Wild Fidalgo

Rufous Hummingbirds ( Salasphorus rufus ) Females The poet Robert Sund has anticipated my recent BirdCam Experience: Summer Solstice It's been a busy day. First,      one hummingbird, then another! For Allen Engle Cleared for approach Flashing her red throat spot "I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille" Then, I did some experimenting with Photoshop's special effect filters:

This week I set up a BirdCam for hummingbirds and I am finally getting some decent pictures of the little guys.  These are Rufous Hummingbirds ( Salasphorous rufus ).  I was puzzled why I was only seeing female birds in the photos.  Not a single male has made an appearance so far.  Then I found something interesting at the BirdWeb website regarding Rufous Hummingbird migration: "In June and July, males leave the breeding grounds for higher elevations, from which they will later migrate south. Females and juveniles leave the state from late July through September, with most migrating in August." Apparently, all the male Rufous Hummingbirds have already left the area.  I will keep an eye out to see if I catch any stragglers. On her approach to the feeder, she flashes her tail.  I think it's like lowering the flaps on an airplane to maintain lift while decelerating.  The rufous orange band on her tail differentiates her from our other hummer, A...

Catching Hummingbird shots with the Birdcam has turned out to be a tricky task.  First, if the background is too busy these little guys are easily lost in the image.  The same happens if it's too close to the birds.  They are also faster than a speeding bullet and always in motion.  After some learning and adjusting, I finally got a couple of fairly decent shots.  We have two species common locally.  Above is a Rufous Hummingbird female ( Selasphorus rufus ).  Below is my best photo so far of Anna's Hummingbird ( Calypte anna ), also a female.  I will keep trying for better shots.  Despite what the references and range maps say, I had Rufous Hummingbirds buzzing around the yard in January.

My neighbor has a knack for catching great bird photos.  This young, female Rufous Hummingbird ( Salasphorus rufus ) visits a Torch Lily.  We have two Trochilidae  common on South Fidalgo; the other is Anna's Hummingbird.  I had Rufies visiting the yard this past January, by the book, a bit out of season. The Eurasian Collared Dove ( Streptopelia decaocto ) is an immigrant, originally introduced into the Bahamas in the 1970's.  By the 1980's, they reached Florida and apparently have now made it all the way to South Fidalgo Island. Photos:  Dan Codd