[tn-bird] Mourning Warbler on the Roan

Allen Trently jeopardized his standing in the Parasitic Jaegers, an 
opportunistic, loosely formed group of opportunistic chasers who tend to 
build their lists by running down the birds found and reported on the 
Internet by others. Last week Allen found a singing male Mourning 
Warbler out on the Balds of the Roan as part of his seasonal naturalist 
duities in those parts.
He then reported it on Tenn-bird and at the Tuesday meeting of the Lee 
and Lois Herndon Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society, a 
group of keen scientists who promptly got to the important scientific 
meat of the matter when I asked:
"Was it in North Carolina or Tennessee where you saw it?"
Allen saw it in North Carolina just off a split in the Appalachian Trail 
on the third bald, 1.5 miles from Carver's Gap. However, Gary Wallace 
added fuel and interest to the symposium by declaring he had promptly 
run up the Roan and over the Balds and saw it on the AT proper, and 
definintely on the Tennessee side.
I planned to pursue the bird in the easiest manner possible, in true 
Parasitic Jaeger fashion, and since it is Rhododendron Festival time, 
and parking at the Gap is at a premium, I intended to drive up Saturday 
night, backpack up there, tent overnight, and get the bird while lying 
flat on my back Sunday morning munching gorp for breakfast.
Misfortune befell, however, as I could not find my pack frame, which I 
haven't used in at least 5 years of avoiding strenuous activity. So I 
opted for plan B, ran to Greene County and saw the empty pond where an 
Avocet was reported last week, returned home, where I had spent the day 
mowing the north 4, and pitched my tent out on the hill and contemplated 
the evening from an Adirondock Chair while sipping two bottles of Corona 
and munching chips and the hottest salsa I could find before crawling 
into the sleeping bag for the roughing it phase.
It was a tough night, what with several visits from my cat, who kept me 
awake by constantly purring and kneading the softness of the down bag 
over my soft and flabby body.
Awakened by the ever-reliable Indian alarm clock at 4 a.m. I went down 
to the house, prepared a proper breakfast with hot coffee, drove to the 
Roan and was on the trail by 6:30 a.m.
The sun was already up and Dark-eyed Junco's were singing. They are 
amaziningly tame up there. One perched on an AT marker on the trail and 
didn't move as I passed close enough to reach him. Just before the 
juncture of the trail I pulled off to the side, ate some snack crackers 
with water and laid down for a half hour nap, just so my binoculars 
would be steady in my hands. Then I arose and took the branch into North 
Carolina where I soon found Mary McDavit of Sunset Beach, NC, who had 
sayed at a B&B in Roan Mountain and left without breakfast to find the 
bird.
She said she missed it last July, and confirmed that this was a bird 
pursued by North Carolinians a year ago, which had apparently returned 
to the Roan, although no sign of a female or a nest was seen then, either.
After about a half hour Mary decided to find another location, so I 
remained, checking out Chestnut-sided Warblers, Alder Flycatchers, Cedar 
Waxwings and other birds as the sun began to warm the cold mountaintop.
I picked up a movement in one of the conifers that stood about six feet 
from the AT on the North Carolina side, but just barely. It was the 
Mourning Warbler, a nice male, the pale yellow body, gray hood and black 
spot on the breast clearly visible in the beautiful early morning light.
He moved up to a bare branch as I called out to Mary, hoping she was 
within earshot. After less than a minute he dropped down and into 
Tennessee.
Tic! One bird, two states. The Parastic Jaegers strike again!
Mary reappeared and we searched awhile, but didn't see the bird. I 
assured her that he wasn't going anywhere, and to just hang in there, as 
I hiked back down the mountain, planning to see if I could locate Allen 
at Hampton Creek Cove so he could hand me an annual tic of one of those 
Golden-winged Warblers he's been reporting, but he wasn't there, and I 
was too tired from my exertions to seek one out myself.
I maintain that Allen did not risk his standing in the Parasitic Jaegers 
because he located the Mourning Warbler as part of his day job, and 
besides, the bird was there last year.
Hopefully next weekend he can hand me that Golden-winged Warbler, and 
maybe then I'll run over to Unaka for an annual Magnolia Warbler tic.
For now, however, I need to go up into the back 4 and strike me tent and 
take another nap.
James Brooks
Jonesborough, TN

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