Rare birds tend to create massive excitement among birders, even if the bird in question isn’t massive.
Such is the case with a very rare (for Ohio) hummingbird that appeared in a Clintonville yard in late October. Gerry Brevoort noticed an odd-looking hummer visiting her feeders along with two lingering ruby-throated hummingbirds. The latter is the only expected species of hummingbird in Ohio and is a common nester and migrant.
She sent photos to expert birders Alex Eberts and Leslie Sours, who quickly made a visit to see the bird in the flesh. Their suspicions were correct. It was an Anna’s hummingbird, a western species and very rare vagrant to the eastern U.S.
Hummingbird bander Allen Chartier caught and banded the bird Nov. 5, and the tiny band is visible on the bird’s leg in the accompanying photo. It is a young male and only the third Anna’s hummingbird seen in Ohio.
Brevoort has allowed visitation days, and thus far, well over 300 birders from four states have visited. As of this writing (Nov. 11), the bird is still present. I’ve made the 12-minute trip from my house twice and was rewarded with performances both times.