Ruby-crowned Kinglet
A Yellow-throated Warbler was reported at Mint Springs Park here in Crozet, so I went over there to look for it. My usual hike there is up the Fire Trail, that starts around 940 foot elevation, and is a steep half mile climb up to 1300 feet before leveling off. It's a good trail to find Hooded, Kentucky, and Black-throated Blue Warblers, American Redstarts, and occasional warblers such as Cerulean, Worm-eating, Mourning, and Orange-crowned. I usually hike a short distance on the level part before turning back, or it's about a 4 mile hike all the way around. There are other trails in the park as well, and the Yellow-throated Warbler had been reported on the far side of the first lake.
The park was fairly quiet, and I ended up with 20 avian species. I heard a Hooded Warbler about half way up the Fire Trail, but never saw it. This was my first Hooded Warbler of 2021, but I don't count warblers on my yearly warbler photo list until I get at least one photo of that species. I then hiked the Lake Trail, and heard the Yellow-throated Warbler at the end of the levee separating the two lakes. I never saw this warbler either, but already have this species on my 2021 photo list.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
White-throated Sparrow
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Now that I know that Hooded Warblers are starting to arrive, I wanted to try for one up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and parallel Route 610. Six warbler species normally breed along the first 14 miles of the parkway: American Redstart, B&W, Cerulean, Hooded, Ovenbird, and Worm-eating. I had already reported earlier this year that Route 610 is all torn up from construction truck traffic between Elk Mountain Road (BRP mm. 2) and Old Elk Mountain Road (BRP mm. 3), and that all the ground vegetation had been clear-cut on the east side of Route 610 (west side of the parkway), from mm. 2 to mm. 4 where I usually get back onto the parkway. This morning, as soon as I got onto 610 at mm. 2, there were crews working all the way up to the old tower. I don't know if they were only working on that section of 610, or will go all the way along there and repair the road. But there weren't many birds along 610 this morning. I did hear a couple of Pine Warblers where I have been seeing them between mm. 3-1/2 and mm. 4 of the parkway. I decided to go all the way down the parkway to Reids Gap at mm. 14.
The trees are one to two weeks away from really leafing out, but all of the ground vegetation where there isn't heavy tree cover on the west side of the parkway, has been clear cut. I don't know what effect this will have on breeding warblers this year, as the warblers like to forage in the ground vegetation. It was very quiet all the way down to 3 Ridges Overlook (mm. 13.5). I only saw a few birds, including a Broad-winged Hawk near Dripping Rock Overlook.
Broad-winged Hawk
Dark-eyed Junco
Eastern Towhee
The ground vegetation at 3 Ridges Overlook (east side), had been cut last year, and is just starting to return. However, it was very quiet there as well. I heard a Hooded Warbler far down the east side where the cleared area ends, but never saw it. With 14 avian species on my morning list up on 610 and the parkway, I decided to head down Route 664 at Reids Gap, and try my luck at the Rockfish Valley Trail. This trail can be a good place for Common Yellowthroats, Yellow-breasted Chats, and migrating warblers, but it was quiet there. Although I added 8 avian species to my morning list, I didn't see a sngle warbler, and only saw a total of about 30 birds.
Tree Swallow
Field Sparrow gathering nesting materials
Field Sparrow gathering nesting materials
On my way back to my home in Old Trail (Crozet), I saw some Canada Geese in ponds along Route 250, and decided to check out the wetlands in Western Park (Old Trail) to see if Common Yellowthroats have arrived yet. Sure enough, I got my first of season Common Yellowthroat, plus 3 other avian species to give me 27 for today.
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Mockingbird