Weather map
The weather forecast is for rain every day this coming week, with heavy rain at times. In addition to storms moving in from the west, Tropical Storm Arthur is heading up the east coast.
Weather map
The forecast for today was changed from rain to cloudy all day, with mild easterly winds. That usually means that moisture will be pushed in from the coast and will back up at the Blue Ridge Mountains, bringing rain and/or fog. But I checked the Birdcast radar from overnight, and it showed good avian movement, and predictably, birds moving into the mountains from the coast. So I wanted to try my luck and see what I might find.
Birdcast avian radar
There was dense fog in the mountains, so I waited until 9:30 to leave from home, with plans to go to Ridgeview Park in Waynesboro (Shenadoah Valley) first, and then up to Route 610 along the Blue Ridge Parkway if the fog cleared. As I approached the summit of the Blue Ridge on I-64. the fog seemed to be clearing, so I went to Route 610 first. There have been times when I have been up there just after fog had cleared, and hungry birds were actively foraging in the emerging sunlight. But along 610 today, the fog varied from light to dense. I logged 14 avian species up there, including all 7 of the breeding warbler species, but Cerulean, Worm-eating, Ovenbird, and American Redstart were heard only warbler species this morning.
Black and White Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Pine Warbler
Red-eyed Vireo
Eastern Towhee
After a while, the fog got even denser, and so did the traffic. Route 610 is just barely more than one lane wide where there is birding, and some of the "crazies" were on that road as well - cars driving too fast or without lights in the dense fog. So I headed down to Ridgeview Park, arriving there at 11:00. By then, the park was a bit noisy with non-birders. I added 16 new species to my day list. Two warbler species were heard only - American Redstart and Common Yellowthroat.
Carolina Chickadee
Brown-headed Cowbirds
At least some of the wildflowers in the park made for good photos.
Wildflowers
Wildflowers
I left at noon. On my return on I-64, the fog up at the Blue Ridge was even denser with a misty drizzle. And more "crazies" - cars going 70+ without their headlights on. Sigh . . .