Hi all,
Unless the bird retreated to a very early torpor in today's cold rain, it looks like the Yarmouth Rufous Hummingbird may have departed as it was last seen around 2:00pm. Randy Billmeier reports that today's activity was very different than any other day, with the bird making very quick, darting feeding bouts. If the bird is seen again, Randy will contact me and we'll get the word out immediately.
Cold temperatures, this morning's light wet snowfall, falling pressure, and a light northerly wind may have just been enough to usher him on his way...assuming it would indeed fly south from here. Of course, we don't know if it was a "drift vagrant" that was just a few degrees off course, or entrained in a storm, or is a " Misoriented Migrant) that flew 90 or 180-degrees in the wrong direction and will continue to go in the wrong direction. I'll choose to think happy thoughts (we need more of those in 2020), and that it has continued its course correction by heading south from here to possibly join the growing winter population in the Southeast.
Meanwhile, thank you to everyone who so graciously followed the recommendations for visitation. Things went very well for the Billmeiers and their neighbors, and Randy raved about the graciousness and courtesy of everyone who visited, and "would do it again in a heartbeat." It is just unfortunate that the bird has departed so soon after its presence came to light.
Keep your feeders out, plant more late-blooming flowers, and keep your eyes out. I'm convinced there are more vagrant hummingbirds passing through the state each fall.
Thanks again everyone,
Derek
*****************************************
Derek and Jeannette Lovitch
Freeport Wild Bird Supply
541 Route One, Suite 10
Freeport, ME 04032
207-865-6000
www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com
****************************************
On Monday, October 26, 2020, 08:04:41 PM EDT, 'Derek Lovitch' via Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Hi all,
An immature male Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird is coming to a feeder in Yarmouth and the homeowners, Randy and Nancy Billmeier are graciously welcoming visitors.
It has been present since the 17th or 18th, but just came to our attention today, thanks to our annual call for late hummingbird reports in our store's newsletter. Jeannette and I observed and photographed it as he visited the feeder and the last hosta blossoms in the side yard and (a purple flower out front that I do not know the name of) in the front yard. He came three times between 4:30 and 5:00pm this evening, in a cool light rain and a temperature of 43F!
I believe the extent of rufous on the back (appears to be coming in in places where rufous is not present on Allen's)might be enough to confirm this as a Rufous Hummingbird, but we were unable to observe or photograph the spread tail. Perfect photographs of a spread tail should be enough to confirm that this is not an Allen's Hummingbird (yes, that is a challenge!), which I believe is overdue in Maine.
Assuming it makes it through another chilly night and doesn't depart at first light, this is the first chaseable Selasphorous in Maine in quite some time, so we are very thankful to have been given permission to share this. Please, please, follow the instructions carefully and tread very lightly in this lovely, quiet neighborhood. As usual, we need to be on our best behavior as a birding community to not overstay our welcome and not make the gracious homeowners in any way regret their hospitality.
The bird is at 97 Ledgewood Drive in Yarmouth. Ledgewood is a lightly traveled neighborhood road, but it is rather narrow. Please park along one side of the road only (the homeowner's side/odd numbers) so as not to block traffic. Please be sure not to block any driveways, and avoid turning around in driveways whenever possible. We saw numerous young children out on bikes despite the weather, so please drive very slowly and carefully.
Once at the house, walk to the white picket fence on the RIGHT side of the house. The small hummingbird feeder is on the backside of the bay window. The best line for observations and photographs is several feet to the right of the gate.
Under no circumstances should anyone enter the yard, neighboring yard, or walk in, through, or on any garden beds.
Please include the above instructions in EVERY eBird or any other post...We cannot let people show up with only a GPS location or address and assume they'll figure out where to see the feeder or where not to be a bother.
Ellen Blanchard, the host of the Golden-crowned Sparrow was in the store today and raved about the best behavior of the birders who were fortunate enough to visit. Let's make sure the Billmeiers and their neighbors have only good things to say about the birding community here, too.
Jeannette's photos from this evening can be seen here:
An immature male Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird is coming to a feeder in Yarmouth and the homeowners, Randy and Nancy Billmeier are graciously welcoming visitors.
It has been present since the 17th or 18th, but just came to our attention today, thanks to our annual call for late hummingbird reports in our store's newsletter. Jeannette and I observed and photographed it as he visited the feeder and the last hosta blossoms in the side yard and (a purple flower out front that I do not know the name of) in the front yard. He came three times between 4:30 and 5:00pm this evening, in a cool light rain and a temperature of 43F!
I believe the extent of rufous on the back (appears to be coming in in places where rufous is not present on Allen's)might be enough to confirm this as a Rufous Hummingbird, but we were unable to observe or photograph the spread tail. Perfect photographs of a spread tail should be enough to confirm that this is not an Allen's Hummingbird (yes, that is a challenge!), which I believe is overdue in Maine.
Assuming it makes it through another chilly night and doesn't depart at first light, this is the first chaseable Selasphorous in Maine in quite some time, so we are very thankful to have been given permission to share this. Please, please, follow the instructions carefully and tread very lightly in this lovely, quiet neighborhood. As usual, we need to be on our best behavior as a birding community to not overstay our welcome and not make the gracious homeowners in any way regret their hospitality.
The bird is at 97 Ledgewood Drive in Yarmouth. Ledgewood is a lightly traveled neighborhood road, but it is rather narrow. Please park along one side of the road only (the homeowner's side/odd numbers) so as not to block traffic. Please be sure not to block any driveways, and avoid turning around in driveways whenever possible. We saw numerous young children out on bikes despite the weather, so please drive very slowly and carefully.
Once at the house, walk to the white picket fence on the RIGHT side of the house. The small hummingbird feeder is on the backside of the bay window. The best line for observations and photographs is several feet to the right of the gate.
Under no circumstances should anyone enter the yard, neighboring yard, or walk in, through, or on any garden beds.
Please include the above instructions in EVERY eBird or any other post...We cannot let people show up with only a GPS location or address and assume they'll figure out where to see the feeder or where not to be a bother.
Ellen Blanchard, the host of the Golden-crowned Sparrow was in the store today and raved about the best behavior of the birders who were fortunate enough to visit. Let's make sure the Billmeiers and their neighbors have only good things to say about the birding community here, too.
Jeannette's photos from this evening can be seen here:
http://www.facebook.com/198877036808925/posts/3891399680889957/?extid=0&d=n
Happy twitching,
Derek and Jeannette
Sent from my iPhone
Happy twitching,
Derek and Jeannette
Sent from my iPhone
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