Interesting bird. Solidly green central rects further eliminate
Calliope. Inner primaries look wide so it’s not an Archilochus, which
leaves Calypte. As for Anna’s vs Costa’s – tough call. The straight bill
actually favors Anna’s but the really short R5 on the photo of the bird
hovering more vertically is a good mark for Costa’s. Clean white
undertail coverts too? Someone should try to get video, hoping to record
call note. And more photos.

Thanks for getting this posted Heidi.

Cliff

On 05/23/2018 02:13 PM, Heidi Ware heidithebirdnerd@yahoo.com [ible] wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Jeremy Halka and I are sitting in the IBO offices obsessing about this
> hummer photo on Facebook. Based on description of “very tiny” and
> field marks including straight short bill, light supercilium, and lack
> of buffy color (eliminating Calliope from consideration) we are
> wondering if there’s any chance this is a vagrant *female Costa’s*?
>
> NOTHING is confirmed yet, but figured I’d get the sighting out there
> just in case
>
> Near Aubrey Springs Ranch, Picabo. Sighting by Jeanene Parker
> https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2411952555497242&set=gm.1892519680792643&type=3&theater&ifg=1
>
> We’ve asked Jeanene for more photos/info
>
> ~Heidi
>
>

—
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

Looking better all the time…

Cliff

On 05/23/2018 06:13 PM, Heidi Ware wrote:
> UPDATE: Costa’s Likely
>
> From Carl Lundblad (comment on Idaho Bird Sightings and Discussion)
> “From Sheri Williamson, hummingbird expert, bander, and author of A
> Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America: “Costa’s is what I’d
> call her. The pale eyebrow is a characteristic shared with Anna’s but
> not with either of the Archilochus, and the apparently “generic” inner
> primary shapes further eliminate Ruby-throated”. I also sent this to
> another hummingbird expert/bander in the Las Vegas area (where people
> are constantly mistaking Costa’s and Anna’s for Archilochus).”
>
> Cliff, to your comments about Anna’s: The thing that gets me is the
> birder who found it doesn’t have experience w/ costas (she had
> originally noticed the small size and had been considering Calliope or
> even Rufous), but she has been able to now consistently photograph
> this bird among a mix of Black-chinned (she added more photos
> today)…that tells me it must be extremely small to stand out so much?
>
> To view the thread (no need to log in to facebook) click here
> :
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Idaho Bird Sightings and Discussion
>
> Welcome! **Please read this and the pinned post before posting** Click
> the “see more” link below: Birders at al…
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wednesday, May 23, 2018, 5:31:31 PM MDT, Cliff and Lisa Weisse
> wrote:
>
>
> Interesting bird. Solidly green central rects further eliminate
> Calliope. Inner primaries look wide so it’s not an Archilochus, which
> leaves Calypte. As for Anna’s vs Costa’s – tough call. The straight
> bill actually favors Anna’s but the really short R5 on the photo of
> the bird hovering more vertically is a good mark for Costa’s. Clean
> white undertail coverts too? Someone should try to get video, hoping
> to record call note. And more photos.
>
> Thanks for getting this posted Heidi.
>
> Cliff
>
>
> On 05/23/2018 02:13 PM, Heidi Ware heidithebirdnerd@yahoo.com
> [ible] wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Jeremy Halka and I are sitting in the IBO offices obsessing about
>> this hummer photo on Facebook. Based on description of “very tiny”
>> and field marks including straight short bill, light supercilium, and
>> lack of buffy color (eliminating Calliope from consideration) we are
>> wondering if there’s any chance this is a vagrant *female Costa’s*?
>>
>> NOTHING is confirmed yet, but figured I’d get the sighting out there
>> just in case
>>
>> Near Aubrey Springs Ranch, Picabo. Sighting by Jeanene Parker
>> https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2411952555497242&set=gm.1892519680792643&type=3&theater&ifg=1
>>
>> We’ve asked Jeanene for more photos/info
>>
>> ~Heidi
>>
>>
>
> —
> Cliff and Lisa Weisse
> Island Park, Idaho
> cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

—
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

UPDATE: Costa’s Likely
From Carl Lundblad (comment on Idaho Bird Sightings and Discussion)”From Sheri Williamson, hummingbird expert, bander, and author of A Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America: “Costa’s is what I’d call her. The pale eyebrow is a characteristic shared with Anna’s but not with either of the Archilochus, and the apparently “generic” inner primary shapes further eliminate Ruby-throated”. I also sent this to another hummingbird expert/bander in the Las Vegas area (where people are constantly mistaking Costa’s and Anna’s for Archilochus).”

