An _Archilochus_ hummingbird that appears to be a female-type Ruby-throated
Hummingbird put in two appearances, at 2:45 and at 4:45 p.m. today, at the
house feeder here in Cape Charles. The bird is emerald green from mid-crown to
rump, doesn't wag the tail much when feeding, and seems to have a straight bill
that's not overly long. Bob Ake, Jethro Runco, and Jen Ottinger saw it and the
Dickcissel in the mid-afternoon today. (None of us have managed to study the
outermost 2 primary tips' shape, the only clinching feature of
Black-chinned/Ruby-throated.) The Dickcissel seems to be coming in only when
House Sparrows
are present in numbers. Only 2 orioles came in at about 4:40 this afternoon
(after being absent most of the midday), but one was a new bird for the
season, probably an adult male, which makes 6 for the season. Bob Ake
remembered a
Williamsburg woman who fed orioles in the early 1970s and had as many as 10-15
at a time at this time of year!
Paul and Carol McAllister report a Blue Goose with three Snows in the pond on
Washington Avenue in Cape Charles yesterday afternoon. Today there were 9
Greater Yellowlegs there but no geese other than Canadas. Many Surf Scoters
were off the town's beach, some quite close. The McAllisters also saw two
flocks of Ruddy Ducks from the CBBT yesterday.
Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA
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