This report covers three birding outings between May 10th and May 14th, but excludes my May 11th Skyline Drive trip which has its own report and photos.
I didn't have a lot of time for birding, but did take a quick hike along the creek near our house.
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Gray Catbird
White-breasted Nuthatch
It was a beautiful, but hot morning, and I wanted to check out the parkway for migrating warblers, but also knew that being a Sunday and Mother's Day, the parkway would be jammed and noisy. And it was, so I did a short birding trip along parallel Route 610 between parkway mm. 2 and mm. 4. I heard Blackpoll Warblers at a few stops, but could not locate any of them. I did see several American Redstarts and Cerulean Warblers, and my First of Season Swainson's Thrush.
Male American Redstart
Female American Redstart
Cerulean Warbler
Swainson's Thrush
At one point, a warbler-sized bird flew into some vegetation, and started flapping its wings like it was airing them. I couldn't get a good look at this bird, but its bill doesn't look like that of a vireo. If it is a warbler, I can rule out female Black-throated Blue as I don't see a white wing patch, unless it's an unusual first spring female. I can also rule out all of the olive colored warblers that have wing bars, and can see that it has a split eye-ring. That leaves Tennessee and Orange-crowned Warblers as the remaining possible warbler species. Any opinons would be appreciated.
Unidentified warbler(?)
Unidentified warbler(?)
Unidentified warbler(?)
With significantly less traffic and noise this morning, I went back to the parkway to try to find a Blackpoll Warbler in addition to other interesting species. I heard American Redstarts, Cerulean Warblers, Ovenbirds, and Hooded Warblers at several locations. The best view I got of a Cerulean Warbler was along Route 610.
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
I stopped at the northern (lower) and southern (upper) ends of the cirque around mm 7.5. At the northern end, two female warblers were having a territorial dispute. One was an American Redstart, and the other one was a Cerulean.
Female Cerulean Warbler
At the southern end, I saw a Hooded Warbler and a Worm-eating Warbler, and then saw a female American Warbler pulling at a tent caterpillar web nest. I don't think that it was going after the larvae, but rather pulling off some of the web strands for nesting material.
Hooded Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Female American Redstart
Female American Redstart
I heard another Blackpoll Warbler, and stayed there for quite a while until I saw it fly, and then could see where it had momentarily perched (my 2018 Virginia warbler photo species #22).
Blackpoll Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
There were more American Redstarts, Cerulean Warblers, and Hooded Warblers at Hickory Springs Overlook (mm. 12).
Hooded Warbler
Hooded Warbler
I then re-traced my route, and along Route 610 saw more American Redstarts and Cerulean Warblers. I also got some good looks at Swainson's and Wood Thrushes.
Male American Redstart
Swainson's Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
Wood Thrush
Wood Thrush
Wood Thrush
Wood Thrush