Part of Group Having Lunch
Unidentified Fungus Beetles
The Smokies are always a lot closer than I think, and we all assembled at the trail ahead, made our sandwiches and readied ourselves for the 8 mile hike up through the forest. Weather predictions were varied, but it looked we were going to have a beautiful day. A good selection of wildflowers was still in evidence and many woodland birds were back on the breeding territories. We did not see the introduced Elk herd beforehand, but a Wild Turkey strutting through the grass was a good start to the day. There are always plenty of highlights on every hike into the mountains and this was to be no exception. We watched an Acadian Flycatcher building her nest of plant fibers and Spanish moss adjacent to the trail, had several sightings of Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Blue-headed Vireo - all birds of the higher elevations. Wildflower highlights had to include the rich burgundy blossoms of the Vasey's Trillium and several small clumps of Showy Orchis. Butterflies were also more obvious today in the warm weather with the best sighting being the somewhat worn Zebra Swallowtail that was sunning near the river.
Coming back along the river trail was quite an adventure with serious erosion having occurred in last year's hurricane season and at least 8 log river crossings! All in all, it was another wonderful day in the mountains.
Part 2 of Group Having Lunch
| Birds | |
| Turkey Vulture | Winter Wren (heard) |
| Broad-winged Hawk (en route) | Golden-crowned Kinglet (heard) |
| Ruffed Grouse (heard) | Wood Thrush (heard) |
| Wild Turkey | American Robin |
| Mourning Dove (en route) | Blue-headed (Solitary) Vireo |
| Chimney Swift | Red-eyed Vireo (heard) |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Northern Parula |
| Downy Woodpecker | Black-throated Blue Warbler |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Black-throated Green Warbler |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | Blackburnian Warbler |
| Acadian Flycatcher (nest building) | Black-and-white Warbler |
| Blue Jay (heard) | Ovenbird (heard) |
| American Crow (heard) | Louisiana Waterthrush (heard) |
| Northern Raven (heard) | Hooded Warbler |
| Carolina Chickadee | Scarlet Tanager |
| Tufted Titmouse | Chipping Sparrow |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Dark-eyed Junco |
| Brown Creeper | American Goldfinch |
| Carolina Wren | |
| Butterflies and other insects | |
| Tiger Swallowtail | Spring Azure |
| Zebra Swallowtail | Silver-spitted Skipper |
| Pipevine Swallowtail | Duskywing sp |
| Spicebush Swallowtail | Millipede (2 sp) |
| West Virginia White | |
| Mammals and Amphibians | |
| Red Squirrel | Eastern Garter Snake |
| Gray Squirrel | Ring-necked Snake |
| Bat sp | Mountain Dusky Salamander |
| Wildflowers | |
| Common Blue Violet | Solomon's Seal |
| Marsh Violet | Swamp Lettuce (Saxifrage) |
| Sweet White Violet | Partridge Berry (last year's fruit) |
| Jack-in-the-Pulpit | Large Toothwort |
| Bluets | Foamflower |
| Carolina Vetch | Bishop's Cap |
| Rue Anemone | Vasey's Trillium |
| Wood Anemone | Indian Cucumber Root |
| Robin's Plantain | Sweet Cicely |
| Showy Orchis | Golden Alexanders |
| Pink Lady's Slipper | Hairy-jointed Meadow-Parsnip |
| Golden Ragwort | Yellow Mandarin |
| Squaw Root | Solomon's Plume |
| Buttercup | Doll's Eyes |
| Blue Cohosh | Dog Hobble |
| Star Chickweed | Yellow Buckeye |
| Canada Mayflower | |
| May Apple | Not in flower: |
| Galax | Rattlesnake Orchid |
| White Clintonia | Dwarf Rattlesnake Orchid |
| Early Meadow Rue | |
Umbrella Leaf (in flower!)
Old Stone Wall