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more Graham Co. warblers



Hi all:

I've just returned from two days of warbler watching in Graham Co. NC.
While vagrants were scarce, I had many fine views of the local breeders.
Highlights were:

GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERs are still present along Rt 143 as previously
described.  However I was only able to locate two singing males the foggy
morning of 4/26.  I located a third along the gated forest road at Stecoah
gap.  No hybrids or Blue-wings were found.

CERULEAN WARBER:  For anyone wanting to see the Ceruleans at Stecoah Gap I
suggest you hike along the Appalacian Trail as it assends the ridge from
the gate at Stecoah Gap.  The trail takes you up on the ridge top (less
than half a mile from the parking area) were I had a spectacular view of a
singing male at eye level and mimimum focal length of my 10x binos.  WOW,
what a look!!  I had the bird in view for about 5 minuits at eye level as
it foraged along the ridge.  I was lucky enough to be on the ridge as the
fog burned off and the sun came out for the first time in several days.
All birds were extremely active with territorial and mating displays.
Warbler watching at its best, a truely notworthy "Audubon moment". (The AT
makes several swithbacks here as it assends the ridge, and is a bit slick
from the recent rains, hiking boots would have been preferred over my old
tennis shoes!)

BLUE-HEADED VIREO:  It was hard to get out of earshot of these birds, they
seemed to be everywhere.

WINTER WREN:  There was a sing bird along the trail trough the Killmer
grove, and I found another singing along Forest Service Rd 81 about a mile
or less below its juction with the Robbinsville/Tellico Skyway.

NO Swainson's Warblers were found in there former haunts along forest road
62 off US 129), as described in the Simpson book.  I have not seen birds
here since 1994 dispite two attempts now.  Has anyone seen Swainson's in
Graham Co. since 1994?? 

In general I seemed a bit ahead of the game, as the higher elevations,
(over 3000') were still basically in winter.  It felt like winter too, the
dawn temp at Horse Cove campground was a chilly 36 degrees.  Here is the
complete list of warblers: Golden-winged, Tennessee, Parula,
Chestnut-sided, Black-thoated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green,
Blackburnian, Yellow-throated, Prairie, Cerulean, Black & White, Redstart,
Worm-eating, Ovenbird, La. Waterthrush, Kentucky, Hooded. 

Mike Schultz
Durham, NC