[Bristol-Birds] Some Ashe County, NC, birding
- From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 31 May 2014 00:45:09 -0400
Merrill Lynch and I birded several gated tracks in northwestern Ashe County
on May 28-29, mainly from Pond Mountain south to Cut Laurel Gap.
The best birds, though expected, were 4 singing Vesper Sparrows along the
NC/TN state line in meadows at the s.w. edge of Pond Mountain, on the 28th.
However, we drove the dirt track onto Pond Mountain Game Land (gate open)
that afternoon, and the open areas -- much with cut/dead Christmas trees in
piles -- are a Song Sparrow factory (20 or more), as opposed to Vesper
Sparrow habitat. As Song Sparrows are abundant in farmyards throughout the
county, this was distressing for us.(Vespers require grazed areas, or grassy
areas up to 1' high, but with no brush piles; Vespers often sing from rocks,
fence posts, or isolated small trees.) Towhees, Juncos, and Indigo Buntings
were also present along this ridgeline road -- all common and widespread
birds elsewhere in the county. A few years ago, and back to about 1980,
these open areas contained Vesper Sparrows. We did flush a Vesper Sparrow
from the dirt road at the southern end, just off Rock Fence Road.
Yesterday, we had one Vesper Sparrow in a meadow a few miles north of Cut
Laurel Gap. Interestingly, in the meadows and edges where we had the Vesper
Sparrows, we had no Song Sparrows -- a good sign. I doubt that Song Sparrows
displace Vespers, but we do know that Song Sparrows need some perches to
sing from, and they do not like heavily grazed areas.
In 1987, we had a singing Golden-winged Warbler from near the top of Pond
Mountain, but I think that species has been essentially absent as a breeder
in recent decades. Alder Flycatcher has been found in recent years there by
Chris Kelly, but we failed to hear any on either day. We did, however, have
one territorial Least Flycatcher around a small opening on the s.w. side of
Pond Mountain, on the 28th.
Other birds of note were a few Common Ravens, an American Redstart at
roughly 4,200 feet, and a Golden-crowned Kinglet in a white pine stand
southeast of Cut Laurel Gap (elevation about 3,900 feet).
Harry LeGrand
Raleigh
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- » [Bristol-Birds] Some Ashe County, NC, birding - Wallace Coffey
