Hooded Warbler
It was a beautiful day to be out birding. I planned to stop at the Humpback Rocks Visitor Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway to try again for the Kentucky Warbler that has been reported behind the reconstructed pioneer village for almost two weeks. I have seen and photographed this species a fair number of times in previous years, but I haven't seen one yet this year. Today, I was unsuccessful again at locating the Kentucky Warbler, but the other warblers I saw on the parkway more than made up for missing the Kentucky Warbler. I got onto the parkway at its north end, and pulled off onto Route 610 at mm. 2.5, and saw Hooded Warblers, Ovenbirds, Wood Thrushes, and several other species along this route that runs parallel to the parkway.
Hooded Warbler
I re-entered the parkway at mm. 4, and got off at the visitor center at mm. 5 to look for the Kentucky Warbler. No luck there, but I did see a fawn in the woods with its mama.
Fawn
I could have stopped to listen and look for warblers all along the first 12 miles of the parkway, but decided to only stop at my two favorite warbler sites. The first one is the large cirque at about mm. 7.5, and the other at Hickory Springs Overlook at mm. 12. I stopped at the lower (north) end of the cirque, and was immediately greeted by more Ovenbirds, a Black and White Warbler, and a few Cerulean Warblers. There was dense tree cover, making it difficult to see the birds.
Ovenbird
Ovenbird
Black and White Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
I heard two birds chirping nearby. One of them was a Worm-eating Warbler foraging for insects at about eye level.
Worm-eating Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
I located the other bird - it was a juvenile Worm-eating Warbler! The first juvenile of this species that I have ever seen.
Worm-eating Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
I heard another Cerulean Warbler, looked up, and saw a juvenile of this species!
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
I made a quick stop at the south end of the cirque, and then proceeded to Hickory Springs Overlook. I immediately located male and female American Redstarts.
American Redstart
American Redstart
American Redstart
A Hooded Warbler was singing on the west side of the parkway, and I heard a chinking noise on the east side. It was a female Hooded Warbler, and the females of this species are tough to find. I thought that it might be a juvenile, but a female is more likely.
Hooded Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Hooded Warbler
And there were several Cerulean Warblers at Hickory Springs Overlook. I have been there so many times that the Ceruleans must recognize me, as they have no fear of me, and fly right next to me in their search for food. At one point, I heard a nearby Cerulean, looked up in the tree above me but couldn't see it, and when I lowered my head I saw it out in the open on a tree five feet from my face! It flew as I raised my camera to take a photo, but soon returned, but not quite that close to me.
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Now that's the kind of birding day that I really enjoy!