[tn-bird] Mourning Warbler on the Roan
- From: James Brooks <comeback@xxxxxxxx>
- To: Tennessee Birds <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2002 17:50:13 -0400
Allen Trently jeopardized his standing in the Parasitic Jaegers, an
opportunistic, loosely formed group of opportunistic chasers who tend to
build their lists by running down the birds found and reported on the
Internet by others. Last week Allen found a singing male Mourning
Warbler out on the Balds of the Roan as part of his seasonal naturalist
duities in those parts.
He then reported it on Tenn-bird and at the Tuesday meeting of the Lee
and Lois Herndon Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society, a
group of keen scientists who promptly got to the important scientific
meat of the matter when I asked:
"Was it in North Carolina or Tennessee where you saw it?"
Allen saw it in North Carolina just off a split in the Appalachian Trail
on the third bald, 1.5 miles from Carver's Gap. However, Gary Wallace
added fuel and interest to the symposium by declaring he had promptly
run up the Roan and over the Balds and saw it on the AT proper, and
definintely on the Tennessee side.
I planned to pursue the bird in the easiest manner possible, in true
Parasitic Jaeger fashion, and since it is Rhododendron Festival time,
and parking at the Gap is at a premium, I intended to drive up Saturday
night, backpack up there, tent overnight, and get the bird while lying
flat on my back Sunday morning munching gorp for breakfast.
Misfortune befell, however, as I could not find my pack frame, which I
haven't used in at least 5 years of avoiding strenuous activity. So I
opted for plan B, ran to Greene County and saw the empty pond where an
Avocet was reported last week, returned home, where I had spent the day
mowing the north 4, and pitched my tent out on the hill and contemplated
the evening from an Adirondock Chair while sipping two bottles of Corona
and munching chips and the hottest salsa I could find before crawling
into the sleeping bag for the roughing it phase.
It was a tough night, what with several visits from my cat, who kept me
awake by constantly purring and kneading the softness of the down bag
over my soft and flabby body.
Awakened by the ever-reliable Indian alarm clock at 4 a.m. I went down
to the house, prepared a proper breakfast with hot coffee, drove to the
Roan and was on the trail by 6:30 a.m.
The sun was already up and Dark-eyed Junco's were singing. They are
amaziningly tame up there. One perched on an AT marker on the trail and
didn't move as I passed close enough to reach him. Just before the
juncture of the trail I pulled off to the side, ate some snack crackers
with water and laid down for a half hour nap, just so my binoculars
would be steady in my hands. Then I arose and took the branch into North
Carolina where I soon found Mary McDavit of Sunset Beach, NC, who had
sayed at a B&B in Roan Mountain and left without breakfast to find the
bird.
She said she missed it last July, and confirmed that this was a bird
pursued by North Carolinians a year ago, which had apparently returned
to the Roan, although no sign of a female or a nest was seen then, either.
After about a half hour Mary decided to find another location, so I
remained, checking out Chestnut-sided Warblers, Alder Flycatchers, Cedar
Waxwings and other birds as the sun began to warm the cold mountaintop.
I picked up a movement in one of the conifers that stood about six feet
from the AT on the North Carolina side, but just barely. It was the
Mourning Warbler, a nice male, the pale yellow body, gray hood and black
spot on the breast clearly visible in the beautiful early morning light.
He moved up to a bare branch as I called out to Mary, hoping she was
within earshot. After less than a minute he dropped down and into
Tennessee.
Tic! One bird, two states. The Parastic Jaegers strike again!
Mary reappeared and we searched awhile, but didn't see the bird. I
assured her that he wasn't going anywhere, and to just hang in there, as
I hiked back down the mountain, planning to see if I could locate Allen
at Hampton Creek Cove so he could hand me an annual tic of one of those
Golden-winged Warblers he's been reporting, but he wasn't there, and I
was too tired from my exertions to seek one out myself.
I maintain that Allen did not risk his standing in the Parasitic Jaegers
because he located the Mourning Warbler as part of his day job, and
besides, the bird was there last year.
Hopefully next weekend he can hand me that Golden-winged Warbler, and
maybe then I'll run over to Unaka for an annual Magnolia Warbler tic.
For now, however, I need to go up into the back 4 and strike me tent and
take another nap.
James Brooks
Jonesborough, TN
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