[tn-bird] Great Smoky Mountains NP
- From: Charlie <cmmbirds@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2002 18:09:50 -0700 (PDT)
Hi Folks,
An early start to the day to chauffeur a Russian scientist around the
park paid off nicely this morning. Stopping at the Cades Cove
parking lot (Blount County, TN) I listened for just a second and
heard at least a dozen bird species singing. Nothing new, but 5
warblers and a vireo, along with Chipping Sparrow, Robin,
White-breasted Nuthatch, etc was nice.
Driving down Laurel Creek Road we stopped to watch a hen Ruffed
Grouse foraging along the roadside.
I spent most of the day leading a group of Elder Hostellers on a hike
on the following trails: Chestnut Tops, Schoolhouse Gap, Bote
Mountain, West Prong. About 10.6 miles. We had at least 50 singing
BLack-throated Green Warblers. They seemed everywhere. Near the
junction of Chestnut Top and Schoolhouse Gap I had my first Hooded
Warbler of the year. The pine area of Chestnut Top featured a number
of Pine Warblers, but it didn't seem as many as last year, same time.
Since I didn't count either time, that is just a feeling. I had
about 10 singing males. Along the stretch of deciduous near the top
of the trail I got to watch a pair of Blue-headed Vireos building a
nest.
Schoolhouse Gap Trail featured a couple Louisiana Waterthrushes, but
not a Swainson's Warbler (I figured it was too early, but had to
listen anyway)
I'm wondering - where are all the thrushes?? Shouldn't there be some
coming throug now? Or am I just too impatient?
Non-bird stuff...
Flowers were also a delight. Purple Phacelia was the big crowd
pleaser, but the Dwarf-crested Irises on West Prong Trail and the
Birdsfoot Violet on Schoolhouse Gap were very nice - and both look
like they'll be stunning in another week. We had about 25 species
along the first 1/2 mile of Chestnut Top Trail.
I'm getting bogged down in skippers. Gotta go out with the book for
a few hours one day "when I have time" and learn more of those guys.
A number of Tiger Beetles were exciting, and the number of
yellow-striped millipedes has increased notably in the past week.
Garter snakes and copperheads are being reported daily, as are
5-lined skinks and fence lizards.
Good day!
Charlie
=====
**************************************************
Charlie Muise, Senior Naturalist
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
Townsend, TN lat 35 deg, 38'23" long 83 deg, 41'22"
"Do something. If it works, do it again. If it does not work, do something
else. But above all else: Do Something." (Franklin Delano Roosevelt)
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