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Holy cow! You're not kidding! The calliope is a Pacific Northwest specialist. Quite an amazing sighting for the Eastern seaboard.

Now for a true story: A couple years ago, I was calliope hunting in the Sierra Nevada at about 8,000 feet near Bridgeport, Calif. During the hike, I thought a spotted a calliope, but the glimpse was too fleeting to call it (it may have been a broad-tailed). So the patient birder that I am, I decided to attach a bright orange pen to my hat to entice the hummer to come closer (it may think it's a flower, ya know). Well, it didn't work. But after five minutes of nothing, I spotted the hummer perched on western juniper snag. And, indeed, yes, it was a gorgeous male calliope. I then had the pleasure to watch it feast on some nectar from some wax currant (ribes cereum).

I've since seen many other calliopes (in Oregon, Nevada, and California) but I'll always remember that one.

LOL!

Thanks for the ping!