Ash Canyon - August 9, 2025

 The number of hummingbirds at the sanctuary has increased once again, including three species I had not seen so far this year.  Word has obviously gotten out, and the people are here in droves, bolstered by a group tour from the Tucson Birding Festival sponsored each year by the Audubon Society.  It was so crowded, in fact, that there were no empty seats in the main area when I arrived.  Since I was told the Rivoli's has started appearing daily, I went first to the "lower yard" where I've seen it in past years.  Unfortunately, that area is very shady, making it more of a challenge to get good photos.When it comes to such a special bird, I figure a poor photo is better than no photo.

With some birds, it's almost impossible to distinguish between a female and an immature male.  Therefore, I've captioned those as "F/J".  The three new species are the Rivoli's, Costa's and Calliope.  The Rivoli's is the largest hummingbird in North America, while the Calliope is the smallest. 

Rufous (F/J)

Rufous (F/J)

Rivoli's (M)

Rivoli's (J)

This next photo is to illustrate the greater size of the Rivoli's compared to other hummers.


Calliope (M)

Calliope (M)

Costa's (M)

Costa's (M)

Anna's (M)

Anna's (F)

Broad-billed (M)

Broad-billed (M)

Broad-billed (F)

Lucifer (M)

Lucifer (M)

Black-chinned (M)

Hooded Oriole (M)

Acorn Woodpecker (F)

Lesser Goldfinch (M)

House Finch (M)

Black-headed Grosbeak (F)

Black-headed Grosbeak (M)

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