Mr Rufous - Click image to view larger!

Thanks for viewing/comments! Don't know what wrong with this fellow

but he got something on his chin that looks very unusual ...

I think it is feathers, normal for this small bird.

Thanks Kim! I've never seen this before though (been shooting hummers for about 3 years).

Very beautiful not only this image but all the series of hummer, ciao Giangiorgio

Excellent capture Tm. I'm wondering if the area under the chin is molting or maturing. It looks like the beginning of the brilliant red collar on the adults. I've not seen it before either, but it's what drew me to the photo. Love your hummers, keep them coming.

Grazie Mille Giangiorgio!

Thanks Allen! I also think it's molting and I think that I've seen someone else shot taken of this bird at this place (Hungtington Beach Library) before where he even has a bump on his head right at the end of his beak. Well, I thought that was strange but a month or two ago, I've seen the white Pelican with a bump on the middle of the beak (all of them had it, I think) and someone told me they only have that at breeding season. May be it's a special molting or breeding season growth ? :-)

This is a top class avian shot with impeccable timing, great clarity and wonderful details. Cograts, Tm J! 7