Hummers

Gallery: AvianPosted August 24, 2014105 views3 comments

I believe the top bird to be a rufous (immature male?). Not sure about the bottom bird. Hummingbirds are tough for me due to color blindness. Any help with identification here would be appreciated. Lots of them this day in the central valley, hanging out in the bulrushes. Feeders nearby. D800e, 300f4, 1.4tc, 1/1250, F6.3, ISO 800. Comments and criticism are highly valued.

Comments

3 comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on August 25, 2014 at 1:07 AM

Rufous versus Allen's is tough. My guess is the the upper bird in a female Rufous, based upon the slight notch in the next-to-central feathers and the extent of the Rufous. The lower bird appears to be a juvenile, but I can't say whether it is an Allen's or a Rufous. Sibley says of the Allen's, "Virtually identical to the Rufous hummingbird in all respects... Identifiable with certainty only in the hand by measurements of tail feathers."

Nice behavior shot, though...

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on August 25, 2014 at 1:07 PM

Neat catch, Jim. Hummers in action are so much fun.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on August 25, 2014 at 1:24 PM

Great interaction, Jim. Nice to get them both in the same focal plane.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments