Blue Ridge Parkway, VA 7/3/2019

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

Six warbler species are presumably breeding at various locations along the first 12 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway: American Redstart, Black and White, Cerulean, Hooded, Ovenbird, and Worm-eating. I wanted to get up there to survey what little ones might be out and about yet. I knew that starting tomorrow, the parkway would be jammed with holiday tourists, so I decided to go today. I wasn't able to get there until 10:30 this morning, so I went to my two favorite warbler sites. First stop was at the south (upper) end of the large cirque near mm. 7.5, and I surveyed from close to the large rock outcropping in the middle of the cirque to almost all the way to mm. 8. All six warbler species were there, but I only heard Ovenbird (1), Cerulean (1), Worm-eating (at least 1), and Hooded (at least 2). I was able to get photos of the other two warbler species.

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Male American Redstart

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Female American Redstart

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Female American Redstart

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Female Black and White Warbler

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Female Black and White Warbler

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Female Black and White Warbler

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Male Black and White Warbler

I got a quick look at, and poor photos of, a small bird there that had a complete eye-ring and wing bars. It might have been a young Black and White Warbler, or possibly a Least Flycatcher.

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Unidentified species

I also saw two male Scarlet Tanagers, and a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk molting into its adult plumage.

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Scarlet Tanager

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Red-tailed Hawk

My next stop was at Hickory Springs Overlook (mm. 12), where I heard at least two more Hooded Warblers, and got good looks at an Ovenbird, a male Cerulean, and some American Redstarts. A male Redstart was foraging with three other Redstarts. One of the three looked to be an adult female, one a first summer male, and one a recently fledged juvenile.

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Ovenbird

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Ovenbird

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Male Cerulean Warbler

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Male Cerulean Warbler

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Male Cerulean Warbler

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Male Cerulean Warbler

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Male American Redstart

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Female American Redstart

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First year male American Redstart

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First year male American Redstart

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First year male American Redstart

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Recently fledged American Redstart

I returned to the south end of the cirque, and this time was able to see a Worm-eating Warbler there, and an adult Red-tailed Hawk. The hawk flew from a tree close to where I parked, and most of the small birds seemed to be hunkered down. An indigo Bunting was singing, and a recently fledged Indigo Bunting was making chip sounds in deep foliage.

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Worm-eating Warbler

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Worm-eating Warbler

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Red-tailed Hawk

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Indigo Buntings

I was disappointed that I had not seen a Hooded Warbler, but only heard them this morning, and headed north on the parkway to I-64 for my drive home. Around mm. 1.5 on the parkway, I heard a Hooded Warbler, so I parked my car and got out for a look. There were three Hooded Warblers there. One was a female and the other two were males, presumably an adult male and its offspring. Most of the time I only see males of this species, and it was a treat to get some photos of the female. Note the partial hood on her head and a clear yellow throat.

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Female Hooded Warbler

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Female Hooded Warbler

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Female Hooded Warbler

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Female Hooded Warbler

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Female Hooded Warbler

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Female Hooded Warbler


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