Hey Everyone,
Today in hopes of seeing some interesting butterflies and well I guess birds :)
I made a trip up to Highland. My Dad who has never been up to Highland in the
summer got three lifers (impressive) while I sadly had none but I am not
complaining as we had beautiful weather and some awesome stuff. We started off
at Forks of Water where we heard a Warbling Vireo (FOY), then headed to
Margaret's. On the way we stopped by the graveyard and stream where we had a
Cliff Swallow, tons of Bobolinks, and a Willow Flycatcher. Then we snaked our
way up 640 to Margaret's. On the way we saw Alder (Lifer for my pops) and Least
Flycatchers (both FOYs). We arrived at Margaret's to about ten cars! and saw a
flock of birders well doing what birders do best bird. My Dad and I talked with
them to figure out what was around the area and they pointed us in the way of a
GW Warbler. My Dad and I had great looks of a male and female (FOY). A
Rose-breasted Grosbeak showed up for the group. Then we were called over to a
Black-billed Cuckoo on the WV side :(. A lifer for my Dad so we stuck around
and watched it for a while. It was bringing nesting materials to a bush along
the field (next weekend I will check up on the progress of the nest).
Butterflies seen were Common Ringlets, Hobomok Skipper, American Copper, Meadow
Fritillary, Azure sp. (Not big enough or light enough for Appalachian which
will show up in a week); My only lifer of the trip was a Northern Pygmy
Clubtail (Dragonfly). Then we headed off sald yin a different way than the bird
club towards Straight Fork. On Heverner's I didn't give much effort into Vesper
Sparrows because I have already seen a few and I wanted to find Meadow
Fritillaries (Which I couldn't find). But the highlight of Heverner's was a
pair of Black-billed Cuckoos chasing each other across the field (of all
places) into a large tree. In the area were lots of tent caterpillars so they
were probably feeding on these. On Laurel Fork we had a pair of Bald Eagles,
Blackburnian Warblers, Veeries, Magnolia Warblers, a Hermit Thrush, a Canada
Warbler for another year along the river beside the cabin, Alder Flycatcher,
Least Flycatchers, Aurora Damsel, Tiger Swallowtails (either Appalachian or
Eastern), and Maryland Yellowthroats as my dad calls them. WE then made our way
up to the fire road where we were able to locate a male Mourning Warbler and
hear a Veery. An awesome day all in all with nine FOYs for me and three lifers
for my dad. Pictures from the trip can be seen at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/115043594@N05/
Good Birding,
Andrew Rapp
