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AVery County Venture Report



C-birders
Our trip to Avery County and hike through the meadows alas, did not produce
our target butterfly, the Baltimore Checkerspot, but we did have a good
number of spectacular Aphrodite and Great Spangled Fritillaries. It now
seems that the Baltimore has been extirpated from North Carolina - a shame
for us to lose this spectacular and beautiful butterfly. However, the birds
put on quite a show, with Broad-winged Hawks circling overhead and
Chestnut-sided Warblers singing from the bushes - some even feeding quite
grown youngsters. Cedar Waxwings were also in abundance and we had good
scope views of an individual with an orange tail tip - quite unusual. (Photo
on web site soon!)

Thankfully we dodged the showers and had a very pleasant walk down the road
through the Roaring Creek Community. Gray Catbirds and Ruby-throated Hummers
were everywhere, along with a couple of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, a family of
Barn Swallows and a good mix of garden birds. Our best sighting today was
not a bird, but a mammal. While we were watching a collection of small birds
fussing over something in the grass, a Long-tailed Weasel ran over the path
not 15 feet from us - a great sighting!

It seems as if our main butterfly quarry has gone, but a visit to this
corner of Avery County is still well worthwhile

The next day trip Venture is a little different. Escape from hot weather on
July 19 by jumping in the Mills River in Henderson County, NC to search for
Hellbenders!! More information is on the Ventures web site.
Simon

Simon Thompson
Ventures Birding and Nature Tours
PO Box 1095
Skyland, NC 28776
Phone: 828.253.4247
Travel@birdventures.com
www.birdventures.com