Rare Hummingbird Dilemma

[@josephbratta4317]

Another great video Doug! Here in the Chicago area, we had three rare hummingbirds simultaneously at three private residences (two Rufous and one Anna's). I got plenty of experience the last few weeks in navigating these types of scenarios. Lucky for me and many others, the homeowners were gracious hosts, and everybody I encountered was very respectful. The Illinois Rare Bird Discord was an excellent resource, with our moderator reaching out to the homeowners and conveying various rules and preferences regarding visiting birders. Communities like that definitely serve to make the experience one of cooperation and respect for both the bird and the host. To my knowledge, there were no banding attempts. But I do agree with the protocol you adopted here, with conservation and consideration at the forefront. Your respect for the birds continuous to impress. Good luck in all your winter birding and can't wait for your next video!

[@dhitchcox]

Thank you so much! Sounds like a great setup in your area. I'm still reluctant to switch to Discord as GroupMe seems to be working here, but it definitely has advantages.

[@Whimbrel24]

Great topic, Doug. I live in Columbus, OH and went today to see our state’s third ever Anna’s Hummingbird! It had been coming to a feeder about 2 miles from my home! It was a lifer for me! I tried once and missed it and the homeowner stopped public access. I waited way too long to go, she had lots of viewing opportunities before. However, after being closed for a week or 2, she began letting small groups of up to 3 birders at time come over and see it. You could stay for 2 hours before the next person or small group would come. The bird has been there for 47 days now and was banned a few weeks back by Allen Chartier. Oddly enough, we also have a Rufous being seen at home near Cincinnati right now!

[@headtrauma_1]

Great video again Doug. Loving the recent uploads

[@dhitchcox]

Thank you so much!

[@BluegillJames]

Your videos are so amazing! Only problem is that you dont have more for me to watch!

[@dhitchcox]

Thank you!! More coming soon!

[@marksak455]

I had a Rufous Hummingbird in my yard in Michigan a few years ago. We also had it banded and definitively ID’d in a few days and then I just had people message me on Facebook to let me know when they wanted to come. It worked well and everyone (save for the very last person who came in November) was able to see it. If another one ever comes I will definitely get a guestbook for people to sign lol. It was a fun experience and everyone was great about it!

[@thesecretthirdthing]

Thanks for talking about some of the most interesting parts of birding. Birding is a HOBBY, ornithology is a science. I wish I was able to see the nesting long eared owls in my local NWR, but they didnt tell anyone til long after the owls were gone. Seeing how people behave when an owl shows up, i am glad they didn't. Hopefully i can travel and see a long eared in its native range. Some people in this hobby will just not be all there, respecting nature-wise, but aren't subject to the light a banding license or being a working professional shines on you. We cant just assume good faith from that part of the population. The most important part of any good community is its moderation these days

[@DustyHoney]

In California we see hummingbirds year round, and when I lived near the coast I would get loads of them at my feeder. Hummingbirds are a year round site here. It was super cool to see all the migratory species. We had rufous hummingbirds visit us many times.

[@dhitchcox]

Awesome! Tell them how nice Maine is for me ;)

[@BlazeBirding]

Love this. As a birder, I don't feel like I'm entitled to information about a rare bird. If you're upset about not being able to access a bird, you're missing the point. It's supposed to be a relaxing hobby. I don't think there should be much effort made to placate the people who get upset about this, there will always be something else to complain about. There are plenty of rare birds out there.

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks for sharing! I do love what a large spectrum this hobby covers.

[@ShaynaCossetteBirding]

I think you handled the situation as best you could with keeping the bird and science in mind. Perhaps the only additional thing for those wondering why they weren't on the "in" is communication of the reasoning just like how you laid out in this video. Sure other birders may still have wanted to see it but I do believe all ethical birders would be more understanding if they understood why. I don't know what the best or most fair way to communicate that would be, perhaps something along the lines of "possible Species found today, no location as access is limited in attempt to ID/band with location/access and ID to follow once documented". There may be a few unethical birders who try and figure out where but it keeps everyone "in the know" and participating in the excitement while still allowing the initial gatekeeping.

[@DustyHoney]

I always keep my feeder up even if it’s empty. The birds still come and check it out, and when I do refill it they’ll come back. I also have many plants with flowers that attract the birds, a woodpile that they collect spiderwebs from, and promote insect life like crane flies. These help to keep the birds around even when I’m not feeding them.

[@dhitchcox]

Sounds like a great yard for birds!

[@cooperolm9687]

I'm from Ontario and was shocked to sea Anna's hummingbirds in January on Vancouver island, I was initially sure it must be lost and destined to starve. They're tougher little things than we give them credit for!

