I was up in several young clearcut/plantations in SE Coos today looking for
Calliope Hummers. All the clearcuts are flat and fairly open with just
scattered trees, lots of open grassy areas, and the key- much flowering
manzanita. I would walk around and find a nice clump of manzanita and just
park myself for a few minutes and wait for activity. By doing this, in many
places I would find a male’s perch above such manzanita patches- usually
atop a tree.
I was stopped at one patch and had found a male Rufous sitting in a small
dead snag nearby. I was looking at him when suddenly he bombed down into a
manzanita bush somewhat like an accipiter chasing prey disappearing right
into the bush. The next thing I new there was an Orange-crowned Warbler
with a hummer in hot pursuit. The two circled the bush coming in and out of
it several times before the Orange-crowned decided to high tail it and
leave this manzanita patch. Cracked me up- a feisty little fighter those
Rufous males are : )
Merry migration!
Tim Rodenkirk
Coos Bay
