Rufous Hummingbird – Luke Tiller
On my usual Sunday morning birding run with David Bell we checked out a neat area in Duarte along the San Gabriel River which I’ve found can often be good for migrants. This year thanks perhaps to some additional rain there is a veritable forest of Tree Tobacco (Nicotiana glauca) growing at the north end of the canyon.
Rufous Hummingbird – Luke Tiller
This introduced plant species always seems to be a big hit with hummingbirds and sure enough we quickly found a large number of hummingbirds taking advantage of the bumper crop of yellow flowers. As well as the expected Allen’s and Anna’s Hummingbirds there were large concentrations of Rufous Hummingbirds and a good number of Costa’s too.
Rufous Hummingbird – Luke Tiller
Rufous Hummingbirds are one of those fairly early migrants and in my mind are one of the real signs of spring. It’s always nice when a spot that you’ve been exploring pays off, and bumper numbers of hummingbirds are never to be sniffed at. It was also nice to see them concentrated in somewhat wild (if not totally native) habitat rather than swarming around a feeder.
Rufous Hummingbird – Luke Tiller
That said it’s easier to shoot hummingbirds at feeders than having to stalk them through the undergrowth! Win some lose some.
Under Clear Skies 