The last few days, I have made myself crazy
trying to identify this female hummingbird,
here in San Antonio (yes, I'm still in TX....long story).
I believed it to be a Black-chinned Hummingbird,
(Archilochus alexandri),
(Archilochus alexandri),
but they are almost identical to the Ruby-throated female.
Sibley's said they pump their tails when hovering.
Yes, she pumped her tail.
And their bill is a little longer, slightly curved downward....
yes, yes, yes!
Sibley's said they pump their tails when hovering.
Yes, she pumped her tail.
And their bill is a little longer, slightly curved downward....
yes, yes, yes!
And then, this morning, the male showed up at the feeder,
and sure enough,
HE was a Black-chinned, with a beautiful
iridescent violet throat!!
Another check on my life list, YAY!
Again, I feel pretty fortunate, as I it appears that I am on the most Eastern fringes of their U.S. breeding range where they return after wintering in Mexico.
32 comments:
They're so beautiful. We get some black-chinned here and lots of ruby-throated. I've got a feeder up, but have only seen 1 head thru here so far and not stick around.
:)
Love the actions photos. Your extended stay in Texas has afforded you the opportunity to make some checks on your "birds to see" list.
I love hummers but am not good at identifying them. Great shots! They are so fast that I find them hard to photograph.
Very exciting! The only hummers I have ever seen are the ruby-throated ones, but they are the only ones commonly seen in Ontario.
Oh, wow, Karen, how exciting this must be. Thank you so much, for sharing the pictures. Amazing!
Beautiful shots of the hummers. They must be really hard to get.
Such beautiful birds. I wish they were native here.
What pretty birds. :) Nice images.
Beautiful hummers and how fun you get to add another check to your life list! Nola
That's not one we get here either. Great photos, and good job on your life list.
Beautiful! Congratulations on the life list addition.
Oh my oh my! What a STUNNER!!!!
(P.S. my "word verification" word is SUCKEYE. Bwahahaha!)
He is a beauty! Your last shot is wonderful.
You're being rewarded handsomely for your generous nature. What beautiful birds they are.
I think I saw a humming bird once, but it flew by so fast I'm not sure!
Those are beautiful photo's!
I just love your bird images. :)
Wow! Lucky you! The only hummer species I've ever seen is a Ruby-throated, and they haven't made it this far north yet in 2011 -- soon.
Oh, he is so pretty. How exciting that you got to see him.
I need to put my feeders out. I have heard that when the azaleas are blooming in my area it is time to hang them and the flowers are blooming.
I didn't even know there were black chinned hummingbirds. How lucky you are to have them at your feeder!
I do love solving a mystery and what a treat..you were in the right place at the right time...Michelle
Since you are staying so Long in TX, you really should get down here.
I'm better than I used to be at telling the difference between bc and rt hummers--but sometimes I just don't know! Your photos are great. I can never get a good one of hummingbirds.
Kay
Oh wow, what a find Karen! They are beautiful!!
Beautiful captures of the hummingbird! Happy Spring Karen~ Linda
I love humming birds!! These are great shots! We live in south eastern Virginia and don't get them around here too much - at least not in my neighborhood! But love it when I see them flitting around! :)
Oh, how marvelous! I am so glad you added this bird to your life list! Tell me, will you be coming back with the ruby-throats?
That's great that you observed a kind of hummer that we (Easterners) rarely get to see. I hope everything is alright, since you're still in TX and haven't posted in a while. I'm looking forward to your next post.
Great photos! I love hummers.
Have a good weekend, Boonie
Fantastic photos Karen. The only time I have ever seen a hummer was on our trip out west last year. They are a sight to behold. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Easter!
Oh my Karen; what beautiful birdie photo's. Thankyou for popping into my blog now that I am up and running again.....well trying to run!
Kind Regards
Judith
http://creativestudio10.blogspot.com
A nice little bird you've caught Karen.
Well caught, lovely photos!
Great set of shots of the gorgeous hummingbirds! Love them.
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