When was that Rufous HB in Takoma Park?
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Gail B. Mackiernan
Jun 30, 2026, 1:17:42 PM (4 days ago) Jun 30
to Maryland & DC Birding
Hi all,
Trying to find out the dates when that Rufous Hummer was at Sam Pancake's home in Takoma Park, MD. Would have been in the late1980s...
Thanks,
Gail Mackiernan
Colesville
James Tyler Bell
Jun 30, 2026, 1:36:35 PM (4 days ago) Jun 30
to Maryland & DC Birding, Gail B. Mackiernan
The MD/DC RC Maryland database can be found on the MOS web page. Whatever you do, DON'T PRINT IT!!!
Anyway, RUHU used to be a review species and this was from the days of needing to report to the RC.
Interestingly, the Solomons/Calvert bird was before we were birding. Jane and I got our state RUHU at, where else, Jim Stasz's house in North Beach!
Jim Stasz
Jun 30, 2026, 1:49:11 PM (4 days ago) Jun 30
to James Tyler Bell, Maryland & DC Birding, Gail B. Mackiernan
When the RuHu was in Takoma Park the yard was in the Prince George's County part of the city of Takoma Park. A number of years late that part of the city of Takoma Park was annexed by Montgomery County.
Jim Stasz
North Beach MD
jls...@aol.com
On Tue, Jun 30, 2026 at 1:36 PM, 'James Tyler Bell' via Maryland & DC Birding<mdbi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
The MD/DC RC Maryland database can be found on the MOS web page. Whatever you do, DON'T PRINT IT!!!Anyway, RUHU used to be a review species and this was from the days of needing to report to the RC.Interestingly, the Solomons/Calvert bird was before we were birding. Jane and I got our state RUHU at, where else, Jim Stasz's house in North Beach!On Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 01:17:43 PM EDT, 'Gail B. Mackiernan' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:Hi all,Trying to find out the dates when that Rufous Hummer was at Sam Pancake's home in Takoma Park, MD. Would have been in the late1980s...Thanks,Gail MackiernanColesville
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Marcia Watson
Jun 30, 2026, 2:23:48 PM (4 days ago) Jun 30
to Jim Stasz, James Tyler Bell, Maryland DC Birding, Gail B. Mackiernan
Given the current state of politics, all I can think of is how the county switch must have complicated the voter rolls for the people in the affected area.
Marcia
------------
Marcia Watson
Phoenix, MD
On Jun 30, 2026, at 1:49 PM, 'Jim Stasz' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
When the RuHu was in Takoma Park the yard was in the Prince George's County part of the city of Takoma Park. A number of years late that part of the city of Takoma Park was annexed by Montgomery County.
Jim StaszNorth Beach MD
On Tue, Jun 30, 2026 at 1:36 PM, 'James Tyler Bell' via Maryland & DC Birding<mdbi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
The MD/DC RC Maryland database can be found on the MOS web page. Whatever you do, DON'T PRINT IT!!!Anyway, RUHU used to be a review species and this was from the days of needing to report to the RC.Interestingly, the Solomons/Calvert bird was before we were birding. Jane and I got our state RUHU at, where else, Jim Stasz's house in North Beach!
<1782840795553blob.jpg>
On Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 01:17:43 PM EDT, 'Gail B. Mackiernan' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:Hi all,Trying to find out the dates when that Rufous Hummer was at Sam Pancake's home in Takoma Park, MD. Would have been in the late1980s...Thanks,Gail MackiernanColesville
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Tony Futcher
Jun 30, 2026, 2:44:40 PM (4 days ago) Jun 30
to Jim Stasz, Marcia Watson, James Tyler Bell, Maryland DC Birding, Gail B. Mackiernan
From Google search -
Prior to July 1, 1997, the eastern portion of the city of Takoma Park was located in Prince George's County (PGCO), while the western side was in Montgomery County. [1]
The property located at 6601 Allegheny Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912 was included in that Prince George's County portion of the city.
Tony Futcher
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Paul O'Brien
Jun 30, 2026, 2:49:02 PM (4 days ago) Jun 30
to Maryland & DC Birding, Gail B. Mackiernan
Gail,
It was the fall of 1988 through the winter of 1989. Sam had a perfect garden to support the hummer.
Best,
Paul O'Brien
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Paul Pisano
Jun 30, 2026, 2:57:34 PM (4 days ago) Jun 30
to Maryland & DC Birding
Critical question - if we saw that bird, is it on our PG or Montgomery County lists? ;-)
Good birding,
Paul P.
