Lots of Hummingbirds at Ash Canyon These Days

Migration season has begun and their numbers have increased dramatically

I've shared photos from the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary often. Because the hummingbird migration season is underway, I thought it would be nice to visit there again. Located at the southeastern corner of the Huachuca Mountains, it is right in the heart of a migration corridor for many hummingbird species. One generally rare summer visitor is the Lucifer Hummingbird. The Lucifer's long, iridescent purple gorget and its curved bill are distinctive. (I have many links in today’s post in case you wish to learn more about any of these birds!)

A more common hummingbird with a purple gorget is the Costa's Hummingbird. The one below has been hanging around my yard all summer. Note that this Costa's has a purple head, unlike the Lucifers. The Costa's gorget also has long flaring ends to it which look like an overgrown mustache.

A very interesting visitor to Ash Canyon these days is a hybrid hummingbird, a mix of a Lucifer and a Costa's. Called a Costifer, it has the curved bill of the Lucifer, the long necked iridescent throat feathers like the Lucifer, yet also the purple feathers on its head like the Costa's does. In the photo below, I like how the Costifer has spread its tail feathers and how the wing feathers are showing the "figure-eight" pattern of the wing flap

As the Costifer flies away, the change of lighting eliminates most of the color in its head's feathers but there still is some purple showing.

Here is another look at the Lucifer with its strongly curved bill. Tucson Bird Alliance has a nice article on the Lucifer Hummingbird. And you can learn more about Lucifer Hummingbirds at AllAboutBirds

There were a number of Rufous Hummingbirds passing through. They breed in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska but during migration season, (July through September) many pass through Arizona on their way to their wintering grounds in Mexico.

I liked this bird so much I had to show you another image of him. For more about Rufous Hummingbirds, go to AllAboutBirds.

Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary has a wide variety of 'habitat'. In the backyard, there are thick trees and a variety of feeders along with just a few hummingbird feeders compared to the hummingbird meadow in the front. This Rufous was perched in the back and guarding one of 'its' feeders.

Anna's Hummingbirds are usually seen with pink gorgets but the ones I saw seemed to have a different color to their neck feathers, more of a gold/orange color. It likely was a matter of the angle the light was hitting the feathers. Birdnote reminds us of how and why a hummingbird's gorget shows such bright colors.

Here is another look at the Anna's Hummingbird. You can learn more about Anna's Hummingbirds at AllAboutBirds.

There were Black-chinned Hummingbirds. These small hummingbirds have black feathers on their chin with a thin purple necklace that glows in the right light.

Here the hummingbird picked its tail up for some reason. You can learn more about Black-chinned Hummingbirds at AllAboutBirds.

There is still time to observe hummingbirds passing through southern Arizona. Three great places to visit are:

Santa Rita Lodge in the Santa Ritas

Paton's Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia

Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary south of Sierra Vista