Costa's Hummingbird - Tallahassee - 13Dec2012

[Elliot Schunke]

A hatching-year male Costa's Hummingbird was banded by Fred Dietrich today in east Tallahassee.

Fred asked me to pass along this info: The homeowners are giving birders permission to come and view the bird. The feeders are in the backyard which can be entered through the gate to the left side of the house. The bird visits the feeder nearest the inside of the gate, though there are three other feeders and a good deal of flowers inside the backyard, too. The homeowners are Tom and Carol Yarborough and they live at 6730 Walden Circle. They ask that you do NOT come either on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning but any other time is fine by them.

Also coming to their feeders and flowers is at least one hatching year female Rufous Hummingbird, so do not assume that any hummingbird seen is the Costa's. The Rufous was also banded and given a pink mark on its crown.

I was able to make it to the house this afternoon and see the bird ... and what a bird it was! Here is one photo and it will be followed by some more once I process them.

[Elliot Schunke]

a couple more images:

iridescence color showing a bit better

COHU3 by ElliotSchunke, on Flickr

on feeder

COHU2 by ElliotSchunke, on Flickr

[Elliot Schunke]

Here are Fred Dietrich's, the bander's, photographs of the bird in hand. He's a stunner!!

http://www.pbase.com/fdietrich/costas2

[Alan Moss]

I was there from 10 until 2 but it never showed. According to a post on Bird Brains, it showed up again at 3:45. I guess I'll have to make it back over there soon.

[Alan Moss]

After 7 1/2 hours of waiting in three different sessions, I finally got to see the Costa's today at about 2. That makes at least 4 different sightings today that I know of. Still plenty of opportunity for those who haven't seen it.

[Robert Gundy]

I spent two and a half hours at the backyard today. I sat down right by the air conditioning unit and waited. At about 10am the Costa's came out and fed for a while. The purple on the side of the neck was glowing in the sun particularly brightly. I also saw two different Rufous Hummingbirds and a third hummingbird that I think was a female Ruby-throated? All green, no gorget, off white on throat, chest and belly. No facial pattern. It wasn't around long enough for me to see the white spot behind the eye or white on the tail feathers.
When other flocks came in, that's when hummers started showing up and would feed by the fence in particularly sunny moments. Also saw AMGO, CEDW, HOFI, CACH, TUTI, RBWO, PIWO, AMCR, NOMO, NOCA, CAWR, SSHA, RSHA, TUVU, YRWA, BLJA and I think that was it.

[Andy Wraithmell]

there were 10 Pine Siskins at the Costa's yard as well this afternoon.

http://limeybirder.wordpress.com/2013/0 ... ircle2289/

[Robert Gundy]

I knew it! I thought I saw a couple hanging out but when the House Finches showed up I assumed them to be females of that species. I think I'll return in the morning to get a more definitive and official viewing. I'm gonna hit Lake Elberta too to get the Red-necked Grebe for two years technically.

[Andy Wraithmell]

I knew it! I thought I saw a couple hanging out but when the House Finches showed up I assumed them to be females of that species. I think I'll return in the morning to get a more definitive and official viewing. I'm gonna hit Lake Elberta too to get the Red-necked Grebe for two years technically.

The Pine Siskins were very vocal Robert and would often sit in the trees at the back of the yard calling constantly. They really liked feeding on the feeders by the house and were also feeding on the ground.

[Robert Gundy]

I got them the next day. The vocalization was new to me, glad I have heard that and can try to store it in my memory now. I missed out on half the birds the day I saw the Costa's because I never even turned the corner where the majority of the birds and feeders are. Three lifers in one backyard is pretty awesome.