Hello all
This morning Ann Cline , Gabriel Mapel & I ( Allen Larner ) started out
just before 7am by hiking the Forest Service road to Benson Run . Just
before you get to the Augusta / Highland County line on Shenandoah Mountain
you turn left to a small parking area . From this point to Benson Run is 2
.5 miles & we hiked about another .5 miles so that it made our hike round
trip 5 . 5 to 6 miles . It started out being a very plesant day with
overcast skies & cool gusts of wind but on the way back it got hot but
still a very nice day . The reason for going in this area is that I only get
up there during spring migration . At this time of the year the gates to the
service road are open for hunting & after spring Turkey season is over the
gates are closed until fall hunting season comes in . We confirmed a few
summer birds for breeding . Also we ended up with 9 species of Warblers .
The biggest surprise was finding Yellow - rumped Warblers & confirming
breeding for the species in the western part of Augusta County . A big thank
you for your help in making this a very good summer day of birding on
Shenanadoah Mountain . The list of 37 species are as follows .
Turkey Vulture -- 4
Mouring Dove -- 1
Yellow - billed Cuckoo -- 1
Ruby - throat Hummingbird -- 1
Downy Woodpecker -- 2
Hairy Woodpecker -- 2 adult & 3 Hatch year -- Confirmed breeding
Pileated Woodpecker -- 3
E . Wood -- pewee -- 4
Blue - headed Vireo --- 10 adults & 2 hatch year -- confirmed breeding
Red - eyed Vireo -- 20 & 1 hatch year -- confirmed breeding
Blue Jay -- 4
Am. Crow -- 1
Raven -- 1
Carolina Chickadee -- 11
Blackcapped Chickadee -- 27 total with a couple being family groups .
Confirmed breeding & peak summer count
White - breasted Nuthatch --- 6
Blue - gray - Gnatcatcher --2
Veery -- 1
Wood Thrush -- 5
Am. Robin -- 2
Cedar Waxwing -- 3
Chestnut - sided Warbler -- 3
Black - throated Blue -- 3
Yellow - rumped Warbler -- 1 adult 2 hatch year -- confirmed breeding & a
new area for species breeding in Augusta County
Black - throated Green -- 5 matches summer peak count
Pine Warbler --- 1
Black & White -- 4
Am. Redstart -- 1
Ovenbird -- 1
Hooded Warbler -- 3
Scarlet Tanager -- 11
E . Towhee -- 15
Chipping Sparrow -- 1
Dark - eyed Junco -- 45 total with a couple being family groups . peak
summer count & confirmed breeding
Rose - breasted Grosbeak -- 3
Indigo Bunting -- 13
Am . Goldfinch -- 7
Allen Larner
Staunton