[@MexIrishBackyardBirdwatcher]

I'm in western Oregon and they stay here year-round no matter how cold it gets!

[@jimgsewell]

I’m in Northeastern Oregon and I had an Anna’s hummingbird stay in my yard over the 22-23 winter. I’m not certain if it was a female or an immature male, but I have pictures of it taken in December and January. I have not seen them over-winter here since then.

[@MexIrishBackyardBirdwatcher]

In the Willamette Valley it's common to see them all winter. I was shocked the first few times I saw them here in freezing weather.

[@ChrisOrte9a]

If the homeowner was okay with anyone coming who wanted to see it initially and 9 showed up on that second day, I don't see why you wouldn't allow others the same opportunity. You can still tell them no one is allowed on the day the bander will be there. I don't blame anyone who was upset only a privileged few were given initial access when the homeowner had no objections to more visitors. It didn't end up mattering for most or possibly even all, but just on principle I disagree with that decision. I don't have all the details about who would have wanted to see the bird or what their reasons were, but neither do gate keepers, which is part of the problem. The assumption was made that someone doing a big year (who I would guess probably doesn't even need that bird for their life state list) is more deserving of a chance to chase than, say, a relatively unknown birder with limited opportunities to travel for whom the bird is a world lifer or countless other unknowable hypotheticals. That's the kind of assumption that gives some people, especially newer birders, a sense that birding is an exclusionary hobby. I'd rather slightly jeopardize the bander's chances than risk giving that impression.

[@dhitchcox]

Thanks for sharing! I definitely could have explained some of this better but will just clarify that it wasn't until the day the bander was there that the homeowner said they were ok with inviting any birders. So we spent the day coming up with rules and I shared those after it was banded. Not that this justifies anything, but the person doing the big year I only gave a heads up to, knowing they'd be chasing anything anytime. The friend/coworker who I also told was already in the area and it was a life bird for her, so I gave her the homeowner's information and she got to see it. I guess that it still exclusionary, at least it was for ~24hrs.

[@ChrisOrte9a]

@dhitchcox thanks for the added details. They certainly clarify the situation and make it more understandable. I can tell you're being thoughtful about how you handle these situations, which is more than I can say about some gate keepers, often self-appointed, I've experienced.

[@enixxe]

As a fairly private person, I'd honestly have to think twice about reporting an especially rare bird on my property at all (or at least within the 7 day RBA window on eBird) simply because I don't want the headache of herding cats or playing host. The only way I'd even consider making such a bird at my residence public knowledge and publicly available is if there was someone else I could rely on to do that work for me and manage the flow of people. In any other case, I'd always make a point of posting it as quickly as possible once I'm sure I've got the ID right (or at least correct enough to be certain the bird is rare, whatever it is) because I want to make sure everyone else who wants to gets a chance to look for it themselves.

[@mister-bland]

Personally, I'd say the "highest gate" should have been in place until banding was completed. Not just for fairness, but to prevent people from getting in the way, even those related to the reporter, banders, etc.. If science or research is mission critical, then I think gatekeeping is of high priority. For the home owner, I'd not be surprised if they told those close to them. However, I think there's is more of an obligation to keep ones' lips sealed for those involved with banding, or who are representative in some way of bird-related organizations. But all's well that ends well...this time. ;)

[@dhitchcox]

hahah "this time"

[@paulwilloughby1]

If you were confident the bird would stick around, you could have released the news widely on day one, then told people that the garden would be closed on, let's say, day 4, giving birders time to chase it and then the ringer (bander) a chance to catch it. I don't chase other people's rare finds, but I am lucky enough to live in a place where rarities are rather regular, and none of us locals here would surpress the news of something just so that it could be trapped. It's also worth bearing in mind that many birds do disappear after being trapped. Maybe not hummers, but certainly lots of passerines.

[@thehorseshoekid]

How do you think it could have been the people when people had already been there. You gave it a traumatic experience by banding it, which is why it left for awhile. This is the problem with gatekeepers, they blame others for what they caused.

[@dhitchcox]

I could have explained that better in the video, and admit that I wasn't there, but I do think that a bird is likely to react differently to three people in a yard that is

[@BookwormSkates]

“It is fairly dramatic to see such a shift in wintering areas” well I think we can expect a lot more range shifting in coming decades thanks to climate change.

[@dhitchcox]

Exactly. The article I show while talking about that is a summary of birds shifting their ranges with climate change. I just think these hummingbirds finding entirely new areas (rather than a spacial shift) is really cool.

[@brendangrube]

More to do with the advent of sugar feeders than climate impacts