juvenile Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Supposed to be sunny today, but it was overcast with patchy fog. I decided to go back to the cirque (natural mountain amphitheater) on the Blue Ridge Parkway between mile markers 7 and 8 to see if the Canada or Prothonotary/Hooded Warblers were still there. I have gotten feedback from three knowledgeable birders about the Prothonotary/Hooded - two ID'ed the bird as Prothonotary and one as a female Hooded Warbler. I couldn't tell for sure, but was hoping it was a Prothonotary, so until someone can prove that incorrect, that's how I will call it - but sure would like some more photos to confirm it.[8/4/10 update - am now convinced it was a female Hooded].
Got to the south end of the cirque a bit late - about 9:20 - first birds I saw were a Mourning Dove and a juvenile Rose-breasted Grosbeak. And then an American Redstart. Not a lot of activity this late in the morning, but a Black-throated Green Warbler came very close to me, and then I saw a female Cerulean Warbler high up in the trees. I could hear Eastern Towhees, and also saw a couple of Indigo Buntings and Eastern Wood-Pewees.
juvenile Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
American Redstart
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
female Cerulean Warbler
I walked to a small open area a bit farther south, and a male BTG Warbler with one of the darkest throats I have ever seen on a BTG was there. Walked back to the cirque and stayed there until 10:40, but not much more to report there. I drove to Hickory Springs Overlook, and there was a Worm-eating Warbler singing loudly in a tree branch directly over my head, but no matter how much I moved around, I could not see it. By 11:00 the morning show was over.
Black-throated Green Warbler