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with Phyllis Yochem
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Tuesday, May 22, 2001
Spring migration bustles with life
Spring migration is over. We birders have some wonderful memories to savor. Did you see the yellow-headed blackbirds at Packery Channel Park? I also saw the blackpoll warbler, and the Cape May warbler, two I sometimes miss, but this year I saw no cerulean. We also saw an American robin on May 12, a late date.
Tracey Smith, owner and operator of George Blucher Bed and Breakfast across from Blucher Park, called to tell me of a late flock of cedar waxwings that had landed in her patio for a little R & R. Ginny Dunham and I saw an adult male western tanager in Packery Channel Park. Nancy Knight, who lives in the nearby neighborhood, had a visiting purple gallinule that stayed in her yard several days. Many kind people called to tell of colorful birds in their birdbaths and at their feeders. Abundant were hooded warblers, and tanagers, I did not see many orioles.
Green violet-ear
This week a local couple, Joel and Vicki Simon, have had a special hummingbird at their feeder, a green violet-ear. If you are connected to Txbirds on the internet, you have probably heard all about it. This year another individual appeared in the San Antonio area at about the same time. A good photo of the San Antonio bird can be seen at www.electrotex.com/saas/Photos, scroll to the "Green Violet-Ear" selections.
It is especially interesting because six years ago on May 7, the Simons also had a green violet-ear, a mature adult that stayed over a week and was visited by 250 birders. Last year, to the day, a pair of these extremely rare birds turned up at the Simon's feeder. They were seen by 50 birders. The Simons were away from town that day, but when they returned May 9, the bird was there.
Green violet-ears are tropical species. Most records in this country, according to the third edition of the National Geographic's Field Guide to the Birds of North America, occur in the hill country in summer. Adult males are dark green over all with blue violet patches on face and breast. Females and immature birds are duller in color. The green violet-ear appears large when seen with rubythroats.
This is primarily a highland bird which prefers areas from 5,000 to 7,000 feet, with profusely flowering plants. Its range extends from Jalisco and the highlands of central and southern Mexico to Central America, Peru and Bolivia.
Phyllis Yochem, a resident of Corpus Christi, has studied birds here since 1960.
Phyllis Yochem, a Corpus Christi resident, has studied birds in
Texas since 1960.
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