers confirmed until they show that this species is regular in fall in the Idaho, particularly in the southwestern portion. In 2004, in fact, we had 9 confirmed records in Idaho (1 spring and 8 fall); prior to that we had 19 ever... Getting the word out was the key. Any "late" hummingbird is suspect, even in the far northern reaches of the state (probably more so, in fact)...

Again, this doesn't call into question Marian's ID of her bird as a late Rufous, but instead is meant to remind folks of how probabilities change as the season progresses. If you can photograph your hummingbird, please send me photos! (If you live in southwestern Idaho, I have licensed banders who would love to document any late hummingbirds through banding). We look forward to learning more about this species in the state.

Cheers,

--Stacy Jon Peterson
20252 Lucas Ave
Eagle River, AK 99577
Stacy at trochilids.com
http://www.trochilids.com