Hello-
The last big event for Bridgewater College's ornithology course was today.
We left Bridgewater (with a great horned owl calling for us) at 5:30 am and
did "Warbler Road" which I think is mostly Botetourt County, Virginia. We
started at the James River crossing just a few miles from the Arcadia exit
off I-81 (#168). We went to the James River where we had a Green Heron and
just down the road, three vireos, White-eyed, Yellow-throated and Warbling.
There was a nest for the Yellow-throated vireo quite near the bridge. We
did the up and back on Solitude (great looks at Yellow-breasted Chat but no
Prothonotary yet). Then we take a left to Middle Creek Campground where we
had great looks and sounds of the Louisiana Waterthrush. We turn at the
left for the forest service road and go up (Cerulean and Canada Warblers at
elevation), with one more right turn that takes us to the Blue Ridge Parkway
at Apple Orchard Falls Overlook (just north of Peaks of Otter). We had
Chestnut-sided Warbler and Blue-headed Vireo at the Apple Orchard Overlook.
We then proceeded north back to the James River to get Cliff Swallow on the
Parkway. Our total species was 70 with 17 warblers and 5 vireos. The trees
are full out for most of the road. We did not try to take the road to the
radar station since other birders report it closed and impassable without 4
wheel drive (so we missed Veery and Juncos). The rest of "Warbler Road" was
in fine shape, easily driven with a 15 passenger van. Our full list
follows.
Cheers - Robyn P. and Bill B.
American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Redstart
American Robin
Baltimore Oriole
Barn Swallow
Black Vulture
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blue Jay
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Blue-headed Vireo
Broad-winged Hawk
Brown Thrasher
Brown-headed Cowbird
Canada Goose
Canada Warbler
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Cedar Waxwing
Cerulean Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Cliff Swallow
Common Grackle
Common Yellowthroat
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Towhee
European Starling
Field Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Great Blue Heron
Great Crested Flycatcher
Great Horned Owl
Green Heron
Hooded Warbler
Indigo Bunting
Louisana Waterthrush
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Parula
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Northern Mockingbird
Orchard Oriole
Ovenbird
Pileated Woodpecker
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-eyed Vireo
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Rock Pigeon
Scarlet Tanager
Tree Swallow
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
Warbling Vireo
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-eyed Vireo
Wild Turkey
Worm-eating Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Vireo
