Venture to Stecoah Gap 
& Talullah Wetlands

Graham County, NC

Friday, April 23, 2010

 

It was a beautiful spring day at Stecoah and despite the somewhat slow migration, there was quite a selection of newly-arrived spring warblers to enjoy. We met at the Gap around 9 AM before slowly wending our way down the trail. The wildflowers this year all seemed to bloom at the same time- Squirrel Corn and Showy Orchis together! There were plenty of Blackburnians singing and establishing their territories. 2 Ceruleans were easy to hear but as always, somewhat difficult to get good views. A couple of Worm-eating Warblers were moving through farther along the trail and the forest rang with the rhythmical song of the Ovenbird. A brief stop in Robbinsville produced a nice male Orchard Oriole before we moved onto Talullah. Afternoon in the wetlands can be a little quiet but we managed to see a flyover Belted Kingfisher- maybe a local nester, as well as hear several of the lower elevation species.

Simon Thompson

 

Birds
Canada Goose Black-throated Blue Warbler
Turkey Vulture Yellow-rumped Warbler
Broad-winged Hawk Black-throated Green Warbler
Red-tailed Hawk Blackburnian Warbler
Wild Turkey Yellow-throated Warbler (Hd)
Mourning Dove Cerulean Warbler (2)
Barred Owl (Hd) Yellow-throated Warbler
Belted Kingfisher Black-and-white Warbler
Red-bellied Woodpecker American Redstart
Downy Woodpecker Worm-eating Warbler
Pileated Woodpecker  Ovenbird
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Hooded Warbler (Hd)
Barn Swallow Scarlet Tanager
Blue Jay Northern Cardinal
American Crow  Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Northern Raven Indigo Bunting
Carolina Chickadee Eastern Towhee
Tufted Titmouse Song Sparrow
Carolina Wren White-throated Sparrow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Dark-eyed Junco
American Robin Red-winged Blackbird
European Starling Common Grackle
Blue-headed Vireo Brown-headed Cowbird
Red-eyed Vireo Orchard Oriole
Golden-winged Warbler American Goldfinch
Northern Parula
Butterflies
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail West Virginia White
Red-spotted Purple Silver-spotted Skipper
Pearl Crescent Spring Azure

 


Copyright 2010 Ventures, Inc.