January 25, 2009 - Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Brown Pelicans
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This week I was fortunate to see and photograph a Buff-bellied Hummingbird that has been visiting a feeder in Apalachicola, Florida. It is usually thought that the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only one seen in the eastern United States. However, each winter, several species of hummingbirds that are normally found only in the west are seen in the Florida Panhandle area. Buff-bellied Hummingbirds are a Mexican species and there is a resident population in the southern tip of Texas. So, this bird is definitely away from its usual range. It has a colorful red bill with a black tip. In full breeding plumage it will have a bright green throat and the belly will be a buffy tan color.
I am used to seeing Ruby-throated Hummingbirds which are 3.75” long. Buff-bellied Hummingbirds are 4.25” long. In such small birds that one-half inch difference makes the Buff-bellied look noticeably larger than a Ruby-throated. Many of these visiting hummingbirds get banded while they are here. Some of them come back to the very same yards in subsequent winters. The band can be seen as a shiny spot on this bird’s right leg. As you might imagine, a very tiny band is required on a hummingbird.
Alongside the long bridge between Eastpoint and Apalachicola, Florida there are some old wooden posts where Brown Pelicans like to roost. This bird is basking in the warm glow of the rising sun. The white feathers on the neck and the golden colored feathers on the head identify this bird as an adult. When they get their breeding plumage, they will have a black stripe down the back of the neck. Juveniles are brown overall.
Here’s a photo of one of the pelicans landing on a post.
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