Wintering hummingbirds 2001-2002 season
The fall migration of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds is usually over in October, but almost every year I have seen these immature birds coming through in November.
HY - means "hatch year"
Details of the digital camera are below
HY male Ruby-throated Hummingbird - photographed 11/24/01
Same hummer photographed 11/25/01
Rear view showing white tipped tail feathers, which indicate an immature bird or a female.
For the last 4 years I have maintained a hummingbird garden and kept my feeders up into the winter season (Nov-Mar), hoping to get some western hummers spend the winter in my backyard. I am located in south-east Texas, near Houston. In the past I've had Rufous and Black-chinned Hummingbirds, but recently (11/24/01) this immature male Ruby-throated Hummingbird appeared at my feeders and I was able to get some nice photos of him. He's either decided to stay in South-east Texas for the winter or is a very late migrant, still on his way to Mexico, and he may only stay until he gets fattened up enough to continue his journey. Last seen Wednesday, Dec 5th, 2001.
I also have a Selasphorus species hummingbird here, which has been using the plants rather than the feeders. However, I managed to photograph it on a feeder, on 11/27/01, at 1:30pm - a chilly, rainy day, after a cold front, with thunderstorms, had passed through overnight. I got 3 quick shots through my kitchen window. See below:
First photo taken through my kitchen window on Nov 27th. Enlargement of this Selasphorus sp. (right)
Enlarged detail of third photo, with a better view of the gorget or is this just a reflection from the red feeder?
Enlarged detail of second photo
All these photos were taken with an Olympus Camedia C-700 Ultra Zoom digital camera, set on full 10x optical zoom and a SHQ image with 1600 X1200 resolution. The camera is 2.11 megapixels, has a 2.7 digital zoom and also a QuickTime movie mode. It uses SmartMedia cards. No scope was used as the feeder is about 14 feet from the kitchen window. The images were then resized and/or cropped with the software ACDSee 4.0.
Click here for some new photos, showing a 2nd Selasphorus, taken Nov 28th, 30th & Dec 1st, 2001
Go to these pages for sightings in January 2002 and February 2002
© Helen Baines 2001
Hummingbirds in Fall 2001 migration - click here
Ruby-throated hummingbird with a deformed bill
This page was last updated on: August 12, 2003
