Our Celebrity Costa’s Hummer

Editor’s note:  Since this article was written, enhanced COVID protective measures mean that ONLY RVM residents may visit the Penthouse

by Connie Kent, photos by Fran Yates

Thursday 30 December 2021: I just escorted a couple from Davis, California, up to the Manor Penthouse to see our celebrity, the little Costa’s Hummingbird. First spotted in mid-November by Purk Purkerson, he has been a regular visitor since then, attracting birders from afar.

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On 29 November, Carolyn Auker and Dave Guzzetta sent out the following to the hundred and  some odd member RVM birding group: “The Big Guns, or should I say, the Big Cameras, showed up yesterday. The Costa’s Hummingbird has caused a commotion with the Rogue Valley birding community. Gary Shaffer called us yesterday morning saying the bird was still at the Penthouse Garden and asked us to make sure there was enough food to try and keep it there. He had notified some of his birding buddies about the bird, and when we got to the Penthouse, two of them were sitting there, visiting and taking pictures of the Costa’s. One of them was Norm Barrett, Carol’s son. We were very excited to see the bird – he is a lifer for us!”

Costa’s at Penthouse feeder

The Anna’s Hummer is a regular here at our feeders. The Costa’s is distinctly smaller. His distinguishing feature is his striking drooping purple mustache-like gorgette. Normally wintering in Mexico, he is rare in this area even in summer. In his Southern Oregon’s Bird Life, John Kemper (former RVM resident) says, “By all rights, this bird shouldn’t be in our area at all, because it is looked upon as a resident of the desert southwest” (168).  For most of us, he’s Life Bird.

Costa’s going after bug

In early December, Guzzetta and Auker wrote, “The Costa’s Hummingbird continues to attract birders both locally and from across the state. On Sunday, Joanie Oliver and David [Guzzetta] escorted two birders to the Penthouse Gardens. One had driven all the way from Portland to see our celebrity bird and get a photo. . . .

We had another birder earlier last week from Springfield and another one from Corvallis.  Everyone is taking a picture, checking the bird off their list and, after a few minutes, continuing on to another birding hotspot. The RVM campus hotspot now has over 20 beautiful photos of this little hummer on eBird’s website. Yes, he is quite the celebrity. Even Stan plans to go to the gardens to check this guy out!

Joanie Oliver, who is in charge of the Penthouse Gardens, is delighted with the attention that the garden has been getting from all the birders. She has been escorting the non-resident birders to the Penthouse and now she has help from eight residents who are on a list for the Manor receptionist and/or COVID screeners to call if a non-resident birder finds their way to the Manor and needs to be escorted to the Penthouse.”

On 18 December Diane Chance reported that she escorted four representatives from the annual Audubon bird count group to the Penthouse and that “our” Costa’s performed and posed wonderfully for them.

The same thing happened to me this morning, when I escorted the Davis couple. There was the Costa’s, atop a bluntly pruned rosebush stem, one of his favorite spots, posing as if he had been expecting us.

5 January update: Outside visitors, or course, will no longer be allowed. But we can still go up to the Penthouse and check on our visiting celebrity.