Hello all,
Jim Felley put up a hummingbird feeder in the Ripley Garden yesterday; it
is hanging in the branches of the (now leafless) Silver Bell tree, to the
right of the middle clump of blue Salvia. Around 12:55, as I approached
this area of the garden, I could HEAR the hummer before I could see her! I
searched and spotted her perched in this same tree. As I watched, she flew
to a branch above the feeder, making some high-pitched vocalizations as she
stared intently at it. Shortly afterward, she flew down and took a long
drink. This is great news, as it should make it much easier for Mary to
catch and band her.
After using the feeder, the hummingbird (now identified as a Black-chinned)
flew to the right, poked a few pink blossoms on the multiflora Rose, and
then perched on a branch of Polygonum located behind the Rose. She did
some preening and fluffing, then flew around in the Polygonum searching for
bugs. When I lost sight of her, I went to the other side of this flowerbed
and discovered her sitting quite happily in the summersweet bush (entering
from the Mall side, this bush is in the first cutout to your right, above
the trashcan; it still holds a few yellow leaves, and the Polygonum is
visible behind it from this side as well).
I think there's a good chance for continued sightings of the hummingbird
this holiday weekend, and hopefully beyond. Take your relatives when you
run out of ways to entertain them: birdwatching is more interesting than
football!<g>
Laura Farron
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