Venture to Max Patch Trip

Haywood County, NC

With Bob Olthoff

May 29, 2004

The weather looked mixed as we started out from the Pilot truck stop, but the sun came out shortly enabling us to get good views of a Willow Flycatcher and a fly-over Yellow-billed Cuckoo at our first stop in the lower elevation fields leading up to Max Patch. We ended the day with a Grand Slam of the 4 nesting Empidonax Flycatchers of Western North Carolina. Our 2nd stop yielded good scope views (thanks to Billy Fuller) of Golden- winged Warbler and a Yellow-breasted Chat displaying. We climbed in elevation to our next stop, and had excellent views of Alder and Least Flycatchers, Yellow Warbler and Chestnut-sided Warblers and Red-tailed Hawk. Continuing our trip towards Max Patch Bald we were lucky enough to have a Ruffed Grouse in the middle of the road (seen by all) and a Coyote crossing a field (seen by some). Stopping again prior to Max Patch brought all of us great views of a Scarlet Tanager. Prior to lunch, during a short jaunt along Max Patch Road, good views were had of a Canada Warbler and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and after lunch we proceeded down Cold Springs Road enjoying more of the magnificent scenery and the wildflowers. We did hear 2 Acadian Flycatchers and several Warblers including Blackburnian. Butterflies were also numerous.