Hummingbirds of Southern Arizona: White Eared Hummingbird

The White Eared Hummingbird is also very rare to the United States. There have been the rare sightings in Southwest Texas and New Mexico, but it is Southeastern Arizona where they go when coming to the US. The most reliable place to find them is at Beatty's Orchard, Miller Canyon, in the Huachuca Mountains.

Not abundant, and not always present, but the White Eared finds its way to Tom Beatty's CAS feeders every 30 minutes or so many days during the summer.

Similar in size, shape, and color of the Broad Billed Hummingbird, the White Eared also has a large white post-ocular stripe arching over top of its eye.

White Eared Hummingbird

White Eared Hummingbird

The White Eared Hummingbird is a very rare visitor to the United States. And the most reliable place to find one is in Miller Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, at Beatty's Guest Ranch. Tom, Sr. usually posts sighting results on the ABA Birding News site, so if you want to see this beautiful little hummer, check that site daily.

I stopped by the other day when I couldn't get into Ramsey Canyon and saw a male White Eared about every 20 minutes.

Here are a couple of photos:

White Eared Hummingbird

White Eared Hummingbird

White Eared Hummingbird - II

Here's a second "5" Star White Eared Hummingbird:

White Eared Hummingbird

White Eared Hummingbird - I

On to the White Eared Hummingbird. The WEH is rare to the United States. It is occasionally found in Southwest Texas or Southwest New Mexico, but more often (still rare) found in Southeast Arizona. And, when found in Southern Arizona it is usually in the Huachuca and sometimes Santa Rita Mountains.

Today's photo was taken in Miller Canyon in the Huachucas:

White Eared Hummingbird

White Eared Hummingbird - II

Another "5" Star White Eared Hummingbird photo:

White Eared Hummingbird

The White Eared Hummingbird, more common in Mexico and Central America, is a very rare summer visitor to West Texas and Southern New Mexico, but a little more frequent in Southeast Arizona. That's not to say they are abundant and easy to find. When seen they are always reported in the ABA Birding News. The best place to see them is at Beatty's Orchard, Miller Canyon, in the Huachuca Mountains of Southeast Arizona. That may mean less than 20 days a year.

White Eared Hummingbird

Hummingbird Season in Full Throttle

What started off as a very slow hummingbird season  -- probably due to last year's fires and flooding, has turned out quite nice. Once again there are large numbers of hummers in Miller Canyon and Ash Canyon. Ramsey doesn't have quite the same numbers, but yesterday I saw 7 species within about 30 minutes including the Violet Crowned. In the last two weeks (in Ash Canyon, Miller Canyon, and Ramsey Canyon) I have found eleven different hummingbird species:

Anna's

Black Chinned

Blue Throat

Broad Billed

Broad Tailed

Lucifer

Magnificent

Plain Capped Starthroat

Rufous

White Eared

Violet Crowned

I may have seen a female Costa's don't know for sure. Calliope has been reported at Ash Canyon but I have not seen it. Lots of Broad Tailed Hummingbirds at Ash Canyon, but for some reason I didn't end up with any photos. Plain Capped Starthroat photos weren't up to standard. He showed up at the farthest feeder for 2-5 seconds every hour or so. Just couldn't get the photo I wanted.

Still no reports this year of Berylline. I'll head down to Madera Canyon sometime this week and check it out. Berylline was an "infrequent" visitor there last year. 

Here are a few of my photos from the last two weeks in the Huachuca Mountains:

Anna's Hummingbird

Black Chinned Female

Blue Throated Hummingbird

Broad Billed Hummingbird Female

Lucifer Hummingbird Male

Magnificent Hummingbird Male

Rufous Hummingbird Female

Violet Crowned Hummingbird

White Eared Hummingbird Male

Miller Canyon, Spotted Owls, White Eared Hummingbirds, and Tires

As a wildlife photographer, a four wheel drive vehicle is a must if you want to get into wilderness areas. It's also a good idea to have good off-road tires. As I posted last week (about finding Spotted Owls in Miller Canyon) I noted that floods do quite a lot of damage, especially after fires. Well, between last week when Christine and I went to Miller Canyon and found the Spotted Owls and today, there was more flooding and the road took quite a beating. So, traveling over the road, even with my Jeep was not easy. And, unfortunately, as it turns out one of my tires blew.  I have relied on BF Goodrich 3 ply sidewalls (either Mud or All Terrain) for years. But the tires I have are still the tires that came with the Jeep when I bought it (a Good Year All Terrain). The BF Goodrich is the better choice (off road) and they will be making an appearance again on my Jeep soon.  Changing tires in 95 degree temps is not the way to spend a quite and peaceful day in the wilderness.

