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Am. Redstarts



Speaking of wet, bedragged birds, I saw a female Am.
Redstart foraging in the pouring rain yesterday. (Innesbrook
Apts in Durham, NC. That's in South Durham near the
intersection of Fayetteville St and Hope Valley Parkway.)

She was hopping around some mulched ground plantings
(creeping cedars?) and didn't seem to notice either that I
was stock still on the sidewalk, or that she was totally
drenched.  The yellow markings were clearly visible and the
tail was so wet and spread that it looked almost notched.
Rather than moving away from me, she hopped closer and
closer through the plantings to within 2 feet of me. She
then darted across the sidewalk and I thought for one moment
she would cross the toe of my shoe!  She suddenly realized-- 
oh, there's a big human foot in front of me-- and flew about
3 feet past me to the other side.
That was a nice up-close thrill.

A couple weeks ago, I also saw a male Am. Redstart
fluttering (and singing, which got my attention) about in my
huge holly tree. He was apparently being scolded by a
chickadee!  From a distance, he could be taken for a large
orange butterfly from the way he was flittering. (Durham
city near the intersection of Guess Rd and Ellerbe Creek,
busy streets but heavily wooded.)

Joy Greenwolfe
Durham, NC