The persistent rain moved out of the area, and it was replaced with sun and very hot temperatures. I decided to go birding at higher and cooler elevations. I got to the parkway at 10:00 a.m., and took my usual route along the first 12 miles of Route 610/Blue Ridge Parkway. Once again, the foliage was very dense, making seeing and photographing birds a challenge. My first stop was the the Rockfish Gap Overlook (mm. 2), where I saw a male Cerulean Warbler and a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and heard a Hooded Warbler, an Eastern Towhee, and an Indigo Bunting.
Male Cerulean Warbler
Male Cerulean Warbler
Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Soon after getting onto Route 610 at about mm 2. of the parkway, I stopped at the entrance to the old tower and birded along the road. I saw 11 avian species there, including 4 warbler species: American Redstart, Cerulean, Black and White, and Worm-eating. One of the warblers took a a few minutes for me to identify. It was a juvenile female Cerulean Warbler that still had some its brown feathers. This little one was out foraging with its mama.
Juvenile female Cerulean Warbler
Juvenile female Cerulean Warbler
Female Cerulean Warbler
Female Cerulean Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Female American Redstart
Black and White Warbler
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Wood-Pewee
By the time I exited Route 610 and re-entered the parkway near mm. 4, it was 11:30 and I had already logged 21 avian species. The parkway was fairly quiet, at least for avian activity, until I got to Hickory Springs Overlook (mm. 12), where I got quick looks at a male and a female Hooded Warbler.
Male Hooded Warbler
Silvery Checkerspot