Orinda, California - Mixed (1 Viewer)

[Fandango739]

Garden birds....

1) Anna's Hummeringbird female?
2) ? & ?
3) *** Thrush?
4 & 5) Bushtit?

Thanks!!

 

[chris butterworth]

1. I'm unable to tell from that photo. Any more?
2. Fox Sparrow, at the front, and Golden-crowned.
3. Hermit Thrush.
4 + 5. Bushtit.

 

[Fandango739]

Alas, no more photos I can b sure are that one bird. The garden was very active with hummers coming and going.

Thanks for the ones you were able to id! To be honest, it's exciting!

 

[Tiraya]

I suspect 1 is an Allen's/Rufous as the shape and buffy sides rule out Anna's.

Agree with Chris on the others. Nice on the golden-crowned, most we see are pretty dull but you've got some good head pattern there.

 

[Fandango739]

Hmmm...perhaps an Allen's, then.
(***Twit edit***)
Thanks!

 

[Tiraya]

Yes it is a bit late for rufous isn't it...

 

[rkj]

Yes it is a bit late for rufous isn't it...

Actually, in the Bay Area Rufous is more likely than Allen's after early August, but I would be reluctant to speculate about the id of any hummer like the one in the photo in this area at this time.

 

[Tiraya]

Thanks rkj, so you don't get resident Allen's up there like you do down south? Rufous has records from almost every month so it would probably not be smart to rule it out anyway.

 

[rkj]

Thanks rkj, so you don't get resident Allen's up there like you do down south? Rufous has records from almost every month so it would probably not be smart to rule it out anyway.

No, Allen’s does not normally winter in northern California. To go into this further than most readers will care about: from ebird reports in Conta Costa and Alameda Counties (for those unfamiliar with California geography, these are on the east side of San Francisco Bay; the posted siting was in Conta Costa close to Alameda), Allen’s is not seen after July while Rufous continues to be seen in some numbers up to early September. I think it should be noted, though, that those reports must be based almost entirely on adult male birds, the females and juveniles being essentially indistinguishable in the field. Since males give no parental care in hummingbirds I think it is entirely likely that male and female hummers have somewhat different migration dates. Unidentified Rufous/Allen’s types continue to be seen in some numbers through late September; these are presumably almost all females and juveniles. I don’t think anybody really knows which would be more likely in the area at that time or later in the autumn.