archilochus (from archi-, first in importance, and lochos, an ambush) colubris (South American Indian name for these birds)
Saturday, May 10, 1980 — 12:15 pm
Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas
Petit Jean State Park covers the top of a plateau that rises abruptly out of the Arkansas River valley. The mountain is covered with oak/pine woods and is cut by numerous canyons and hollows. My wife and I were walking through the trees that line the river on top of the mountain. We spotted this male Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched on a branch of a small tree not far from the water.
Later, we saw a male hovering in front of some tubular red flowers. As we approached, it flew past us and landed on a branch about 20 feet away. Its throat appeared black except in direct sunlight.