Tuesday didn't start out well; two of the Carolina Chickadee nests that I had
been monitoring were destroyed - most likely by House Wrens, those little
monsters. House Wrens are notorious for destroying nests. After that
disappointment, I checked a local pond and found 2 Least Sandpipers, 3 Spotted
Sandpipers, 1 Solitary Sandpiper, and 2 Lesser Yellowlegs. As I left the pond,
I heard a cuckoo that didn't sound right. I was able to locate it and to my
surprise it was a Black-billed Cuckoo. We don't see or hear them very often in
the Rockbridge Co area so this was a treat. I then headed to one of my
favorite birding spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway - Yankee Horse Ridge pull off
near mile post 34. If you haven't birded there, I recommend it. Follow the
old logging rail bed back into the forest away from the falls. You'll find
lots of birds. Yesterday I had Blackburnian, Black-and-white, Cerulean,
Black-throated Blue, Chestnut-sided and Canada Warblers, Redstarts, Blue-headed
and Red-eyed Vireos, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks chasing each other, Scarlet
Tanagers, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Ovenbirds, Veerys, and the usual suspects.
Even though it was windy, the birds were very active. If I include birds I
heard while driving (Worm-eating, N. Parula, Black-throated Green, Pine), I had
12 warbler species.
I've posted some photos of the Black-billed Cuckoo, Blackburnian, Canada,
Black-throated Blue, and Chestnut-sided Warblers on my Flickr page, if you're
interested.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmibiology/
Dick Rowe
VMI Biology Dept
