It's my first summer in the area, and I've been enjoying exploring the
portion of the Appalachian Trail passing through spruce-fir habitat in the
GSMNP and looking for some of the more localized breeders. Some highlights
from recent weeks (based on my limited knowledge of local bird
distributions):
- Northern Saw-whet Owl: 1 juvenile near the Tricorner Knob shelter in the
late afternoon on 6/29
- Common Raven: surprisingly scarce/quiet, finally saw my first of the
summer today (7/15) at Mt. Guyot (although I had another at Frozen Head
State Park a few weeks ago)
- Least Flycatcher: just at Clingman's Dome
- Black-capped Chickadee: common at high elevations with lots of singing,
and now with young
- Red-breasted Nuthatch: same as previous species, seems to have been a
good breeding year (lots of young today)
- Winter Wren: many singing birds still at higher elevations
- Hermit Thrush: fairly common this summer along the AT, I've averaged 1-2
per mile of trail
- MAGNOLIA WARBLER: 1 (and possibly a second) territorial male on Mt. Guyot
on 6/30, 1 apparent immature in the same area today (indicative of
breeding?), 1 territorial male at Yellow Creek Gap today
- YELLOW-RUMPED (MYRTLE) WARBLER: a total of 6 singing males within 2 miles
of the summit of Clingman's Dome along the AT on 6/7, 1 silent male(?) near
Tricorner Knob on 6/30, 1 silent adult at Mt. Guyot today, 1 singing male
at Yellow Creek Gap today
- Other breeding warblers (Blackburnian, Black-throated Blue,
Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Green, etc.) were forming mixed flocks
including lots of young birds today
- Red Crossbill: also scarce relative to during the winter/spring, my only
observation this summer was a fly-by pair at Clingman's on 6/7
- Pine Siskin: 3 still at Clingman's on 6/7
Links to complete eBird lists with photos/audio of many species below.
Best regards,
Mike Havey
Knoxville, TN
7/15
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47220927 - Mt. Guyot North area, AT
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47220376 - Snake Den Ridge Trail
6/30
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46906073 - Tricorner Knob to Peck's
Corner, AT
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46906092 - Mt. Guyot South area, AT
6/29
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46905915 - Peck's Corner to Tricorner
Knob, AT
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46905851 - Charlie's Bunion to Peck's
Corner, AT
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46905637 - Newfound Gap to Charlie's
Bunion
6/7
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46375644 - Clingman's Dome
