Late October Anna’s Hummingbird silhouetted against a bright sky
For over a year now, Anna’s Hummingbirds seem to have been continuously present in at least some Sitka neighborhoods. They are easier to overlook when plenty of Rufous Hummingbirds are keeping the feeders busy, but as the more abundant species returns south, it becomes clear that Anna’s Hummingbirds are around. I know of at least four different feeders where at least one (and in some cases 2 or 3) hummingbirds are continuing to visit regularly. I do not know how many birds this represents, as some of the feeders are close enough it seems fairly likely that the same bird is visiting multiple feeders.
On a late September walk I was a little surprised to hear the distinctive sounds of an Anna’s Hummingbird singing(? – I’m not really sure if it’s a song or not, but I don’t know what else to call it). I heard it again late in October on the corner of Degroff and Baranof Street and was able to catch one perched in a nearby tree for the photo that goes along with this post.