A lovely fall day of birding in the Blue Ridge at the scenic Orchard at Altapass, looking for fall migrants. It may be cool first thing in the morning so be prepared with layers, as well as good walking shoes.

Come along on an interesting day trip to the historic Orchard at Altapass for a nice selection of southbound migrants. Altapass is one of the lowest elevations on the Blue Ridge Parkway, providing a funnel effect for birds heading south for the winter. We will spend the day birding above and below the orchard, which are well known hotspots for migrating warblers. We will also learn about the history of the Orchard and what conservation measures the organization has taken to ensure protection of the orchard and native flora and fauna.

Altapass in the fall usually provides exciting surprises as to what flies by each day in terms of species diversity and abundance. We’ve had good luck with finding Golden-winged Warblers on this trip over the last few years, in addition to: Ruffed Grouse, Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Great-crested Flycatcher, Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson’s Thrush, 10-15 species of warblers, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.