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High Elevation Birding - Crossbills, BC Chickadees, etc., etc.



Bob Othoff and I spend the morning on the Blue Ridge Parkway between Soco Gap
and the Smoky Mountains and also did the Heintooga Spur Rd off of the BRP,
which is on the western edge of the Smokies.  It was a wonderful morning and
we heard and saw lots of fun birds.  We had 40 species and then I added 4 more
after I left Bob in Haywood County and continued down the parkway home.
	We had 11 species of warbler with the most common (20+ each) being
Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, and Canada, but also lots of BT Greens and BT
Blues, and 1 – 5 N Parula, Yellow, Black and White, Ovenbird, Hooded, and C.
Yellowthroat (all of the Yellowthroats were at Black Balsam).  Also had lots
of Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos, but more BH than RE, and lots of
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Least Flycatchers, and Veeries.   Other good birds
included Wild Turkey (1), Peregrine Falcon (2 youngsters at the Devil’s
Courthouse nest site fully feathered and looking ready to take off), C. Raven
(1), Alder Flycatcher (4), Winter Wren (4), Brown Creeper (1), Scarlet Tanager
(several), Dark-eyed Junco (lots), Red-breasted Nuthatch (2 or 3),
Golden-crowned Kinglet (lots), and best of all 3 Black-capped Chickadees, a
large flock of Pine Siskins, and at least three, possibly more, Red
Crossbills.
	We managed to get excellent views of the two of the Red Crossbills.  They
were calling and one was singing.  They were with the flock of Pine Siskins
and a flock of Cedar Waxwings at the entrance to the Balsam Mountain
Campground near the far end of the Heintooga spur road.  From now until the
end of June is a very good time to look for Crossbills at some of the usual
places they are found around here – Heintooga, Cataloochee Ranch, Mt Mitchell,
Balsam Gap, and Roan Mountain.  The Black-capped Chickadees were also on the
Heintooga Rd, one singing at the Masonic monument and the other two farther
down the road.
	The Least Flycatchers were along the parkway near Heintooga and along the
Heintooga Road, but I also came across one at the Buck Springs Lodge overlook
near Pisgah Mountain.  The Alder Flycatchers were at Black Balsam.
	The only bird we expected to get and missed was Hermit Thrush.  There are
usually a few on the Heintooga Rd, but we didn’t get any today. Wildflowers
were good, too, and the Mountain Laurel is in bloom now.  Altogether, a really
fun morning.
Marilyn

Marilyn Westphal
Environmental Quality Institute
University of North Carolina-Asheville
One University Heights
Asheville, NC  28804
828/251-6823
mjwestphal@unca.edu