Scarlet Tanager
Huck Hutchens had texted me yesterday morning that he had seen an Olive-sided Flycatcher at Hickory Springs Overlook (mm. 12) on the parkway. Although I have seen this species many times during spring and/or fall migration here, it is rare in Virginia. I was getting ready to leave for an appointment in Charlottesville and could not go out to look for it.
August 25 is the "usual" first day of good warbler migration during the autumn in central Virginia, and this morning might be a good one to look for warblers, and perhaps see the Olive-sided Flycatcher if it were still there. If so, it should be easy to spot, as this species likes to perch atop the highest dead branch of a tree.
I got a late start, and didn't get to Route 610 until shortly after 9:30. The old tower area was quiet, but there was a lot of avian activity farther to the south. I heard a Hooded Warbler, and saw several non-warbler species, including two Scarlet Tanagers. One of them looks to be a female, but has quite a bit of gray on its underside. The other one with a darker bill is probably an immature bird, and note its yellow wing bar.
Scarlet Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
While I was stopped there, Vic Laubauch showed up. He had started south on the parkway, had seen the Olive-sided Flycatcher at Hickory Springs Overlook, and saw 11 warbler species (golden-winged, hooded, black-throated blue, black-throated green, worm-eating, ovenbird, cape-may, blackburnian, redstart, black-and-white, chestnut-sided) in a mixed flock between Ravens Roost Overlook (mm. 10) and Hickory Springs Overlook. I had already photographed all but the Cape May in 2021, and was eager to find this flock. So I continued south on 610 to mm. 4 of the parkway, and then south on the parkway. I made a quick stop at the south end of the cirque (mm. 7.5) and heard a Cerulean Warbler, and then drove towards hickory Springs Overlook. I didn't see any warblers, but soon saw the Olive-sided Flycatcher atop a dead tree on the west side of the parkway and a bit north of the overlook parking area. A minute later, it flew to another dead tree justto the south of the parking area.
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Olive-sided Flycatcher
I continued south to Three Ridges Overlook (mm. 13.1), and then turned around and headed back north as I looked for the warbler flock. No luck. I got to mm. 4 and got back onto Route 610, and drove north to mm. 2 of the parkway. I heard another Hooded Warbler on 610 but never saw it. Well, it was only 11:00, so I got back onto the parkway and tried once again to look for the warbler flock. Not a single warbler seen or heard all the way to Three Ridges Overlook, so I turned around and drove the parkway back to I-64 (mm. 0). Maybe tomorrow will be better?