Yesterday afternoon, when cool, cloudy weather enveloped central Missouri, I noticed a small bird flitting about one of our magnolia trees. It's general color matched the drab weather but yellow patches on its wings, sides and tail caught my attention.
The showy visitor was a female American redstart, known for its hyperactive feeding style and for flashing its colorful markings to stun prey; males have a black head, chest and wings with orange patches. Common summer residents throughout the eastern half of the U.S. and across southern Canada, these warblers favor riparian woodlands, isolated groves and forest edges, where they hunt for a wide variety of insects and spiders. Come autumn, they head for the Tropics, including South Florida.
It was certainly a pleasure to encounter the redstart yesterday, especially amidst the dreary weather. She was just the latest messenger that our chilly spring will soon yield to longer days and a higher sun.
