[TN-Bird] KTOS field trip to GSMNP results

From: "Ron and Dollyann" <aves7000@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "TN-Bird" <TN-Bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 20:47:39 -0400
TN-birders,
Twelve birders from the Knoxville Chapter of the TOS visited and birded the 
Great Smokey Mountain National Park, Sevier County, TN, Saturday, May 31. It 
was a pleasant and somewhat windy day, but we managed to avoid the potential 
called-for rain. The birds played hard-to-get for the most part, but thanks to 
some great birding ears we managed to see or at least hear most of the 
sought-after species. Black-capped Chickadee played hard to get and only a few 
people heard a distant one. The same for Canada Warbler. 

When the birds were hard to come by, we found some interesting plants and 
insects. A beautiful Mourning Cloak Butterfly had everybody oohing and aweing. 
At the Indian Gap parking lot we went down the Chimney Tops trail about 50 
yards. We didn't see the hoped-for Canada Warbler but instead found a rare 
plant (according to a plant book) called Rosy Twisted Stalk. After the day's 
birding was done, 4 of us went back to Newfound Gap, turned right into North 
Carolina, and drove about 2 miles to a 2-car pull-out on the right, which is 
the trail head for the Deep Creek Trail. We parked there and straight ahead on 
the same side of the road is a patch of Large Yellow Ladyslippers. An amazingly 
exposed location for this hard-to-find flower. They were a little past prime 
but there still might be some there by this coming week-end if anybody is 
interested.

Here are most of the birds we had on the trip, which started at Sugarlands 
Visitor Center, then the first 200 yards of the Alum Cave Trail, then to the 
Newfound Gap Parking lot and walking down the trail at the far end for about 
400 Yards, then on to Indian Gap parking lot, where we walked a bit on the 
Newfound Gap trail, and finally about 20 minutes at the Clingman's Dome parking 
lot at the top.

Wild Turkey - Sugarlands and Clingman's Dome
Turkey Vulture
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Chimney Swift
Downy Woodpecker
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee (only heard at a distance by some)
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper - Indian Gap
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren - heard a couple of times and glimpsed along Clingman's Dome road.
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery - Heard a couple of times
Wood Thrush - in scope at Sugarlands
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler - several seen well
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler - in scope at Sugarlands
Canada Warbler - heard distantly at Newfound Gap parking lot
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Brown-headed Cowbird
Red Crossbill - seen at Newfound Gap parking lot near the toilets and also down 
the trail at the far end of the lot.
Pine Siskin - 3 birds showed up in the Clingman's Dome parking lot
American Goldfinch

Thanks to all the people who showed up. It was a fun day

Great Birding,

Ron Hoff
Clinton, TN
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[TN-Bird] KTOS field trip to GSMNP results

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