The Allen's Hummingbird survived the coldest night of the season (19 degrees)
last night and continues to feed at feeders here, though the cold killed the
last of the Pineapple Sage it had been feeding on and probably most of the
insects. The forecast for the rest of the week is for milder temperatures
(highs in 40s and 50s). Hopefully, the bird will stay to be counted on the
Cape
Charles CBC 30 December, but that's 16 more nights (and the bird has very
little fat, according to the banders). There are now at least 3 other
Rufous/Allen's in the state, in Portsmouth, in Virginia Beach, and outside
Charlottesville. As far as I know, there has not been a positive
identification of these
birds, other than to rule out Broad-tailed Hummingbird.
Otherwise my bird news is slight (mostly because I've been indoors working),
but more Common Goldeneyes are starting to show up on the Bay in recent days,
along with more Bonaparte's Gulls. Last Friday, a walk with the dog produced
probably three dozen American Woodcocks, flushed from thickets (especially
under azaleas) by the dog. Clearly, the heavy snow and frozen ground brought
by the coastal gale to our north (a rain event here) brought the woodcocks down
the peninsula; juncos were also very numerous in yards that day.
Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
