Tag Archives: Anna’s Hummingbird

I got a email late morning from Jennifer the homeowner of the rare Anna’s Hummingbird that was reported in Wauwatosa the earlier part of November. It was still present today December 7th she said, wow! That would make at least 42 day there. Jennifer first saw the bird on October 27, 2016, it may have been there earlier as she was out of town before that. I stopped in for a few documentation photos for her today. I was there a short time mid afternoon. The bird was present the whole time I was there within 10-15 feet of the nectar feeders she has up. When not at the nectar feeder it perched on a couple of branches in a honeysuckle.  Amazing that it is still hanging around and no more flowers in her yard appeared to be blooming.  Jennifer is not taking any visitors at this time to view the bird. Once again, a big thank you to her for sharing this bird earlier in late November with the birding community when she could. It will be interesting if it hangs around with the very cold weather coming with minus temps. A mostly cloudy afternoon with temps below freezing with light winds. Images were taken on December 7, 2016.  UPDATE: The Anna’s Hummingbird was last seen on December 14, 2016. The Anna’s Hummingbird stayed at least 49 days in the Wauwatosa yard!

Preening

Preening

This image shows the band on the leg, this bird was banded on November 14, 2016 in the yard

Wing stretch

A link to the earlier blog post of the Anna’s Hummingbird I put up when it first showed up in November 2016 if you care to view it:

Anna’s Hummingbird at Wauwatosa in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on November 15, 2016

I got an email from a friend Kathi R. that a Anna’s Hummingbird was visiting her friend Jennifer’s yard in Wauwatosa Wisconsin. This rare visiting bird is a young male. Jennifer wanted images of the bird and asked me to try for some. Jennifer for many reasons could not have the general public stopping over at this time. Now she has given permission for others to come see this stunning Anna’s Hummingbird 11/18/16. I felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to do this and did not pass it up. Jennifer said she noticed the Anna’s Hummingbird in her yard going back to at least October 27, 2016, so who knows how long the bird has been there? This bird was banded on November 14, 2016 by Cynthia B along with her assistant Paula S. in Jennifer’s yard. I arrived the day after the banding on November 15 and the bird was present for most of the time I was there from 8am-1pm. The bird only hit the nectar feeders once in that period. Amazingly, Jennifer still had very many blooming plants in her yard for this bird to get nectar from. For the time I was there, the bird mostly perched on a telephone line or in a honeysuckle bush, preening and resting. It feed a few times on some flowering plants out of view, and a couple times in the more open. Jennifer considers herself a hummingbird, butterfly and bee enthusiast, her small yard is filled with plants and acts as an oases for hummingbirds in the fall, probably why the Anna’s Hummingbird is there, and hung around so long. All her hard work with habitat in her yard has paid off with the reward of an Anna’s Hummingbird! The morning started out foggy and then turned to cloudy skies with cool winds from the west for the duration of my visit. I did not see this bird in the sunlight, I bet it sparkles to no end! The normal range for this bird is west coast of the US, western Canada up into southern Alaska. 1 or 2 Anna’s seem to be seen here in Wisconsin every fall, but I am not sure on those numbers. Images were taken on November 15, 2016.

Anna’s Hummingbird

Binomial name: Calypte anna

Category: Hummingbirds

Size: 4″ long, 5.25” wingspan

Weight: 0.15 oz

I made the run out to Waterloo Wisconsin in Jefferson County with hopes to see the reported female Anna’s Hummingbird. When I arrived I had to wait for a while for the bird to show. It had been reported that it showed roughly every hour. It pretty much stayed on track for that for the couple of hours I stayed. It typically favored the feeder port of the hummingbird feeder that was against the house next to the pole which made it difficult for photos, but the bird gave great views! When it got the feeder it stayed there for the duration until it had what it wanted then left to the east. On one occasion I saw it leave and go into a arborvitae type tree to the east. From what I heard today, this was the 6th reported Anna’s for the state of Wisconsin. It was said the bird has been coming to the feeder for about a week, but it took that long to get it all figured out that it was a Anna’s and not a Ruby-throated. The pale white eye-ring and white behind the eyes determines it is a Anna’s. This bird was banded early this morning by Cynthia B, but it did not stop it from returning to one of the feeders in the yard all day long. Not my first Anna’s in the state as I got the stunning male last year in Sauk County Wisconsin on October 21, 2014. A big thank you to Duane and Kristen for allowing visitors to see the rare visitor to the state and being great hosts! Also, thanks to Tom P for getting the word out on this bird.

Anna’s Hummingbird

Binomial name: Calypte anna

Category: Hummingbirds

Size: 4″ long, 5.25” wingspan

Weight: 0.15 oz

Link to images of the MALE Anna’s Hummingbird taken in Sauk County Wisconsin on October 21, 2014 if you care to view them:

http://www.windowtowildlife.com/annas-hummingbird-sauk-county-wisconsin-october-21-2014/