[TN-Bird] Mt LeConte falcons

Amber and I hiked the Alum Cave Bluff Trail to the top of Mt LeConte in the 
Smokies today (4 June).  Highlight was two immature Peregrine Falcons putting 
on quite an aerial show just beyond Alum Bluff.  There was whitewash at a few 
spots on Duck Hawk Ridge near the Eye of the Needle.  Had not heard any info on 
a nest here this year but these two were almost certainly raised there.

Also lots of salamanders in the creek... haven't gotten out the book to ID them 
yet.

Otherwise many of the usual suspects.  Black-capped Chickadees were found as 
low as Inspiration Point (around 4700 ft!) and Black-throated Blue Warblers 
were seen all the way to the top.  Veerys were heard almost down to the 
trailhead (~3900 ft).  No Hermit Thrushes were heard and no crossbills.  Also 
did not notice any Blackburnians.

Some highlights:

Peregrine Falcon, 2 immatures
Eastern Phoebe, 1 calling at almost 6000ft
Blue-headed Vireo, many all along the trail
Common Raven, 1 heard at LeConte Lodge
Black-capped Chickadee, many seen and heard above 4700ft
Red-breasted Nuthatch, many
Winter Wren, only 1 heard near summit
Golden-crowned Kinglet, many all along trail
Veery, several, mostly from near trailhead to about 5000-5500 ft

Warblers:
Chestnut-sided, a few from about 4500-5000 ft
Black-throated Blue, many all along trail and all the way up to 6000+ft, 
probably most I've seen here, didn't seem like we were ever out of earshot of 
at least one
Black-throated Green, several below 5000 ft
Ovenbird, at least one on lower parts of trail
Canada, several along the trail

We ran into Beth Schilling and her daughter on our way up.  Maybe they had some 
other goodies. 


Dean Edwards
Knoxville, TN

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