FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Grayson County, VA Birding Route

[RonEHarrin@xxxxxxx]

Birding Grayson County, VA
Date: June 14, 2005
Time: Approximately 3 hours. The start time was  9:45 a.m. 
Participants: Ron Harrington and Wallace Coffey
Miles Driven: 24.6 
Elevation Range: 2914 near Troutdale, VA to 3617 near Blue Spring Gap, Iron 
Mountain range.
Route:  Troutdale-Flatridge-Roberts Cove-Bluespring Gap. Take Rte. 603 east 
from Hwy 16 in Troutdale, Va. This is Ripshin Road. Follow this for 6.4 miles 
and then turn right on Rte. 601, Flatridge Road.(We saw a Fox Squirrel at the 
3022 elevation) This is a two-lane, hard surface road that goes down the 
mountain.  Turn left at the old Flatridge store onto Honey Grove Rd.  Follow 
this 
road until you see Robert's Cove Road, Rte. 672. (The elevation here is 2914).  
Turn left and drive until 672 makes a sharp left and becomes Blue Spring Road 
(This is confusing because Roberts Cove Rd, now 674, goes straight ahead, but 
not into the cove as such). Blue Spring road winds through the beautiful 
Roberts Cove area of Grayson County (with a large rock formation, called Bald 
Rock, 
looming over the valley floor on your right). At the head of the cove, the 
road snakes back up the mountain to the Hales Lake area, near Blue Spring Gap. 
As we crested the mountain, the elevation was 3617. At mile 20, elevation 3017, 
we observed a large number Appalachian Race of the Tiger Swallowtail feeding 
on an old deer carcass. Other Notes: Apparent herbicides sprayed near a steam 
on Rte 674, Roberts Cove Road, just pass Blue Spring Road. Numerous dead 
hemlocks were seen, especially at coordinates N 36-44-.764, W 081-17-.183. 

Species (43) and number counted: 

Gray Catbird: 7
Carolina Wren: 3
Am. Robin: 7
W. Pewee: 3
Song Sparrow: 9
House Wren: 11
Chipping Sparrow: 5
Red-eyed Vireo: 2
Common Yellowthroat: 3
Solitary Vireo: 15
Indigo Bunting: 12
Field Sparrow: 4
Belted Kingfisher: 1
Red-winged Blackbird: 8
Mourning Dove: 4
Tufted Titmouse: 4
E. Phoebe: 3
Paurla Warbler: 2
N. Cardinal: 2
Common Crow: 12
Junco: 7
Chestnut-sided Warbler: 7
E. Bluebird: 5
Black-throated Green Warbler: 5
Coopers Hawk: 1 (3545 elevation)
Turkey Vulture: 12
E. Towhee: 11
Hooded Warbler: 4
C. Swift: 7
Am. Goldfinch: 5
E. Starlings: 60
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 1
Barn Swallows: 11
House Sparrow: 3
C. Grackle: 3
Rock Pigeons: 2
Ovenbird: 6
Scarlet Tanager: 2
N. Mockingbird: 1
Blue Jay: 2
Acadian Flycatcher: 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler: 4
Veery: 1