Date:         Tue, 25 Nov 2003 12:16:36 -0500
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         David Mozurkewich <mozurk@BELLATLANTIC.NET>
Subject:      A three hummer morning in DC
In-Reply-To:  <sfc3035d.081@gwsmtp.si.edu>
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All three DC hummingbirds survived the cold night.

I took over the vigil at Ripley Garden just before 7AM but after Jim
Felley left.  I was relieved by George Jett at 7:50.  During my watch the
hummingbird appeared about four times for a minute or less each time.  It
perched for about two seconds during its second visit.

After that, I visited the hummingbird garden in NW Washington.  Both
Selasphori made appearances.  The one with the large, central spot on its
throat was present early and often, feeding at flowers along W Street
rather than using the feeders.  The other bird (with more extensive, but
finer spotting on its throat) made two, brief visits to the feeder in the
back yard (along Observatory Place) between 10 and 10:30, after my last
sighting of the other bird.

All three birds were easily identified as Hummingbird, (sp?).  They did
not give me good views of their spread tails nor did they perch long
enough in orientations that allowed me to assess the length of their wings
and relative length of their primaries.  Perhaps that's for the best since
it's not clear I would know what to do with the views I didn't have.  I
don't know if that last sentence made any sense, but it probably applies
to just about everyone who has seen these birds.  It will be interesting
to see how many of us add these to their DC lists claiming to have
identified them in the district.

Nevertheless, just seeing these birds this time of year is quite a treat
and is well worth the trip.

Dave
David Mozurkewich
Seabrook, PG MD USA
mozurk at bellAtlantic. net

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