Hi all,
I got home this evening from spending a week at a friend's place in Luray in
Page County and going up to Shenandoah National Park with them each day to do
hiking, wildlife watching, and birding.
Each day I got to do a lot of birding and saw some good birds and a lot of
FOYs. My first day in the park was Monday driving through the Central District
and didn't see too much. I was with Eve Gaige and we got an FOY American
Redstart just south of Baldface Mountain Overlook (Greene County) and a flyover
Osprey and a Barred Owl near Skyline Drive Milepost 38 (Page County).
On Tuesday (April 21st) I went up to Elkwallow in the North District and did a
circuit hike to Mathews Arm, Knob Mt Trail, and Jeremys Run (Rappahanock
County). Highlights of 41 species included: 4 Broad-winged Hawks, 1 Barred
Owl, 2 Yellow-throated and 15 Blue-headed Vireos, 1 Wood Thrush, and Warblers
(20 Ovenbird, 1 Worm-eating, 1 L. Waterthrush, 12 Black-and-white, 1 Hooded, 6
American Redstart, 1 Blackburnian, 1 Pine, 2 Yellow-rumped, 1 Black-throated
Green).
The following day, Wednesday (April 22nd) I headed to the north district again
and saw a lot of the same species as Tuesday with the additions of a Ruffed
Grouse (Skyline Drive Milepost 27) and a Gray Catbird (Piney River Ranger
Station). That evening I headed over to Lake Arrowhead in Page County near
Luray. It looks like a great spot for birding and the day I was there there
was a Double-crested Cormorant and a whole bunch of Swallows in which I picked
out 4+ Cliff.
On Thursday April 23rd in the north district of the park I found the same
species as the previous day including another Ruffed Grouse, this one on the
Appalachian Trail near Beahms Gap.
Yesterday, Friday April 24th I headed to the far north of the park to do a hike
in the Dickey Ridge Area in Warren County. Highlights of 41 species included:
2 Wild Turkey, 5 Yellow-throated and 5 Blue-headed Vireos, 1 House Wren, 2 Wood
Thrushes, and Warblers (3 Ovenbirds, 2 Worm-eating, 1 L Waterthrush, 8
Black-and-white, 1 C Yellowthroat, 4 Hooded, 6 Am Redstart, 1 Yellow-rumped)
Today I finished around the Elkwallow area again in Rappahannock County and
found many of the species already seen in the week with the welcome addition of
a Winter Wren that I managed to photograph. On my way home this evening while
driving by the pond at Luray Caverns along Hwy 211 I looked down at the pond
and I noticed a black wingtip goose with a reddish bill with a grin patch and
scored a surprise Snow Goose.
All in all it was a very good week with a lot of bird activity ending in 65
species including 11 warblers. Good Birding,
Gabriel Mapel
New Hope, VA
