This gallery contains 4 photos. March 3, 2016, was the first time I saw the Rufous Hummingbirds return, and it was in my backyard. That’s almost a month ahead of schedule. They winter in Mexico, and spend their springs and summers (April through August) in Metro Vancouver, although the last locally recorded sighting in 2015 was of one straggler who stayed until October 31!
my first closeup of a male Rufous hummingbird in 2016 (Iona Island on March 26)
f/8, 1/1250, 500mm, ISO 500
The adult male above was unerringly faithful to a handful of (almost eye-level) perches at Iona Island–returning every 30-45 seconds to his “territory”and holding a small number of photographers spellbound. We walked the length of the North Jetty (in a futile search for the male Mountain Bluebird), and returning to the same area an hour later, discovered that “Little Red” was still there.
getting him to flash that gorget isn’t easy (Richmond Nature Park on April 4)
f/7.1, 1/1600, 500mm, ISO 800
These feisty hummingbirds have an attitude that’s inversely proportional to their size. Rufouses are even smaller than the resident Anna’s hummingbirds, whom they’ll send packing while they take over the local nectar feeders and flowers. In fact, when Rufouses are here, the Anna’s get overshadowed. It seems like everything about the Rufouses (except for their size) is “larger than life.” The reddish-brown bodies and orange gorgets on the males do call attention to themselves, and even the reddish-brown and green-coloured females make Rufous females some of the more colourful (and easier to distinguish) hummingbird females.
you’ve got to stop and smell the flowers! (Richmond’s Terra Nova Park on Mar 27)
f/7.1, 1/400, 500mm, ISO 1250
The tail squeaks that accompany their courtship dives, and the scratchy metallic (“zinging”) sounds of Rufouses are easily distinguishable from those of Anna’s. The Rufouses are generally much bolder around humans — I have had the males fly to within five inches of my face, and the females feed from flowers, just 3 inches away from my face.
another little guy flashing me his gorget in the shade (Richmond Nature Park on April 4)
f/6.3, 1/400, 500mm, ISO 800
I have not had an opportunity to photograph a female Rufous this year (nor discover an active nest). According to their allaboutbirds.org profile, these diminutive flyers may breed as far north as Alaska before returning to spend their winters in Mexico. That’s one long-distance flight for such a small bird! Rufous Hummingbirds are the only one of two species of hummingbirds that Metro Vancouver sees on a regular basis (the other being the resident Anna’s), although some lucky birders have been gifted with visits by Costa’s and Black-Chinned hummingbirds–species more likely to be found in the BC interior.
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Wonderful pictures of such a pretty bird, you are clever.
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thank you, Susan!
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Stunning bird and images, i wish i could see one in the wild. We don’t have them here in Australia.
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thank you, MM! hummingbirds are strictly an Americas specialty, but if you want to see more than the 15 species that North America gets, Central and South America countries are your go to places … there are hundreds and hundreds species of hummingbirds to be seen there! 🙂
http://www.rubythroat.org/ChecklistsCountriesMain.html
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I have it on my list, I saw a post on a bird watching holiday in South America and it inspired my bucket list of birds I wish to see from all over the world.
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awesome. I look forward to your future birding posts!!
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So pretty ❤
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thank you, Takami!
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A beautiful set. thank you.
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Lovey little jewel. You captured the shimmering colors beautifully.
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Nice! 🙂
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I think my husband and son have seen these when we’re in Vancouver but I don’t think I have…oh, well, seeing them in your photos is even better! 😀
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you can’t mistake a Rufous for an Anna’s — everything about the former is louder and flashier, from colors to personality to their courtship dives; they really do like to call attention to themselves. 🙂 I finally saw a female Rufous at Reifel hunting flies right before my eyes yesterday afternoon (and heard quite a few males zinging). they haven’t been putting in regular appearances in the backyard. I’m getting worried! 😦
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I’ll hope they’ll be flocking to your backyard soon!
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me, too! consolation prize today was seeing my FOY Mallard mom with her 8 week old babies at the local pond. 😀
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Nothing cuter than baby ducklings!
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baby goslings are a close second 🙂 … but unlike Mallard moms, their parents are really protective!!
the Canada Geese are really feeling their springtime urges, and I have been on the receiving end of many hisses and chases lately (one unattached male flew in from a long way off to give me the stinkeye and hissy fits at Reifel yesterday) 🙂
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Canada Geese (really, pretty much all geese…we kept a few domestic ones for a while) are so aggressive! I don’t know if you remember, but back in the 80s, they were chasing joggers at Stanley Park and were a real nuisance. :}
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I didn’t see that, but I’ve read the horror stories …. clearly, Canada Geese must be aware that they have “diplomatic immunity” to harass others with impunity. not even Sandhill Cranes behave this way! 🙂
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LOL! Seriously!
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Gorgeous images Huy! What a thrilling sighting!
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Gorgeous captures. What a cute little chap he is. 🙂
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and feisty! they would fly right in close to your face if they don’t like you in their territory! which is quite hilarious to watch (but probably wouldn’t be if they were, say, the size of a Canada Goose)!
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😆
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They are cute these Rufous Hummingbirds, I like the first, it is too funny!
I wish you a nice Friday!
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of the four Rufous hummingbirds in this blog post, this was the one who “took the time” to actually come and sit for my lens! 😀
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What jewels! They almost seem to know they’re posing for photos.
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the Rufous hummingbirds are such attention hounds and exhibitionists — the Anna’s hummingbirds are much less so. 🙂
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So beautiful.
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This photos are stunning! Such a beautiful little bird.
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Oops, I meant ‘these’! 😉
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thanks, Eliza! it would be nice to see them all year round, but I’m afraid the Anna’s hummingbirds might object. 🙂
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Lovely lovely lovely 🙂
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thank you, Elle!
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We get both the Rufous & the Anna’s. Great shots!
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thanks! we seem to be in a lull of sorts for birds in Metro Vancouver. I’m not seeing as many Rufouses as in past years, and far smaller flocks of other bird species than in previous years. hope this changes soon!
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OMG, I can’t wait for them to get closer to Burnaby in my backyard.
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me, too! it seems like they are REALLY late this year (in fact, many birds appear to be taking a holiday from their usual spring travels to Metro Vancouver lately!) I was ecstatic to see just ONE female Rufous hummingbird at Reifel yesterday, and my backyard has (hardly been) peppered with the visits of many birds lately!
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