[TN-Bird] R. Grouse chicks/ east TN foray

Carter and Unicoi counties, upper East Tennessee
May26-29
The long holiday weekend allowed me to make a trek from the low hills of 
middle TN to the mountains of east TN for some "high elivation" nature study.

On the lower slopes of Unaka Mt., Unicoi Co., in the rhododendron thickets 
from 2,500 to 3,000 feet, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS were common. Here I also 
got my minimum yearly requirement of VEERY song! Veerys are seen at Radnor in 
Nashville in low numbers during migrtion but I don't usually hear them sing.
At the spruce/fir zone at aprox. 4,000 ft. CANADA WARBLER was heard, but not 
seen! MAGNOLIA WARBLER, heard and seen and CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS were 
encountered in the more open areas on top. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS were heard 
and 
CEDAR WAXWINGS were also present.
Butterfly species of note on Unaka were MOURNING CLOAKS along the road and 
AMER. COPPERS in the meadows.

I stayed on a private farm in the Hampton area of Carter Co., at aprox. 2,500 
ft. elivation. The highlight sighting of this area was a RUFFED GROUSE with a 
total of 9 chicks in tow! They could not have been more than a few days old.  
Grouse are resident on this farm, I've seem them on previous visits here at 
other times of the year, but the timing was right since this is the nesting 
season.

Thanks to local expert Don Holt I was able to add to my butterfly and 
dragonfly list. We found APPALACHAN EASTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL and Don helped me 
with 
fine points of identification. Despite the overcast and misty weather we also 
found an emerging COMMON BASKETTAIL dragonfly and FRAGILE FORKTAIL and AURORA 
damselflies.

Other dragonflies found in the area were:
Gray Petaltail
Great Blue Skimmer
12 Spotted Skimmer
Eastern Pondhawk

Richard Connors
Nashville TN










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