The second hummer caught on 2/18/06 is a female and I expected her to be the one which returned on 7/31/05. I had been able to check all the numbers on her band (N39257) through the scope and with the aid of some digiscoped images - see her own webpage. Much to our surprise and delight, this female was in fact the other female (N39258) which had been both banded and recaptured on the same days - 1/19/04 and 12/22/04, respectively. This confirms that this is her third winter here. |
Feb. 18th, 2006 ~ Double recapture When I observed the male Rufous Hummingbird below, I thought that he was a new bird, due to his scruffy looking gorget, but he is the one that has been here since last November and is just going through a molt of the gorget. When humbander, Charlie Brower, captured him today and checked the numbers on his band (just visible on his right leg, in the photo below left) we found out that he is the bird that was banded here on 12/22/04, so this is his second winter here. It is interesting to note the construction of the gorget feathers, by studying those on the center of the upper breast. The reflective red is only found on the tips. For more information on hummingbird plumage, click here and find out some fascinating facts - did you know they have eyelashes? |
Update on the banded female Rufous She returned to my yard on July 31st, 2005 and defended a feeder during the very busy time, in September, when the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were passing through on their southbound migration. When they had vacated my yard, I did not see this female Rufous around very much, but I now know that she is "living" next door, where my neighbor keeps 2 feeders going all year! This hummer has a couple of favorite perches over there - one of them very close to my Mexican cigar bushes along the fenceline. See the photo (left) taken on Nov. 26th, 05. Click here for her own webpage. |
Winter Hummingbird Season 2005-2006 Richmond, Texas |
Immature male Rufous first observed on 11-7-05. Photo taken at 9:45am |
Immature male Rufous observed on 11-18-05. Photo taken at 4:25pm |
Immature male Rufous first observed on 11-7-05. Photo taken at 2:10pm. |
This page was last updated on: August 5, 2006
Nov. 7th ~18th, 2005 The first 2 photos below were taken 11 days apart. I think it quite likely that this is the same bird, with the second photo showing more of the gorget grown in and more rufous grown into the rump area. They both have a light rufous patch on the right shoulder, and are both holding the left wing lower than the right. |
Close-ups of the heads and gorgets of these birds |
Nov. 25th, 2005 Adult male Rufous sighted, coming in to one of the feeders. See the photo right. Nov. 28th, 2005 This male Rufous has decided to stay for the time being, so I will try to scope him and see if he is wearing a band. |
Nov. 30th, 2005 Managed to get a photo of him, on a feeder, and I can see a band and even read the letter N, which means he is probably the male Rufous that was banded here on Dec 22nd, 2004. See photo left and note enlargement of band. An immature male Rufous was also seen today, photo below. |
Dec. 10th, 2005 We have had several days of cold weather ~ mornings about 33-36F, but have not had a freeze here, like some areas further north. The banded adult male Rufous (above) is still here, but I have not seen the immature male (right) since Dec. 1st. This may be due to the fact that we've been having renovation work done on our deck, so I've had to move the feeders into other areas of the backyard, where I can't see them so well. |
Update on the banded female Rufous She returned to my yard on July 31st, 2005 and defended a feeder during the very busy time, in September, when the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were passing through on their southbound migration. When they had vacated my yard, I did not see this female Rufous around very much, but I now know that she is "living" next door, where my neighbor keeps 2 feeders going all year! This hummer has a couple of favorite perches over there - one of them very close to my Mexican cigar bushes along the fenceline. See the photo (left) taken on Nov. 26th, 05. Click here for her own webpage. |
NEW !! Scroll down for recapture details on 2/18/06. |
Feb. 18th, 2006 ~ Double recapture When I observed the male Rufous Hummingbird below, I thought that he was a new bird, due to his scruffy looking gorget, but he is the one that has been here since last November and is just going through a molt of the gorget. When humbander, Charlie Brower, captured him today and checked the numbers on his band (just visible on his right leg, in the photo below left) we found out that he is the bird that was banded here on 12/22/04, so this is his second winter here. It is interesting to note the construction of the gorget feathers, by studying those on the center of the upper breast. The reflective red is only found on the tips. For more information on hummingbird plumage, click here and find out some fascinating facts - did you know they have eyelashes? |
The second hummer caught on 2/18/06 is a female and I expected her to be the one which returned on 7/31/05. I had been able to check all the numbers on her band (N39257) through the scope and with the aid of some digiscoped images - see her own webpage. Much to our surprise and delight, this female was in fact the other female (N39258) which had been both banded and recaptured on the same days - 1/19/04 and 12/22/04, respectively. This confirms that this is her third winter here. |
Hummer N39258 being weighed. The large bands are those used for banding ducks! |
A close-up of her gorget. |
