Black-chinned Hummingbird - Western Birds

Black-chinned Hummingbird, San Diego, CA; 6/15/2011.

Unless they are moving and you see where they land, it is very difficult to spot a hummingbird because they are so tiny averaging from 3"-5" in length. While I was stalking a Lesser Goldfinch in the Cactus Garden of Balboa Park, I happened to glance up, and there in a tree branch above my head was sitting a Black-chinned Hummingbird (Above). It was looking down at me, almost surprised that I saw it. It stayed on its perch for quite some time to allow me to get some photos, but the light was at an angle that I couldn't capture its deep purple throat below its black chin no matter what point of view I tried (Below).

Another angle of the Black-chinned Hummingbird, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA;6/15/2011.



Another Black-chinned Hummingbird, Phoenix, AZ; 12/26/2009.

In the summer months, Black-chinned Hummingbirds are found mostly in the Southwest states of California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. They also extend into Texas to the east and Oregon and Washington to the North. In winter they will migrate in several directions - all the way to the southern Gulf  coastlines of Louisiana, a\Alabama and Georgia, as well as the Pacific coastlines of Mexico and central America.

A good look at the deep purple throat of a Black-chinned Hummingbird as it approached a feeder on the porch of a Bed & Breakfast we stayed at; Escalante, Utah; 6/13/2009.

The first time I saw a Black-chinned Hummingbird was in Escalante, Utah (Above). I was sitting on the front porch of a Bed & Breakfast watching the hummingbirds come and go to the feeders that were present. The photo (Above) is actually the best photo I have which displays the deep purple band across the throat of the male. The photo also shows the distinct line separating the purple throat from its black chin.

Sunset of the Day



A dramatic sunset mirrored in a reservoir, Phoenix, AZ; 10/27/2007.

One of my favorite sunsets was the dramatic reflection of this Phoenix sunset in a reservoir just down the block from where we were staying with Val's Step-father.