[All photographs copyright, Gary Nunn 2016] – News broke mid afternoon 17 August 2016 of a reported Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus coming to feeders at a private residence near Lake Henshaw in northeast San Diego County. Calendar schedule and location seemed good for a wandering migrant and the observer noted the characteristic wing whistle of the male of this species. After discussions with the resident, Debbie Dobson, a plan was made to check out the feeders at dawn the next day. Sure enough, within minutes of our arrival at 6am on 18 August 2016, the wing whistle of a male Broad-tailed Hummingbird could be heard. It soon flew in very close to us and perched on the feeder not more than a few feet away. We watched the hummingbird for a few minutes as it made a couple of visits to a favored nectar feeder. A huge thank you to Debbie Dobson for her kind invitation to check out the hummingbird feeders at her home and observe her very rare discovery! It has been almost ten years since the last report of this species in San Diego County when one was seen in Ramona, September 2006.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird adult male – near Lake Henshaw, San Diego County, California 18 Aug 2016 (© Gary Nunn)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird adult male – near Lake Henshaw, San Diego County, California 18 Aug 2016 (© Gary Nunn)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird adult male – near Lake Henshaw, San Diego County, California 18 Aug 2016 (© Gary Nunn)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird adult male – near Lake Henshaw, San Diego County, California 18 Aug 2016 (© Gary Nunn)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird adult male – near Lake Henshaw, San Diego County, California 18 Aug 2016 (© Gary Nunn)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird adult male – near Lake Henshaw, San Diego County, California 18 Aug 2016 (© Gary Nunn)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird adult male – near Lake Henshaw, San Diego County, California 18 Aug 2016 (© Gary Nunn)