Blue Ridge Parkway, VA 9/7-8/2021

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

Warbler migration should be in full swing by now, but except for a the occasional mixed flock, it doesn't seem to me that many of the warblers are on the move.

September 7

I got a late start and didn't get to the parkway until 9:45 this morning. I started birding along Route 610, but it was quiet. I heard two Hooded Warblers singing to each other where I have been seeing them all summer, and I got a very quick look at one of them.

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Hooded Warbler

I got back onto the parkway at mm. 4, and made my way south all the way to Three Ridges Overlook. It was really quiet. At the south, upper end of the cirque (mm. 7.5), I saw a Yellow-throated Vireo.

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Yellow-throated Vireo

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Yellow-throated Vireo

September 8

I got a much earlier start this morning and arrived at the parkway at 8:50. I decided to stay on the parkway, and then bird along Route 610 on my way back. The south end of the cirque was very "birdy," but most of the birds there were American Goldfinches and Eastern Wood-Pewees. I did see a Worm-eating Warbler there.

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American Goldfinches

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Eastern Wood-Pewee

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Worm-eating Warbler

I made my way down to Three Ridges Overlook, but it was quiet there as well.

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Immature Indigo Bunting

On my return, I stopped again at the south end of the cirque, and the Goldfinches were still active. I did see a pair of Tennessee Warblers this time.

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Tennessee Warbler

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Tennessee Warbler

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Tennessee Warbler

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Tennessee Warbler

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Tennessee Warbler

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Tennessee Warbler

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Tennessee Warbler

Once again, Route 610 was fairly quiet. I heard the chink call of a Hooded Warbler where the pair of them was yesterday, and at that same stop, I thought that I had a quick look at a Black-throated Green Warbler, but my photos confirmed (especially undertail pattern) that it was a Cape May Warbler (my 38th warbler species photographed in 2021). By 10:30 it was getting very cloudy, and I ended this mornings outing with 22 avian species.

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Cape May Warbler

I remember a few years ago when warbler migration was really slow, and then the weather changed and warblers were everywhere. I'm hoping for a repeat!


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