During a light Sunday morning drizzle I came upon an active mixed flock of
warblers and other birds at a streamside location on the east slope of the
Blue Ridge. The first bird encountered was actually a raucous Great Blue
Heron that flushed. The identified warblers include:
Redstart (4)
Magnolia Warbler (4)
Blackburnian (3)
No.Parula (2)
Chestnut-sided (1)
Bay-breasted (1)
Black and white (1)
Blue-winged (1)
Tennessee (1)
No. Waterthrush (1)
Of course Chickadees and Titmice were admixed and responded vigorously to
pishing. An Eastern Wood-Pewee was calling somewhere and the usual 4
species of woodpecker were seen or heard as well. The Downy and Hairy
Woodpeckers seemed to relish poison-ivy berries! While following the
Chestnut-sided Warbler as it hopped out a horizontal branch I was amazed to
spy a roosting Common Nighthawk oriented parallel its perch, perfectly
camouflaged to the naked eye. This resting goatsucker seemed to really
intrigue one particularly titmouse that kept hopping all around it, silently
but within inches. I think the little rascal may have flushed the
nighthawk, because when I came back to the spot 10 minutes later it was
gone.
A fun few minutes in the welcome rain.
John
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