Ash Canyon, Ramsey Canyon - June 24 & 26, 2023

 While I was at Ash Canyon, one of the volunteers mentioned that the Nature Conservancy had some fairly rare hummingbirds visiting right now, the Blue-throated Mountaingem and the Beryline.  Since I had never seen either of these, I made a point of stopping by Ramsey Canyon on my way home.

Scott's Oriole (F)

Black-headed Grosbeak



Black-chinned Hummingbird (M)

Broad-billed Hummingbird (M)

Blue Grosbeak (M)

Anna's Hummingbird (M)
 

Lucifer Hummingbird (M)


Black-chinned Hummingbird (F)

The next four photos might be Blue-throated Mountaingems, but I can't make a positive ID.  They have some of the right characteristics, but not all.  In particular, they are missing the blue throat.  They could be juveniles and simply haven't developed their distinctive markings.  I'll just leave it open for now.




A volunteer at the conservancy told me about a pair of Elegant Trogons nesting above their stream.  I saw a male Trogon several years ago, but was anxious to see this pair.  It turned out that I only saw the female, very high in a tree, where I could not get a good shot.  The female is not as brightly colored as the male, but I'm glad I got to see her at all.

Elegant Trogon (F)

White-breasted Nuthatch

Hepatic Tanager 

Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher

Broad-billed Hummingbird (F)


Black-chinned Hummingbird (M)

Violet-crowned Hummingbird (M) 

The Beryline Hummingbird was a female on her nest, high in a leafy tree.  I couldn't see much of the bird, and the shade of the tree made it difficult to get good shots, so I settled for these.

 

 


 

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