Birdwatchers flock to Glendora neighborhood for chance at glimpse of rare hummingbird
Birdwatchers are flocking to a neighborhood in Glendora for a rare chance to catch a glimpse of a hummingbird that doesn't usually visit the area.
The bird's name is "BB" and in recent weeks the tiny creature has been the talk of the town,
"He looks interesting and had a different vocalization, so I got my binoculars out and noticed him and realized he was really special," said Kristin Joseph, who owns the home where BB has been taking up residence. "He doesn't belong here, he's usually from Arizona or Mexico."
Joseph is an amateur birder, or birdwatcher, who identified BB's distinct hum, red beak and turquoise-colored plumage as characteristics of a broad-billed hummingbird. She documented her sighting on eBird, a Cornell Lab of Ornithology operated website where birder data is shared with scientists.
"Since he's been here, we've had probably at least 150 people coming by the house the last two weeks just to see him, get a picture of him," Joseph said. "For some people it's what's called a "lifer bird." Means they've never seen that bird in their life and they've traveled from many hours away just to come see him."
The reason for BB's unexpected visit remains a mystery, as broad-billed hummingbirds are very rarely spotted in California. When people do catch a glimpse, it's usually during mating season along the coastline, not as far inland as the San Gabriel Valley.
Those who have made their way to Glendora to watch BB say that the bird has an ironically "California way" about him.
"He's been referred to as being very chill by the birding community," said Kristin's husband, David Joseph.
The Josephs have a theory as to why BB has taken kindly to their home, calling back on a decision several years ago to replace their grass with native plants during the state's drought tolerant landscaping rebates.
They say that since then, their yard has been visited by a number of interesting creatures, like grasshoppers, butterflies and Anna's hummingbirds.
Though they're more native to the area than BB, it doesn't appear that they're jealous of the neighborhood's newest celebrity.
"He almost seems like a resident, like he's been here for years," David said. "What he's been experiencing, it's like it's normal to him."
They're hopeful that BB's residency, no matter how long he decides to stick around, is enough for the community to start a discussion about bringing more native plants to the neighborhood.
