[TN-Bird] Confirmed Allen's Hummingbird in Smith County

From: Chris Sloan <chris.sloan@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 02 Feb 2003 10:28:12 -0600
Earlier in the week week, I confirmed that the bird Portia Macmillan and
I banded in Smith County last Sunday (Jan. 26) is in fact an immature
male ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD.  I believe this is the fifth record of this
species for Tennessee, and the first that Portia and I have banded.

Today I confirmed that visitors are welcome.  The hosts are Terry &
Kathy Harville of Elmwood, Tennessee.  Their street address is 100
Upchurch Lane.  In lieu of posting the directions, here is a link to
Yahoo maps with the location pinpointed - to obtain driving directions,
click on the link in the upper right portion of the screen that says "To
this location."  The feeder is on the front porch, and the bird
regularly perches in the cluster of trees that are about fifty feet to
the right of the front door (facing outward).  You need not call in
advance - they will assume that binocular-clad strangers in the driveway
are birders!

Here's the link:
http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?BFCat=&Pyt=Tmap&newFL=100+Upchurch+Ln..
.%01100+Upchurch+Ln%14Elmwood%2C+TN+38560-4135%14us&addr=100+Upchurch+Ln
&csz=Elmwood%2C+TN+38560-4135&Country=us&Get%A0Map=Get+Map

Lastly, a brief warning for some of you.  I know that some birders will
not list a bird if they cannot independently identify it.  If that is
the case for you, be forewarned that this bird will be almost impossible
to identify to species at this point due to a combination of its current
state of molt and the general difficulties of separating immature/female
_Selasphorus_ hummingbirds.  The only sure way is to obtain a clear view
of r2 (the next tail feather out from either side of the middle two tail
feathers) - this feather lacks the distinctive "notch" or "nipple" that
would be present in a Rufous.  Alternatively, once this bird completes
its molt of r5 (outer tail feathers), a clear view of that tail feather
(which will be so narrow it looks like little more than a shaft) will
also be diagnostic, but I do not expect r5 to be visible for at least
another week.

Regardless of your individual listing criteria, it's still a beautiful
little bird and worth a visit.  Frankly, I'm absolutely amazed that this
remarkable little creature survived all that bitterly cold weather, but
it seems to have come through it just fine, and even had a little bit of
fat when we banded it.

To quote the listowner, "Let's go birding."

Chris Sloan
Nashville, TN 

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[TN-Bird] Confirmed Allen's Hummingbird in Smith County

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