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Richland-Balsam Gap-Blue Ridge Parkway



Folks,
        Sorry for this late post, but I've had computer problems.
On Saturday AM, June 23 at about 11:30 AM Bob Olthoff and I were birding the
southern end of the Blue Ridge Pky.  While we were at Richland-Balsam Gap,
elevation 6,054 feet, Bob called my attention to a large pigeon that was
flying south along the gap.  The bird was uniformly light beige or gray in
color with a very light colored tail.  We got brief views of the bird and
could not make the call.  This bird was immediately followed by a second
pigeon that was behind and to the east of the first bird,  and we got very
poor views of it.  We heard no vocalizations during this time.  We last saw
them flying southwest down the parkway.  While I believe there is a small
chance that these birds were Band-tails, pigeons on the parkway, especially
at 6,000 feet,  are not in my experience, a common occurrence.  With the
recent report of Band-tailed Pigeon at Devil's Courthouse by Robin Carter,
our curiosity was more then aroused.
        We also had 3 Red Crossbills & Pine Siskins in the same area.
                                                                Regards,
                                                                Wayne K.
Forsythe

Hendersonville, North Carolina