American Redstart
The high heat and humidity continues, so I decided to head up to higher elevations where it might be a little cooler. With weekend traffic and road resurfacing on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I took Route 610 all the way from Rockfish Gap, and limited my birding on Route 610 between mm. 2 and mm. 4 of the parkway. My first stop was at the old tower where I had seen a family of 4 or 5 Cerulean Warblers four days ago. This morning, I only heard 1 Cerulean Warbler on my first stop there, and there wasn't a lot of avian activity. I then noticed truck tire tracks, and then figured out why it was so quiet. There's a power line that runs just to the west of Route 610 from Rockfish Gap to about even with mm. 3 of the parkway. Just south of the old tower, a large tree had been cut down, and there were two more openings in the vegetation a bit farther to the south. We had strong storms on Thursday afternoon, and some of the power lines must have come down there. There was also a raised transformer on the power line pole where the tree had been cut down. Crews must have been out there Thursday night and/or Friday working on the lines. While they opened up the view to the woods west of the power lines where the trees and other vegetation had been cut, they probably scared the birds into hiding. I continued south on 610 and saw an American Redstart, a Hooded Warbler, and got quick looks at two Black and White Warblers and an Ovenbird.
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
Black and White Warbler
Ovenbird
Hooded Warbler
When I got to the intersection of 610 and the parkway near mm. 4, I turned around and birded back to the old tower. This time, when I stopped at the old tower, three Cerulean Warblers flew in and started foraging. Four days ago, they were foraging where the tree had just been cut down south of the tower. This morning, they were foraging just north of the gravel tower entrance. Two of these Cerulean Warblers may have been part of the group I saw four days ago, but one of them was a recently fledged bird. The first one appears to be a juvenile that has gotten its first fall male plumage. I thought that it might be a female, but it has strong streaking on its sides and flanks.
First fall male Cerulean Warbler
First fall male Cerulean Warbler
First fall male Cerulean Warbler
The recently fledged Cerulean Warbler was really neat to see. Note the strong yellow feathers in the center of its throat.
Recently fledged Cerulean Warbler
Recently fledged Cerulean Warbler
Recently fledged Cerulean Warbler
Recently fledged Cerulean Warbler
Recently fledged Cerulean Warbler
The third Cerulean Warbler appears to be an adult female. It was stalking a bug, lost it, and then went after it.
Adult female Cerulean Warbler
Adult female Cerulean Warbler
Adult female Cerulean Warbler
Adult female Cerulean Warbler
Adult female Cerulean Warbler
Adult female Cerulean Warbler
Adult female Cerulean Warbler
I ended up with 23 avian species and a few other critters on 610 this morning.
Cedar Waxwing
Red-eyed Vireo
Scarlet Tanager
Pipevine Swallowtail
Chipmunk