It was a cool and somewhat foggy start when we met at the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A Cooper’s Hawk called, but we couldn’t manage to locate it or the nest that I had found earlier in the spring. Our first stop was just north of the Tanbark Ridge Tunnel where we only heard Blackburnian and Cerulean Warblers. A young Hairy Woodpecker was very obvious as was a foraging Black-and-white Warbler that sang and fed on a large oak in front of us. A male Scarlet Tanager sang and showed itself very well right over our heads and a Yellow-throated Vireo eventually showed itself as it sang its husky song. A Kentucky Warbler was singing way down the slope at the Bull Creek Valley overlook and a male American Redstart sang nearby as multiple cars drove through our group only to move on again when they didn’t see the monkey!
The Craggies were fairly quiet and we had quick glimpses of Canada Warbler and Veery and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak sang its rich warbling song overhead. Unfortunately, it flew off before we could locate it in the thick canopy.
Lunch was in the campground at Mt Mitchell, where the cool conditions were a delight, as were the Winter Wrens singing in the distance. A walk along the easy Commissary Trail is always enjoyable with Bluets carpeting the sides of the trail and Mountain Ash and Red-berried Elder coming into bloom. Birding was a little quiet to start with, but we finished the walk with great views of Canada and Chestnut-sided Warblers, Golden-crowned Kinglet and a soaring Broad-winged Hawk. A couple of Hermit Thrushes were singing their beautiful songs making for an atmospheric experience.
Overall a lovely day here in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Simon Thompson
Craggies and Mt Mitchell, NC
June 4, 2021
42 Species Encountered
Wild Turkey
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Alder Flycatcher
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Heard)
Eastern Phoebe
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Tufted Titmouse
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Heard)
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren (Heard)
Gray Catbird
Wood Thrush (Heard)
Veery
Hermit Thrush (Heard)
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Dark-eyed Junco
American Goldfinch
Eastern Towhee
Worm-eating Warbler
Kentucky Warbler (Heard)
Black-and-white Warbler
Hooded Warbler (Heard)
American Redstart
Cerulean Warbler (Heard)
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler (Heard)
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Heard)
Indigo Bunting
