Sorry for the delay but I’m only now getting cell service. Yesterday at 2pm 70
meters downslope from the top of Black Balsam Knob (see below) a Townsend‘s
Solitair landed in a Green Ash Tree full of red berry clusters. The solid gray
bird perched in an upright posture in good light for about four minutes. The
patterned black wings were clearly visible as was the white eye ring . A raven
flushed the bird and it flew about 40 meters along the slope landing again in
another Green Ash tree. As there were several ravens playing overhead it was
again flushed and flew another 50 meters along the slope landing on an upper
branch of a dead spruce next to a grove of spruce and nearly out of sight.
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway (Mile marker 420) at Black Balsam Knob Trail Head,
Art Loeb Trail to the top of the Black Balsam Knob
https://ashevilletrails.com/blue-ridge-parkway/black-balsam-knob-art-loeb-trail-hiking/
If anyone knows how to post this sighting to the North Carolina served, please
do
Melinda Welton
Nashville, TN
Sent from my iPhone
