Allen's Hummingbird in Bucks County ~ November 15, 2012

Long-time friend, Babe Webster called me on the 13th and reported that she had a 'Selasphorus' hummingbird coming to her feeder. She first noticed the bird the day before but only saw it for a short time and thought it might have moved on. But when the bird zipped back into the feeder the next morning, she called to let me know. She gave me permission to post about the bird, but I wasn't able to go and see it because of work. Finally, on the 15th, I was able to get there and take some photos of it. Despite trying, I wasn't able to get a photo of the spread tail feathers in order to determine whether it was a Rufous or an Allen's. It was a really rufous bird with a greenish back.

I called Scott Weidensaul who was able to capture the bird and band it on the 21st. Close inspection and measurements of the tail feathers revealed the bird to be the 3rd Pennsylvania record of an Allen's Hummingbird. Amazingly, the Allen's showed up exactly 10 years to the day after Babe had a Rufous Hummingbird visit her yard back in 2002. Less than a handful of Pennsylvanians have had two different species of 'western' hummingbirds visit their yard.

Allen's Hummingbird at Babe Webster's yard near Plumsteadville, Bucks County.

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Brown Booby at White Lake, NJ ~ July 30, 2012

Dustin Welch, Stephen Kloiber, and I spent Monday morning at White Lake near Blairstown, New Jersey watching a wayward Brown Booby that surprisingly had been there since Friday. The booby stood on the dock at the east end of the lake the entire time we were there.

Brown Booby at White Lake, New Jersey.

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Small-billed Elaenia in Chicago, IL ~ April 20, 2012

Right after work Thursday night, Jason Horn, Dick Colyer, and I started the 12-hour drive to Douglas Park in Chicago to hopefully see an Elaenia that had been found there back on Tuesday. Elaenias are the South American equivalent of our 'Empidonax' flycatchers when it comes to tricky identifications. Birds out of their normal range can be extremely difficult. Birders who had already seen the bird and took photos helped narrow down the species to either a White-crested or Small-billed Elaenia.

We got to the park in the late morning on Friday and found a few birders standing at the east end of the Field House. After only a few minutes, Jason spotted the bird actively working a small grove of trees. Despite the fact that the bird moved around almost warbler-like at times, we still managed to get very satisfying looks at it. The light crest patch was noticeable when the bird was facing us and the three wingbars, which lean the identification towards a Small-billed Elaenia, were easily seen. Photos were a challenge because of the bird's quick movements and the fairly dark, cloudy day.

Elaenia at Douglas Park, Chicago, Illinois. Note the fairly short bill, faint eyering, and the three wingbars, which lean the identification towards a Small-billed Elaenia.

Elaenia at Douglas Park, Chicago, Illinois. This blurry photo shows the light central crown patch.

Elaenia at Douglas Park, Chicago, Illinois. This is another photo showing the front portion of the central crown patch.

Other birds seen there included American Wigeon, Blue-winged Teal, Pied-billed Grebe, Caspian Tern, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, and Palm, Yellow-rumped, and Orange-crowned Warbler.

Orange-crowned Warbler at Douglas Park, Chicago, Illinois.

We left a few hours later and got back home around 5:00 AM on Saturday morning, covering about 1500 miles.

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Update: The Illinois Records Committee accepted the bird as a Small-billed Elaenia.

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Hooded Crane at Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, Tennessee ~ January 5-7, 2012

Devich Farbotnik and I left Thursday night and drove to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee, getting there before first light Friday morning. We spent all day Friday looking for the Hooded Crane that had been seen there since mid-December among about 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, but it never came into view.

Sandhill Cranes at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge.

Despite not seeing the Hooded Crane all day Friday, we did see a young Whooping Crane.

A long-distance photo of a Whooping Crane at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. Note the rusty coloration on the head and neck and some near the rump.

Several Bald Eagles were present most of the day, occasionally stirring up the cranes as they flew overhead. A cooperative Eastern Phoebe flew around the viewing platform.

Eastern Phoebe at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge.

We stayed overnight in nearby Cleveland and returned Saturday morning. At around 8:45, the Hooded Crane flew in and landed in a field. It was only in view for about five minutes when a Sandhill Crane chased it behind some trees, so I wasn't able to get a documentation photo of it, but Devich was able to get an identifiable photo of it with his phone through his scope.

Devich Farbotnik's photo of the Hooded Crane (center, facing left) at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. Note the dark forehead and light bill on the white head and the charcoal-colored body.

We left around noon and got back home around 11:00 Saturday night. The trip encompassed 1537 miles.

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Common Chaffinch in Hunterdon County, New Jersey ~ January 3, 2012

Just three days into the new year, I got news of a potential 'lifer' less than thirty minutes from my house! So I headed across the Delaware River to Hunterdon County, New Jersey where, after about a half-hour wait, I got to see a male Common Chaffinch that was visiting a private feeder.

Common Chaffinch in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

The bird's plumage looked pristine and there were no leg bands of any kind. If this bird is accepted by the New Jersey records committee, it would be my 750th ABA bird!

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