Cousin Dan Kendrick and I enjoyed a couple of hours birding the following areas
in the park; Laurel Lake, Beaver Pond and the Garden Hole road along Camp
Branch. Among the locals we also found a couple of good feeder flocks of
migrants. Our warbler list included;Chesnut-sided, Magnolia, Bay-breasted,
Black&White, Hooded, Tennessee and American Redstart. Three vireo species were
found;White-eyed, Red-eyed and Blue-headed. Other birds were; Yellow-billed
Cuckoo, Brown Thrasher, Catbird and Scarlet Tanager. We discovered a lot of
wild grapes being devoured by a host of Robins , a few Swainson's Thrush, a
Veery and a Wood Thrush. Our list of woodpeckers included; Pileated, Flicker,
Hairy, Downy, Red-bellied and Dan spotted a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker as well.
The rain moved in as we were searching through a feeder flock along Camp Branch
that had just given us 2 Black&White Warblers and a Magnolia. Anyone birding
this area should check out the Garden Hole road from the highway to the Camp
Branch crossing. In Fall and Spring migration this remains as one of the best
hotspots in the Breaks area.
DaveRaines
Breaks,VA
