[Mnbird] Black-chinned Hummingbird

[Steve Weston]

Almost exactly twenty-four years ago I was bird watching in Miesville
Ravine County Park, in the southeast corner of Dakota county. In a
beautiful little wet meadow up trout brook I found a hummingbird feeding on
the jewelweed that did not look like the expected Ruby-throated
Hummingbird. After a couple of days of checking the internet, I identified
it as a female Black-chinned Hummingbird. The females of these closely
related species are difficult to separate. And, it had never been reported
in Minnesota. I didn't have a camera and without a photo, it would never be
accepted as a new species. Although the hummer was around for the next five
days, I could not get anyone down there with a camera until after the bird
had flown off. One dean of the state birding community even stated that it
was impossible to separate the females of the two species.
Every year at this time, I lead a bird hike to Miesville Ravine. This year
on August 20th, there was more spotted jewelweed flowering than I have seen
in years and the flowers were attracting a swarm of hummingbirds. As we
approached that meadow, I was talking about finding the hummingbird that
has never had an accepted sighting in Minnesota. As I explained what to
look for to find a Black-chinned: a hummer with a light crown that makes it
appear as if it has a black mask, Richard Gotz was clicking away on his
camera at a nearby hummer. He said, "Like this?"
I have attached a couple of his photos of a first year male Black-chinned
Hummingbird to my Facebook page and am hoping to be able to post one to
MOU's Recently Seen page, although I have to get it added to the list
before I can. Now I have to fill out the paperwork to submit the sighting
for MOURC review for a first Minnesota record.
Steve Weston
On Quigley Lake in Eagan, MN
sweston2g at gmail.com
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