Hi Everyone,

Maryland's second ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD visited a feeder in Middletown, Frederick Co., Maryland in November and early December of this year. A small group visited on 12/9 to document and band the bird, which until our visit was only known to be a late hummingbird. It was identified in the field as an Anna's, banded, and aged as a hatch-year male. Arrangements were immediately made for other visitors, but alas the bird seems to have departed that afternoon. (Some notes on logistics below.) 

Photos are available here:
http://www.billhubick.com/photos/birds/annas_hummingbird.php

I am very disappointed that the bird relocated so soon after the birding community learned of its presence. I did the best I could to facilitate visitors as quickly as possible without ill affect on the bird or the homeowners. Facilitating access to a rarity is a delicate, often stressful juggling act in which one tries to balance the well-being of the bird, the comfort levels of the homeowners, the logistics of the site, and the enthusiasm of interested birders. We ultimately arranged to start spreading the news via word of mouth and slowly allow all interested visitors to come see the bird. This is pretty standard when logistics require some compromises. The first few people were in place by the afternoon and a vigil continued the next morning. After the bird did not return by his clockwork-like schedule, the homeowner asked us to stand by unless it returned. As of this writing, it has not been back since Thursday, 12/9.

Abrupt departures after initial documentation are not the norm. Rick's hummingbird and nearly all other late hummingbirds in the state have experienced the same attention and documentation. The visit on Thursday was no more disruptive than others like it, and its departure does not suggest misfortune for the bird. This is a large, hardy bird that is likely to turn up somewhere else on the East Coast in the future. Many will also maintain, myself included, that such minor risks (if they should be considered risks at all) are well-worth the benefit of documenting the phenomenon of hummingbird vagrancy. Science is still learning about why this happens and where these birds go. It is this kind of citizen science that leads to papers and dots on range maps in field guides. And of course when we better understand any area of the natural world, we improve our chances of protecting it. Now when this bird appears at his next stop, whether in Jim Stasz's yard or
 the Outer Banks, we'll uncover one more piece of the puzzle. 

Many thanks to the gracious homeowners, the Serras, for welcoming "Junior" to their yard, and for finding their way to the Maryland ornithology community to document him. This is a very exciting record, and all the more reason for all of us to clean and re-fill those feeders. (With the cold weather, consider a heating unit or taking the feeder in for the night, replacing it as early in the morning as possible.)

Good birding,

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com