FreeLists / bristol-birds / [bristol-birds] Re: Black-chinned hummer in area

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxx>]

Area Birders:

Three Johnson City birders went to
Kingsport this morning (2/20) and saw
the hummingbird that several of us believed
yesterday to be a Black-chinned.

Two of them saw the bird flash orange
about the throat on at least two of the
three times they saw it come to the feeder.

Joy Crass called me today and reported the
unexpectded development.  She said she
was birding with her husband, Mark, and
her mother, Martha Dillenbeck.

Joy said it was raining stead when they were
at the home where the feeder is located.
They did not enter the fenced backyard but
stood in the protection of an overhang on
the garage and observed the bird from a
nearby driveway.

During the approximatley 30 minutes they
were present, the bird came to the feeder
three times (about once every 10 minutes).

She said they were surprised to see the
orange flash from the gorget area of the
breast/throat.  It was just a blink each
time as the bird turned to fly away from
the feeder.

This could present a problem for a
Black-chinned in which any such flashed
color should be purple.

Joy said her mother is having trouble
with her binoculars and, coupled with
the rain, said she was not able to see
the color.

Joy said both she and her husband did
observe the flash at least twice.  She
did not know what to make of the
color and called for my thoughts.  I
was at a loss as to what the situation
may be but told her it evidently presented
problems for a Black-chinned identification.

During the next hour I had a long, long
phone chat with Nancy Newfield who
edited the manuscript for the new Peterson's
field guide to the North American hummingbirds.
She is one of the most authoritative persons
on hummers in America.

Nancy said the "orange" color does not
rule out the Black-chinned.  It does not
rule in a Rufby-throated Hummingbird.

She explained many different combinations
that could produce such a situation and
that, while a Ruby-throated is certainly
a key possibility, there are a number of
reliable features that need to be futher
checked.

In addition, we will soon be getting our
photos back and she wants a digital
image sent to her so she can offer an
opinion.  She thinks she can tell from
a decent photo which of the two species
it might be.

Nancy also indicated that there would
not likely be any other species that
would have the combinations shown in
this bird.

I will be going back to check the bird
again Thursday morning.  I am armed
with a checklist of features.

The plot grows more exciting.

Let's go birding.....

Wallace Coffey
Bristol











Wallace,
>
>Is the host or hostess welcoming area birders?  Would like to see it if so.
>Let me know with some good directions if this is possible.  Thanks for the
>heads up!
>
>Michelle Brown
>
>Blountville, TN
>
>
>
>
>
>
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*************************************************
       BRISTOL BIRDS NET LIST

This is a regional birding list sponsored by the
Bristol Bird Club to facilitate communications 
between birders and bird clubs of Southwest Virginia
and Northeast Tennessee.  It serves the Russell County
Bird Club, Herndon Chapter TOS, Greeneville TOS 
Chapter, Blue Ridge Birders Club, Butternut Nature
Club, Buchanan County Bird Club, Bristol Bird Club,
Clinch Valley Bird Club and Cumberland Nature Club.
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You are subscribed to Bristol-Birds.
To post to this mailing list, simply send an email
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       Wallace Coffey, Moderator
         jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx
           (423)764-3958