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Parkway Heaven



I took a quick ride up the parkway just north of Asheville from the Haw Creek 
overlook to the Bull Creek Overlook (about 5 miles) this a.m. before work.  
Wow!  The birds are coming in fast and furious now.  I heard/saw at least 
several and in some cases many each of Hooded, Parula, Worm-eating, Black and 
White, Blackburnian, Cerulean, and Ovenbird as well as Wood Thrushes, Scarlet 
Tanagers, YT, RE, and BH Vireos.  Only one Black-throated Blue Warbler, 
though.  Most of that stretch of the parkway is not great BTB habitat.  The 
area around the entrance to the Tanbark Ridge tunnel is the best spot for them 
in that area.  In case you're interested, there's a nice trail there, too, 
that goes to a spot where a house used to be many years ago and some orchard 
trees are still there.
There were at least 5 Cerulean for you Cerulean fans.  FYI, we had about 20 of 
them in this area (Craven Gap to just beyond the Bull Creek overlook) on the 
migration count last year.
  I also met a few local birders up there who had the same idea.  They were 
luckier, though, as they weren't working today.  They're probably still up 
there right now.  One of them heard a Ruffed Grouse drumming.  Alas, I didn't 
have time to stop for that.
  If you're in the mountains this weekend, this is a good time to get out in 
the woods or on the parkway as there are lots of birds and the leaves haven't 
unfurled yet, so those treetop birds like Blackburnian and Cerulean are easier 
to see.
  FYI local birders, Kingbirds, Catbirds, and Green Herons have returned to 
Beaver Lake.  Where oh where are those Yellow Warblers, though?  They're 
mighty late!
Enjoy,
Marilyn Westphal
Hendersonville, NC
mjwestphal@unca.edu