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Michel Cavigelli
Jun 30, 2026, 3:06:28 PM (4 days ago) Jun 30
to Paul Pisano, Maryland & DC Birding
Yes? 😁
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Mike Bowen
Jun 30, 2026, 4:16:10 PM (4 days ago) Jun 30
to Michel Cavigelli, Gail Mackiernan, Maryland & DC Birding
Probably this one, from November, 1988. All the blue "balloons" on the map represent the same place, I think.
Mike Bowen
Bethesda
D. H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20817
Phone: (202) 236-0510
Ambassador for American Bird Conservancy, helping ABC help the birds
eBird volunteer Hotspot Reviewer/Editor for Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, and the Republic of Ghana
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Gail Mackiernan
Jun 30, 2026, 5:56:12 PM (4 days ago) Jun 30
to Mike Bowen, Michel Cavigelli, Maryland & DC Birding
Thanks all for your quick and formative answers! It also appears I have a new(old) PG County bird...
Gail Mackiernan
Sent from my iPad
Probably this one, from November, 1988. All the blue "balloons" on the map represent the same place, I think.
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<1782850380884blob.jpg>
Phil Davis
Jul 2, 2026, 3:45:01 PM (2 days ago) Jul 2
to Maryland & DC Birding
Hi Gail, et al.
This is probably all been resolved, but here is some additional info ...
First, as Tyler mentioned, a abridged copy of the MD/DC Records Committee database is online as a large PDF document at the URL in my signature block.
The committee has gone defunct after my well-announced in advanced "off-ramp" and having no volunteers willing to either take on, or preferably reshape the committee in the face of the all-pervasive eBird landscape. (Anyone interested should contact the MOS!). Regardless, I am still here and have access to the full, unabridged database and documentation.
1. [MD/DCRC accession # MD/1990-014]
The famous Rufous Hummingbird (RUHU) in Sam Pancake's well-landscaped yard in Takoma Park was Maryland's first accepted record. It was present from 11/08/1988 through 04/17/1989. It was banded but not positively identified during the banding process since a wrong tail feather was pulled. However, it was IDed as a hatch year (HY), female bird. When the bird was present, Sam's yard was in PG County, but, as others have noted, the jurisdiction was changed. Wikipedia notes: "In a historic jurisdiction change on July 1, 1997, Takoma Park was fully unified into Montgomery County. Prior to this, the city was split between Montgomery and Prince George's counties, but a years-long legislative process successfully moved the county line to place the entire municipality within Montgomery County." In keeping with biological record protocols, the MD/DCRC changed our database to show the physical record from the current political jurisdiction, Montgomery County.
Database notes on documentation: "AB 43(2):297. Bird was banded on 11/16. Band #7000-47918. Three color slides by T Oberman; one color print by M O'Brien. Feathers deposited at CMNH."
Committee findings: "Despite some doubt generated by an unfortunate mix-up over the tail feathers collected when this hummingbird was banded, this record was accepted unanimously on its third circulation. The measurements and photographs submitted, plus F. G. Stiles' article on Rufous and Allen's Hummingbirds, were most helpful to the committee in determining that this was an immature female Rufous Hummingbird."
2. [MD/1997-111]
Sam's yard continued to attract western stragglers. A non-banded bird IDed and accepted only as an adult male member of the Broad-tailed/Rufous/Allen's complex was present from 10/24/1993 through 11/17/1993.
Documentation notes: "MB 51(2):73. AB 48(1):97. Color slide by G Jett."
Committee findings: "The committee eliminated Calliope Hummingbird as a candidate based on some of the field marks described. However, the narrowest group of Selasphorus species agreed to by at least eight members was the Rufous/Allen's/Broad-tailed complex. Therefore, this record was accepted as at a "group" level with the group defined as these three species."
3. [MD/1997-192]
The next winter, another bird, a non-adult male, was accepted as a member of the BT/RU/AL/Calliope complex. It was present from 11/05/1994 - 11/08/1994.
Documentation notes: "FN 49(1):32. Found at the feeder of Sam Pancake. Third wintering Selasphorus hummingbird at this location."
Committee findings: "The majority of the committee members found that the details provided could not determine the identification to a level lower than to the Rufous/Allen's/Broad-tailed/Calliope Hummingbird complex."
4. [MD/2001-079]
Finally, a fourth bird, banded and accepted as a HY female was present from 10/31/2001 - 11/03/2001. [MD/2001-079]
Documentation notes: "MB 58(1-4):60. USNM specimen #2308. Two photos of specimen by M Gustafson. Remeasured on 9/2/2005 by M Gustafson."