Cliff, to your comments about Anna’s: The thing that gets me is the birder who found it doesn’t have experience w/ costas (she had originally noticed the small size and had been considering Calliope or even Rufous), but she has been able to now consistently photograph this bird among a mix of Black-chinned (she added more photos today)…that tells me it must be extremely small to stand out so much?
To view the thread (no need to log in to facebook) click here: 

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Idaho Bird Sightings and Discussion

Welcome! **Please read this and the pinned post before posting** Click the “see more” link below: Birders at al…
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On Wednesday, May 23, 2018, 5:31:31 PM MDT, Cliff and Lisa Weisse wrote:

Interesting bird. Solidly green central rects further eliminate Calliope. Inner primaries look wide so it’s not an Archilochus, which leaves Calypte. As for Anna’s vs Costa’s – tough call. The straight bill actually favors Anna’s but the really short R5 on the photo of the bird hovering more vertically is a good mark for Costa’s. Clean white undertail coverts too? Someone should try to get video, hoping to record call note. And more photos.

Thanks for getting this posted Heidi.

Cliff

On 05/23/2018 02:13 PM, Heidi Ware heidithebirdnerd@yahoo.com [ible] wrote:

  Hi all,
Jeremy Halka and I are sitting in the IBO offices obsessing about this hummer photo on Facebook. Based on description of “very tiny” and field marks including straight short bill, light supercilium, and lack of buffy color (eliminating Calliope from consideration) we are wondering if there’s any chance this is a vagrant female Costa’s?
NOTHING is confirmed yet, but figured I’d get the sighting out there just in case
Near Aubrey Springs Ranch, Picabo. Sighting by Jeanene Parker https://www..facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2411952555497242&set=gm.1892519680792643&type=3&theater&ifg=1

We’ve asked Jeanene for more photos/info
~Heidi

—
Cliff and Lisa Weisse
Island Park, Idaho
cliffandlisa@octobersetters.com

When I got to Esther Simplot Park today, I found a Western Grebe in Quinn’s
Pond. While one had hung out at Quinn’s for a while, and another had hung
out at Silver Lake for a while, I hadn’t seen this species in weeks.

Then, at Silver Lake (Lake Harbor Pond), I found an immature male Common
Goldeneye, a species I hadn’t seen along the river for over a month, at
least. I call him immature male because his head was reddish like a
female’s, not dark green, but he had the telltale white circle in front of
his eye.

Still later, on my return to Esther Simplot, I discovered a m/f pair of
Canvasbacks on the main pond, a first of year bird for me. While I have seen
Canvasbacks along the river in prior years, my recollection is that it also
has been a while.

Finally, when I rode along the newly completed concrete path that forms the
Greenbelt between Quinn’s Pond and the river, I discovered a Ruddy Duck
hanging out with the Western Grebe that I’d spotted earlier. He was in full
breeding attire, blue bill and all.

What’s amazing to me is that for some time now I have only been seeing
Mallards and Wood Ducks along “my” section of the Greenbelt (plus C. Geese
and DC Cormorants). Lots of other species have arrived, but I thought all
the swimmers had already departed (including Coots). The last time I saw a
C. Merganser was at least a week ago, so today was quite a treat.

BTW, the river has been going up all week and today there was water on the
path between Willow Lane and Silver Lake. (Of course, last year this section
was so under water it had to be closed.)

Tom McCabe, Boise

Hi all,
Jeremy Halka and I are sitting in the IBO offices obsessing about this hummer photo on Facebook. Based on description of “very tiny” and field marks including straight short bill, light supercilium, and lack of buffy color (eliminating Calliope from consideration) we are wondering if there’s any chance this is a vagrant female Costa’s?
NOTHING is confirmed yet, but figured I’d get the sighting out there just in case
Near Aubrey Springs Ranch, Picabo. Sighting by Jeanene Parkerhttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2411952555497242&set=gm.1892519680792643&type=3&theater&ifg=1

We’ve asked Jeanene for more photos/info
~Heidi