[mou] FW: Re: [mnbird] Late Hummer

[Dedrick Benz]

Stephen Yahn gave me permission to forward this to MOU-net.  I am curious 
what opinions there may be regarding this bird's identification.  Stephen 
also told me he will bring the specimen to the Bell Museum.

Dedrick Benz
Winona, MN


>From: "Stephen Yahn" <steveyahn@comcast.net>
>Reply-To: steveyahn@comcast.net
>To: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net
>Subject: Re: [mnbird] Late Hummer
>Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2006 17:28:31 -0600
>
>After the two sightings of the hummingbird reported previously, I saw it  
>again on Tuesday morning silhouetted in the pre-dawn light at a feeder.   
>After not seeing it for the rest of the day, I hoped that the cold front  
>might be the trigger to send it on its way to the tropics.  This morning  
>while having breakfast, I discovered it perched on the deck floor beneath  
>a frozen feeder.
>
>I approached it slowly and it didn't move so I took a few quick photos  
>before gently lifting it up and bringing it into the house.  Knowing that  
>hummingbirds respond to cold by entering a state of torpor, I hoped that  
>warming the bird would restore its ability to feed.  After several hours,  
>it was obvious that the hummer was dead.
>
>Even with the help of a dozen reference books, I wasn't able to positively  
>identify the species.  My best guess is that it's an immature female  
>Ruby-throated, although I realize that some late-season sightings are of  
>Calliopes or Rufous.  For those of you with a more practiced eye or who  
>just want to see it, photos are available here:
>
>	http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stephen_yahn/album?.dir=/c339re2
>
>The first of the photos are of the bird as I discovered it.  The next  
>group are closeups taken inside.  The remainder were taken in natural  
>light.
>
>It is puzzling what causes this late appearance.  When I first saw the  
>hummingbird, it appeared able to fly and feed without impediment.  Did it  
>get a late start from the far north?  Did it have a defective migration  
>urge?  Was it lost?  No matter the reason, having a dead hummingbird in my  
>hand on November 1 is a sad experience.
>
>Steve Yahn
>Eagan, Dakota County
>
>
>On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 18:28:47 -0600, Stephen Yahn <steveyahn@comcast.net>  
>wrote:
>
>>Yesterday afternoon and again this morning there was a hummingbird at my  
>>feeders.  I wasn't able to make a positive identification--the bird was  
>>very skittish--but it appeared to be a female or immature  Ruby-throated.  
>>It's been six weeks since I've seen a hummingbird here  and I was thinking 
>>about taking down the nectar feeders for the season.
>>
>>By the fact that it was skittish and not gorging at the feeders, I  assume 
>>that it has been feeding reasonably well.  With the weather set  to turn 
>>much colder, it would seem that the hummer should make haste for  its 
>>winter range.  I wonder if the bird has come from the farthest  reaches of 
>>its range, had migration delayed for some reason, or has a  defective 
>>migration instinct.
>>
>>I had another uncommon visitor to my feeders this morning.  A Northern  
>>Flicker spent a surprisingly long time on my deck, aggressively chasing  
>>away the jays and icterids that got too close.
>>
>>Steve Yahn
>>Eagan, Dakota County
>>
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>>
>
>
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