Venture
to Stecoah Gap
(#4)
Graham County, NC
Thursday, May 10, 2007
It was another beautiful spring day in the mountains when we all met at the Stecoah Gap trailhead. By now the leaves had opened quite a bit so the warbler-watching was more difficult than just a few short days ago. As usual, the male Cerulean was singing from the tall trees across the road, but, as usual, we could not find it!
Needless to say, the Stecoah Gap Trail was "dripping with warblers" and it's always difficult to come up with highlights. Maybe it was the female Blackburnian that was foraging on the ground feet from us was terrific that we did not need optics to view or the male Magnolia Warbler that flitted around in the vine tangles or even a male Golden-wing that showed itself briefly. Otherwise it was Redstarts, Black-throated Greens, Black-throated Blues etc etc etc. Who could complain?!
Simon Thompson
| Birds | |
| Broad-winged Hawk (2) | Chestnut-sided Warbler (2) |
| Mourning Dove | Magnolia Warbler (1 male) |
| Barred Owl (Heard) | Black-throated Blue Warbler (5+) |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Black-throated Green Warbler (5+ nest) |
| Downy Woodpecker | Blackburnian Warbler (5+) |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Cerulean Warbler (Heard) |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee (Heard) | Black-and-White Warbler (5+) |
| Blue Jay | American Redstart |
| American Crow | Worm-eating Warbler (1) |
| Carolina Chickadee | Ovenbird |
| Tufted Titmouse | Hooded Warbler (4) |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Scarlet Tanager (1 male) |
| Carolina Wren (heard) | Northern Cardinal |
| Wood Thrush (Heard) | Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
| Blue-headed Vireo | Indigo Bunting |
| Yellow-throated Vireo (Heard) | Eastern Towhee |
| Red-eyed Vireo | Dark-eyed Junco |
| Golden-winged Warbler (1 male) | American Goldfinch |
| Northern Parula (1) | |
| Butterflies | |
| Pipevine Swallowtail | West Virginia White |
| Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Spring Azure |