[EBB Sightings] Female Rufous Hummingbird detail

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I have received two e mails regarding the Rufous Hummingbird in my front
yard this past weekend.
I am just finding the time to respond so I thought I'd post my response
for all to view.
I saw the RH on and off from early AM I knew it was either an Allen's or
a Rufous.
I have records of migrating Rufous stopping off in the yard. I have
never recorded an Allen's in my yard.
It was 11:30 AM  when I approached the garden area in my front yard
which the RH was using to feed.
The garden is made up of Mexican Sage which produces a blue cone flower,
there are hundreds of flowers so it attracts hummingbirds on going.
With the sun to my back, I approached the bird .
I got with in a few feet of the RH looking down at a 45 degree angle on
to the back while it worked each plant.
As the RH stopped to feed while hovering it would fully and broadly fan
its tail feathers out.
This is what literally stopped me in my tracks as I was leaving for
Alviso to find the Bairds Sandpiper .
But this sighting was to good to leave.
The lower back was green:  the very lower back had speckles of
variegated Rufous in the feathers.
The tail feathers where almost all Rufous,then black feathers lower,
with the tip white ~ the black was clearly visible during the  tail
fanning.
The sides where pale buff, regarding the sides it would be a stretch to
describe the color Rufous. maybe light Rufous.
The tail feathers (all) appeared to be  very wide and very board to the
point that it appeared that the bird was struggling to manage its tail.
So I determined this bird to be a female Rufous Hummingbird.
Later in the evening when I was logging my birds for the weekend. I
noticed that last year 2003 July 30th I had a male Rufous in my yard.
Rich Cimino
Pleasanton

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received two=20
e mails regarding the Rufous Hummingbird in my front yard this past=20
weekend.
just finding=20
the time to respond so I thought I'd post my response for all to=20
view.
the RH on and=20
off from early AM I knew it was either an Allen's or a=20
Rufous.
records=20
of migrating Rufous stopping off in the yard. I have never =
recorded an=20
Allen's in my yard.
11:30=20
AM  when I approached the garden area in my front yard =
which the=20
RH was using to feed.
garden is made=20
up of Mexican Sage which produces a blue cone flower, there are hundreds =
of=20
flowers so it attracts hummingbirds on going.
the sun to my=20
back, I approached the bird .
size=3D2>I got with in a=20
few feet of the RH looking down at a 45 degree angle on to the back =
while it=20
worked each plant.
RH stopped to=20
feed while hovering it would fully and broadly fan its tail feathers=20
out.
is what=20
literally stopped me in my tracks as I was leaving for Alviso to find =
the Bairds=20
Sandpiper .
this sighting=20
was to good to leave.
lower back was=20
green:  the very lower back had speckles of variegated Rufous in =
the=20
feathers.
tail=20
feathers where almost all Rufous,then black feathers =
lower, with the=20
tip white ~ the black was clearly visible during the  tail=20
fanning.
sides where=20
pale buff, regarding the sides it would be a stretch to describe =
the color=20
Rufous. maybe light Rufous.
tail feathers=20
(all) appeared to be  very wide and very board to the =
point that=20
it appeared that the bird was struggling to manage its =
tail.
determined this=20
bird to be a female Rufous Hummingbird.
in the evening=20
when I was logging my birds for the weekend. I noticed that last year =
2003 July=20
30th I had a male Rufous in my yard.
Cimino
size=3D2>Pleasanton

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