Last week, on a bird walk at Goose Island State Park, we saw a hummer at a feeder which some thought to be a Costa’s – which is rather rare in Texas. For about a week, a quiet debate has transpired with finally the group leaders agreeing that it was a young Costa’s. So having seen the bird and photographing it, I put it into my eBird records. And it was picked up as a rare bird and a reviewer queried me about more photos, etc. This is a routine process with any unusual sighting and I have been through it before.
As it turns out, the bird was at the site when I returned today and I got some better photos.
Upon seeing the new photos, Eric Carpenter, the eBird reviewer wrote: “Dick,
I think this is likely a female Black-chinned. I don’t see any white
above the eye, the bill looks a bit longer than it did in the other
photos and there does seem to be a good amount of white in the tail
feathers.”
So, no Costa’s but still, for me a new life bird. I like the scrutiny that goes into official sightings and the help that the experts give birders trying to record the right species. I guess I’ll have to head to Arizona for a Costa’s. Perhaps next year.