At a little before noon today, I went to the Ripley garden to do a little
Rufous-watching. This time, I didn't have to wait long until she appeared,
first perching in the small (non-evergreen) Viburnum behind the Silver
Bell, and then near the top of the Silver Bell itself. She stayed perched
in the Silver Bell for almost 12 minutes. I was surprised to find I had
the place to myself. It was quiet, no sirens, no one walking through the
garden--it would have been quite peaceful if not for the continuous barking
of a nearby dog. Just before takeoff, the Rufous did some "tongue
exercises" and stretching, including some nice tail flares (as usual, they
can sense when one is camera-less). About 12:12, without even stopping for
a drink, the Rufous took off to the right (toward the Mall). After such an
extended rest period, I didn't anticipate her returning for a while, so I
looked around for a few minutes, hoping for a glimpse of the Ovenbird (no
luck). Just as I prepared to leave, a small flock of birders showed up,
including Paul Pisano (I'm sorry I'm bad with names, so I don't remember
the others!). I was just starting to explain that the Rufous had flown off
when she reappeared, as if on cue. She spent more time perched in the
deciduous Viburnum, and also drank from the Silver Bell feeder. The light
on this feeder is back on again, which is good news with the forecast
freezing temps. The Willow tree feeder will be taken inside to avoid
freezing.
When I left around 12:30, the Rufous was perching on a branch near a window
of the A&I building. I encountered one song sparrow and one white-throated
sparrow on the way out. Happy birding!
Laura Farron
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