Over the last week or so, I have been photographing hummingbirds near Spring Canyon Community Park in southwest Fort Collins. For this late in the season, the number of hummers have been remarkable, somewhere between 10-20 individuals, mostly juvenile Rufous Hummingbirds migrating from the Pacific Northwest. On Saturday at about 1:30 pm, I photographed what I believe is a juv. female Ruby-throated. A photo is in my recent bird photo gallery at www.pbase.com/quetzal. It was among a small group of Rufous Hummingbirds hanging out along the Pleasant Valley and Lake Canal just north of the east end of Michener Rd. in the Quail Hollow neighborhood. Here is a link to the exact spot: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=203689917771315853222.0004e714ae7e65929d299&msa=0&ll=40.550072,-105.125245&spn=0.002865,0.004619. This is the same spot where a Philadelphia Vireo popped up last week (long gone by now, but the habitat is fabulous). The access is from the Spring Creek bike trail. I park about a half-mile away at Cottonwood Park, reached by driving south on Overland Trail until it ends. You can park closer in the residential neighborhood I think.
Juvenile hummers are difficult to identify. I didn't realize what I was looking at in the field, but only after I had studied the photos several times! The first step is to find one the lacks buffy rufous sides. I include notes on the identification with the online photo.
Ruby-throats are normally accidental along the front range. I can think of 5 others reported in the last 2 weeks, so maybe their status is changing!
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