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"Big Fat"






In my 17 years of studying Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, only once have 
I named one of the birds I have banded. The bird in question is 
outside my kitchen window right now. A young male, he is perched on a 
trap, blocking the entire entrance with his sausage-like body. I call 
him "Big Fat."

"Big Fat" has been hogging the feeders for weeks. He now resembles a 
sumo wrestler with feathers. Like sumo wrestlers, he is surprisingly 
agile. He has no trouble driving away his competitors.

"Big Fat" is banded and has a necklace of green dye. Assuming he can 
get clearance from the FAA, he should be taking off soon for the 
tropics.

If you live south or west of Hilton Pond, please look for "Big Fat" 
during migration. You will recognize him easily. He is roughly the 
size of the Goodyear blimp.


Thanks,

BILL


P.S. If "Big Fat" comes to your feeder, please do not call him by 
that name unless you are willing to suffer the consequences. Instead, 
I suggest you call him "Sir!"


-- 

P.S. The website for Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History 
now has a search engine that is accessible from the main Table of 
Contents page.


**********

BILL HILTON JR., "The Piedmont Naturalist"
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
1432 DeVinney Road
York, South Carolina 29745
USA

e-mail: <hilton@hiltonpond.org>

Voice: (803) 684-5852

eFax: (503) 218-0845

Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History is a 501(c)(3) 
non-profit research and education organization, so all in-kind or 
monetary gifts to Operation RubyThroat and the Center are 
tax-deductible. Please visit our websites:

Hilton Pond:  <http://www.hiltonpond.org>

Operation RubyThroat:  <http://www.rubythroat.org>


"Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to 
watch the sunset."

						BHjr.

**********