Committee findings: "The committee found that the banding measurements confirmed the identification of Rufous Hummingbird."
Over the years, as Selasphorus hummingbirds became more regular in MD and DC, the review criteria evolved over time to eliminate the more "common" vagrants from the review process.
Hope that is of interest ...
Phil
This is probably all been resolved, but here is some additional info ...
First, as Tyler mentioned, a abridged copy of the MD/DC Records Committee database is online as a large PDF document at the URL in my signature block.
The committee has gone defunct after my well-announced in advanced "off-ramp" and having no volunteers willing to either take on, or preferably reshape the committee in the face of the all-pervasive eBird landscape. (Anyone interested should contact the MOS!). Regardless, I am still here and have access to the full, unabridged database and documentation.
1. [MD/DCRC accession # MD/1990-014]
The famous Rufous Hummingbird (RUHU) in Sam Pancake's well-landscaped yard in Takoma Park was Maryland's first accepted record. It was present from 11/08/1988 through 04/17/1989. It was banded but not positively identified during the banding process since a wrong tail feather was pulled. However, it was IDed as a hatch year (HY), female bird. When the bird was present, Sam's yard was in PG County, but, as others have noted, the jurisdiction was changed. Wikipedia notes: "In a historic jurisdiction change on July 1, 1997, Takoma Park was fully unified into Montgomery County. Prior to this, the city was split between Montgomery and Prince George's counties, but a years-long legislative process successfully moved the county line to place the entire municipality within Montgomery County." In keeping with biological record protocols, the MD/DCRC changed our database to show the physical record from the current political jurisdiction, Montgomery County.
Database notes on documentation: "AB 43(2):297. Bird was banded on 11/16. Band #7000-47918. Three color slides by T Oberman; one color print by M O'Brien. Feathers deposited at CMNH."
Committee findings: "Despite some doubt generated by an unfortunate mix-up over the tail feathers collected when this hummingbird was banded, this record was accepted unanimously on its third circulation. The measurements and photographs submitted, plus F. G. Stiles' article on Rufous and Allen's Hummingbirds, were most helpful to the committee in determining that this was an immature female Rufous Hummingbird."
2. [MD/1997-111]
Sam's yard continued to attract western stragglers. A non-banded bird IDed and accepted only as an adult male member of the Broad-tailed/Rufous/Allen's complex was present from 10/24/1993 through 11/17/1993.
Documentation notes: "MB 51(2):73. AB 48(1):97. Color slide by G Jett."
Committee findings: "The committee eliminated Calliope Hummingbird as a candidate based on some of the field marks described. However, the narrowest group of Selasphorus species agreed to by at least eight members was the Rufous/Allen's/Broad-tailed complex. Therefore, this record was accepted as at a "group" level with the group defined as these three species."
3. [MD/1997-192]
The next winter, another bird, a non-adult male, was accepted as a member of the BT/RU/AL/Calliope complex. It was present from 11/05/1994 - 11/08/1994.
Documentation notes: "FN 49(1):32. Found at the feeder of Sam Pancake. Third wintering Selasphorus hummingbird at this location."
Committee findings: "The majority of the committee members found that the details provided could not determine the identification to a level lower than to the Rufous/Allen's/Broad-tailed/Calliope Hummingbird complex."
4. [MD/2001-079]
Finally, a fourth bird, banded and accepted as a HY female was present from 10/31/2001 - 11/03/2001. [MD/2001-079]
Documentation notes: "MB 58(1-4):60. USNM specimen #2308. Two photos of specimen by M Gustafson. Remeasured on 9/2/2005 by M Gustafson."
Committee findings: "The committee found that the banding measurements confirmed the identification of Rufous Hummingbird."
Over the years, as Selasphorus hummingbirds became more regular in MD and DC, the review criteria evolved over time to eliminate the more "common" vagrants from the review process.
Hope that is of interest ...
Phil
At 01:17 PM 6/30/2026, 'Gail B. Mackiernan' via Maryland & DC Birding wrote:
Hi all,
Trying to find out the dates when that Rufous Hummer was at Sam Pancake's home in Takoma Park, MD. Would have been in the late1980s...
===================================================
Phil Davis, Secretary Emeritus
MD/DC Records Committee
2549 Vale Court
Davidsonville, Maryland 21035 USA
web:
https://mdbirds.org/records-committee/
email: pda...@ix.netcom.com
phone: 301-261-0184
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