Blue Ridge Parkway 7/30/10

Rockfish Valley Trail 7/30/10

A cold front moved through the area last night, and the winds were from the north this morning, so I went back up to the Blue Ridge Parkway to see if the Canada Warbler was still there, or if the front brought some new warblers into the area.

It was in the upper 50's when I got to the open area between mile markers 7 and 8 at 8:30 a.m., and the sky was somewhat overcast. There was a lot of bird activity there, mostly at the south end of the cirque - I had seen the Canada Warbler at the north end.

When I got to the south end, I was not disappointed. Although I am fairly sure that I heard a Canada Warbler, I did not see one. However, I did photograph five species of warblers there. The first was a Worm-eating Warbler. After hearing this species several times on the parkway, but never seeing one, I took so many photos of it that I had to delete some of them. This is my # 159 Wintergreen area bird species, warbler # 30, and a new life bird for me.

Worm-eating Warbler

I also got some photos of a very yellow warbler that I believe is a female Prothonotary Warbler. It might be a female Hooded Warbler, but the short tail and bluish gray wings are not characteristic of a Hooded Warbler. [8/4/10 update: multiple birders have convinced me that this bird is a female Hooded Warbler.]

female Hooded Warbler

I also saw a Black and White Warbler and an American Redstart there. The fifth warbler was a Black-throated Green Warbler undergoing some serious molting. Although I don't see much of a black throat, it could be a first fall female.

Black and White Warbler

American Redstart

Black-throated Green Warbler

A juvenile Eastern Towhee was there, in addition to a bird that I think has to be a Tufted Titmouse, but I don't see its crest, and have never seen one with orange in its bill.

juvenile Eastern Towhee

Tufted Titmouse

At 9:30, I went to an open area near mile marker 9, and saw another B&W Warbler, Towhees, lots of Tufted Titmice, a juvenile Catbird, and several Chickadees. I think that they are Carolina Chickadees, but Black-capped is a possibility. Hard to tell from the photos. I stayed there for 30 minutes, and then headed off to Hickory Springs Overlook near mile marker 12.

juvenile Catbird

Chickadee

Not too much going on at Hickory Springs Overlook, but it was getting a bit late in the morning. Lots of American Goldfinches, Indigo Buntings, another Towhee, and a Cedar Waxwing. All along the parkway I heard woodpeckers, but did not stop and try to find them.

Cedar Waxwing

On the way home I stopped at the Rockfish Valley Trail along Glenthorne Loop. There still was a lot of activity at 11:00, and in 30 minutes of only a little hiking there, I logged 15 common summer species. It was still in the mid-70s, so the birds must have liked the cooler temperatures.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Brown Thrasher

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