Hamhed
Well-known member
Last weekend, I took a group of Birding pals up the Blue Ridge Parkway to Craggy Gardens. We found a good many warbler species on the way but the Craggy area at about 4500 ft was cold, lightly raining, windy and very foggy. Our search for any early Canada Warblers was unrewarded. Only a few Juncos and a single Black-throated Blue Warbler.
Lower down, a few but not all Ceruleans Warblers had arrived and were staking out their territories. One was recorded singing a Hooded Warbler song. After that experience, I'll doubt just about any bird I hear but don't actually see! Scarlet tanagers, Wood Thrushes, Blackburnian and Worm-eating Warblers were out in good numbers but Chestnut-sided had not arrived as yet. Late April is just a bit early to find the whole gamut of mountain species.
This coming Monday, I'll take another Birding Pal contact out and we'll see how breeding season has progressed. Certainly the weather forecast is much better.
For the first time in over a year, my own yard list increased to 133 yesterday when I found a male Yellow Warbler in the willows down by our small stream. That's warbler species number 31 in 9 1/2 years of keeping records.
A number of breeding bird surveys start up next week and we're often short-handed for anyone who is considering a mountain visit.
Steve
Lower down, a few but not all Ceruleans Warblers had arrived and were staking out their territories. One was recorded singing a Hooded Warbler song. After that experience, I'll doubt just about any bird I hear but don't actually see! Scarlet tanagers, Wood Thrushes, Blackburnian and Worm-eating Warblers were out in good numbers but Chestnut-sided had not arrived as yet. Late April is just a bit early to find the whole gamut of mountain species.
This coming Monday, I'll take another Birding Pal contact out and we'll see how breeding season has progressed. Certainly the weather forecast is much better.
For the first time in over a year, my own yard list increased to 133 yesterday when I found a male Yellow Warbler in the willows down by our small stream. That's warbler species number 31 in 9 1/2 years of keeping records.
A number of breeding bird surveys start up next week and we're often short-handed for anyone who is considering a mountain visit.
Steve