December banding session

Kelly Bryan and I banded hummingbirds at Lajitas and at another of our banding sites in S Brewster Co. At the latter site Kelly banded and released this female Anna's Hummingbird. Sometimes he lays the newly banded hummer in the hand of an observer. When the bird realizes it's no longer confined it disappears quicker than the blink of an eye. Occasionally they don't know they're free and lie there for a few seconds. Note band on leg.

Here's the same bird just before it took off. Kelly says it's an older female because of the few iridescent feathers on the top of her head.

This next one is an adult male Anna's being carefully placed in a hand. As soon as Kelly let go, it vanished. Didn't even need a runway. Such little marvels! This banding project has given me a great close-up-and-personal relationship with hummers that I'll treasure for the rest of my life.

The area near Terlingua/Study Butte is decorated for the season with red ocotillo blooms. Stunning!

This rascally Rufous Hummingbird is likely one Kelly banded a couple of years ago. He returns to the same location for the winter, but shuns the traps.