But, the news isn't really bad. I got the tire changed and what Christine and I didn't find last week --- the White Eared Hummingbird  --- I found today. So, here are a couple photos of the very beautiful and very rare (to the US) White Eared Hummingbird:

White Eared Hummingbird -- Male

White Eared Hummingbird -- Female

Rare Hummingbirds

While on the subject of Hummingbirds I thought I would share with you photos of the rarer hummers of the US. The Calliope is found in very small numbers in the far western states and Arizona. The Berylline, White Eared, Lucifer, Violet Crowned, Plain Capped Starthroat, and Blue Throated are only found in the extreme southern Mountain Ranges of Southeast Arizona (Chiricahuas, Huachucas, and Santa Ritas).

Calliope Hummingbird Male

Berylline Hummingbird Female

White Eared Hummingbird Male

Lucifer Hummingbird Male

Violet Crowned Hummingbird

Plain Capped Starthroat

Blue Throated Hummingbird male

Still More Hummers from Miller Canyon

Hummingbird season is just about over. A couple species stay year round in Southern Arizona.  At our place Anna's and Costa's are year round residents. Buff Bellied Hummers winter in the very southern tip of Texas, and the Ruby Throated winters in the very southern tip of Florida. Other than those three locations winter is devoid of hummingbirds in the United States. So, I have to get my last chance in at the rarer hummers. Here are a few more of my favorites from the last two weeks in Miller Canyon:

Magnificent Male

Magnificent Male

Magnificent Female

Rufous Female

White Eared Female

White Eared Female

Broad Tailed Female

Broad Tailed Female

Calliope Female

Blue Throat Male

More Hummers from Miller Canyon

So, here are a few more hummers from our Miller Canyon visit:

White Eared Male

White Eared Female

Magnificent Male

Blue Throat Female

Broad Tailed Female

Costa's Female

Anna's Male

Black Chin Male

So, this week's two trips to Miller Canyon found 12 species of Hummingbirds. Not bad!

Patton's in Patagonia

I went over to the office this morning about 4:30 to check and see what was happening at the British Open (golf). Couldn't get into the office at first. There were about ten or so javelinas in the way. Some were adults and some young ones. The young ones may have been the ones I photographed a month ago on the day they were born. But, that's another story (you can see the earlier blog).


Yesterday, Christine and I went to Patagonia. First stop was Patton's. Second, the "butterfly garden" in  town. Today's Blog: Patton's. 

We have several hummingbird feeders. And, so we have a fair number of  hummingbirds around. Common to our feeders are the Broad Tail and Anna's. Frequently, we have Costa's and Broad Billed. Occasionally, we have the Caliope. Beyond those five species, you have to go into the southern mountain ranges. The Black Chin and Broad Billed are usually found in all of the southern mountain ranges. But, interestingly, different sites have "specialties." Beatty's Orchard in Miller Canyon (Huachuca Mountains) is the most reliable spot for Magnificent, Blue Throat, Beryline, and White Eared. Ash Canyon (also in the Huachuca's) is the most reliable place for the Lucifer and maybe Plain Capped Starthroat. Patton's along the Patagonia Creek (adjacent to the Santa Rita Mountains) is the most reliable place for the Violet Crowned and Rufus, with the occasional Allen's. Even the extremely rare Cinnamon Hummingbird has been found there. Count 'em, that's 16 of the 19 hummingbird species. Only the Ruby Throat, found throughout the East, the Buff Bellied and Green Eared found it the Southernmost tip of Texas can't be found in Arizona. So far, I have, what I think are good photos of 12 of the Arizona Hummingbird species. Maybe by the end of the summer .... Anyway, here are a few from yesterday's trip to Patton's:

Broad Billed Hummingbird

Violet Crowned Hummingbird

White Eared Hummingbird

Female Black Chinned Hummingbird

Hummingbirds of Miller Canyon

As I mentioned yesterday my trip to Miller Canyon (which is about 1 1/2 hours from us) was productive.  While there were not the number of hummingbirds as there are during the summer, it was wonderful to see (from the top): the male blue throat hummingbird, the male broad bill hummingbird, the female broad bill hummingbird eating, the calliope hummingbird in mid air, the magnificent hummingbird, and the white eared hummingbird. Miller Canyon is quite simply one of, if not, the best spot for hummers in the US.