[EBB Sightings] Fledgling hummer

This afternoon in one of our backyard trees (Central Berkeley) we had a 
mysterious tiny bird flitting about, acting like a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 
but seeming a bit small even for that species. Finally it emerged into the 
sunlight and sat on a branch preening itself and gleaning from nearby 
twigs. Turned out to be an Anna's Hummer. I'm pretty sure it was a new 
fledgling both because it was all fluffed-out and had little green 
coloring, but also because of the gleaning behavior, which is very 
characteristic of this species when they're not quite up to hawking for 
insects yet. My guess is that the nest is hidden in this very leafy, very 
branchy tree. They're usually two to a nest, but we only saw this one. A 
pair of Anna's hummers were flying in the vicinity and we had courtship 
behavior a month or so ago.


Tom Condit
tomcondit at igc.org