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Blue Ridge Birding: Alder,Willow, Golden-winged



Hey Carolinabirders, hi Appalachian Naturalist,

last night I returned from one and a half incredible days of mountain 
birding along the Blue Ridge (northwestern NC) and Roan Mountain 
(NC-Tennesse border). Below's a listing of the nicest birds I recorded:

Turkey: 			1 Roan Mtn. mid-altitude

Eastern Wood-Pewee:		many near Stony Fork Valley Overlook

ALDER FLYCATCHER:	2 singing in Julian Price State Park; very easy to see, 
just follow 				directions in the Blue Ridge birding guide and go to the 
ancient 				lake bed 200 yards off the Parkway

WILLOW FLYCATCHER:	several singing and easy to see in moist willow meadows 
in Roan 				Mtn. State Park on Tennessee side of border

Acadian Flycatcher:		several singing individuals in Snow Mtn. State Park 
near Elkin, 				NC; I tried for Swainson's Warbler here, but got Acadians 
instead

Winter Wren:			several singing individuals in coniferous forest near Roan 
Mtn. bald

Golden-crowned Kinglet:	common in coniferous zone on Roan Mtn.

Veery:				singing individuals at several locations; also saw one just 
this 				morning on my way to the department here in the Duke 
Gardens, 				Durham, NC

Cedar Waxwing:		big flocks flying around near Roan Mtn. bald

Yellow Warbler:		singing in willow meadows in Roan Mtn. State Park

Chestnut-sided Warbler:	didn't know they're that common in the mountains

Magnolia Warbler:		1 around ancient lake bed in J. Price State Park (off 
Parkway)

Black-thr. Blue Warbler:	many sites; at Stony Fork Valley Overlook I had 
several female-				plumaged individuals with a vocalization I was not 
familiar with (3 				or four clear, non-buzzy, level high-pitched notes 
followed by a 				lower-pitched note of similar quality); didn't find 
anything about 				"female vocalizations" in this species in any of the 
field guides...

Black-thr. Green Warbler:	1 male along creek in Roan Mtn. State Park

Louisiana Waterthrush:		1 feeding young in Snow Mtn. STate Park (the single 
young chick 				was already able to fly, albeit clumsily)

CERULEAN WARBLER:	1 seen singing and several more heard at Stony Fork 
Valley 				Overlook along the Parkway; seems to be a highly reliable site, 
so 				just follow directions in Blue Ridge birding guide

Black/white Warbler: 		several

GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER:many seen on Tennessee side of border (sorry, NC 
listers) near Roan Mtn. State Park. There is an area with at least 10 pairs 
at the end of one of the backcountry roads that turn off from the main road 
near the end of Roan Mtn. Village (Tennessee); I met a few local birders 
that were carrying out a Golden-winged census for Cornell, and they assured 
me there is even a Brewster's territory there (which we failed to find that 
day, though). The Golden-winged sites along the main road through Roan Mtn. 
State Park from a few years ago (see Blue Ridge birding guide) are 
abandoned presumably because of habitat succession. However, if anyone's 
interested in precise directions to this area, just drop me a line 
(off-list, as there seem to be a few mountain backcountry folks on 
Carolinabirds that don't feel at ease with sharing exact directions to 
"target species" in public)

Scarlet Tanager:		several near Doughton Park and Stony Fork Valley Overlook

Baltimore Oriole:		2 at Stony Fork Valley Overlook

Rose-breasted Grosbeak:	1 female at Stony Fork Valley Overlook

Junco:				common at most sites

Thanks to the people that offered help in locating a few of my "target 
species" (nice expression, maybe you people should try and keep it alive 
after I'm gone from NC).

Happy Birding

Frank


Frank Rheindt
Durham, NC