American Redstart
I wanted to go birding on the first 12 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway before the leaf cover got so dense that finding warblers would be really difficult. My first stop was at the Rockfish Gap Overlook (mm 2) to look for Kentucky Warblers. This species has nested in the dense vegetation on the west side of the overlook every summer that I have been birding, except for last year when six workmen with chain saws were clear-cutting the ground vegetation on the east side of the overlook during early May, and presumably scared them away. I didn't see or hear any Kentucky Warblers this morning, and they should have already been there, if they were nesting there this year. Perhaps they will return next year.
But I did see 6 warbler species, and heard a 7th on the first 12 miles: American Redstart, Black and White, Canada, Cerulean, Hooded, Ovenbird, and Worm-eating (heard only). American Redstarts, Hooded, Cerulean, and Ovenbirds were all along this stretch of the parkway.
American Redstart
Female American Redstart building nest
Female American Redstart building nest
Female American Redstart building nest
Black and White
Cerulean
Cerulean
Cerulean
Cerulean
Cerulean
Cerulean
Cerulean
Cerulean
Ovenbird
Ovenbird
Male Hooded Warblers are quite common on the parkway, but I rarely see a female of this species. The female Hooded Warbler I saw today looked a lot like a female Wilson's Warbler, but its white outer tail feathers are diagnostic for a Hooded.
Male Hooded Warbler
Female Hooded Warbler
Female Hooded Warbler
Every year that I have been birding on the parkway, I have seen one or two Canada Warblers near the "curvy road" sign at the southern (upper) end of the cirque between mm 7 and mm 8, but they are only there for about two weeks in early May, and then they leave for nesting elsewhere. It was good to see this species again at this reliable location.
Canada Warbler
Canada Warbler
Canada Warbler
Canada Warbler
Canada Warbler
Canada Warbler
Canada Warbler
Canada Warbler