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high country migrants!



Hey now twitchers,

I know I unsubscribed but while I'm still in the high country for a few days 
with a couple of minutes here and there I shall report as usual.

Just spent three days in Linville Gorge backpacking and picked up Pine
Warblers.  Thats my first Parulid for the year.  Winter wrens, ruby-crowned 
kinglets, eastern phoebes abundant as well.  Interestingly, the cavity 
nesters reigned.  Pileateds, downies, hairies, carolina chickadees, titmice, 
bluebirds, white-breasted nuthatches, carolina wrens.  I wish I had enough 
personal pre-fire birding experience in the gorge to make some calls on 
this, but I shall save that for my friend Jason Riddle who is conducting his 
thesis here at A.S.U. on that very matter.

Ultimately I would suggest everyone pay this place a visit.  It is truly 
remarkable to see how beautiful a huge natural disturbance can be.  Too bad 
we humans supress such disturbances for various "reasons".  Too bad so many 
early-successional species are in such decline in the east, probably partly 
due to our suppression of large natural disturbances.  I cant wait to see 
what happens as succession occurs in the gorge.  Everyone have a happy 
migration.

Jason Bulluck
Masters Candidate
Department of Biology
Appalachian State University