Hello all
Yesterday morning I decided to see what birds that are along Hite Hollow Rd. &
Elliott's Knob . This week & next week I am on vacation & so far all I have
gotten done is a lot of yard work so Friday was my day to bird . Hite Hollow
Rd.( FSR 82 ) goes from Rt. 42 Augusta Springs to Marble Valley Rd. in
Deerfield . At the top is a trail that takes you along the ridge top all the
way to Elliott's Knob ( 4 miles in & 4 miles out ). Birding these areas are
excellent for high elevation species such as Yellow -- rumped Warbler & Canada
Warbler . Yesterdays total species seen or heard was 43 & out of those 23
records broke the book ( Birds of Augusta County by Yulee Larner ) . The best
find was 3 Golden -- crown Kinglets at Elliott's Knob ( one was heard singing &
one was observed begging for food from an adult ) . In the list below will be
peak counts which will include young birds that seem to be on their own .( **
is summer peak counts)
Broad -- winged Hawk -- 1
**Ruffed Grouse -- 7 adults & 11 half grown young
Wild Turkey -- 1
Chimney Swift -- 2
**Hairy Woodpecker -- 6
E . Wood Pewee -- 13
Acadian Flycatcher -- 2
Least Flycatcher -- 1 singing -- 5th summer record Elliott's Knob
Great -- crested Flycatcher -- 3 & 1 begging for food
Yellow -- throated Vireo -- 1
**Blue -- headed Vireo -- 20 ( some hatch year birds )
**Red -- eyed Vireo -- 52
Blue Jay -- 6 & 2 young birds
Raven --4
Carolina Chickadee -- 3
** Black -- capped Chickadee -- 12 ( some hatch year birds )
Tufted Titmouse -- 4
Red -- breasted Nuthatch -- 1 -- 7th summer record
**White - breasted Nuthatch -- 14 ( some hatch year birds )
**Carolina Wren -- 9 & 1 young begging for food
Golden -- crowned Kinglet --3 -- 1 singing & fledged young young begging for
food from adult -- 3rd summer record & confirmed breeding
Blue -- Gray Gnatcatcher -- 1
Veery -- 3
Woodthrush -- 4
Gray Catbird -- 2
Cedar Waxwing -- 4
No. Parula -- 1
**Chestnut -- sided -- 13 seen 2 females carrying food
Black -- throated Blue -- 2 --1 female carrying food
**Yellow -- rumped -- 10
**Black --throated Green -- 5
Pine --3 -- 2 adults & 1 hatch year
**Black & White -- 11 ( some hatch year birds )
Am . Redstart -- 7 -- 2 were hatch year birds
**Worm -- eating -- 16 ( some hatch year birds )
**Ovenbird -- 28 ( some hatch year birds )
Louisiana Waterthrush -- 1 carrying food
**Canada -- 22 ( some hatch year birds )
**Scarlet Tanager -- 13 ( 1 fledged young begging for food )
** E . Towhee -- 49 ( some hatch year birds )
**Dark -- eyed Junco -- 43 ( some hatch year birds )
**Rose -- breasted Grosbeak -- 6
** Indigo Bunting -- 20 -- 1 fledged young begging for food
All in all a good day of birding & keeping well behind the bear that left a paw
print about 4 inches across .
Allen Larner
Staunton
