Black-throated Blue Warbler
When I arrived at the old tower on Route 610 near mm. 2 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Huck Hutchens had just arrived as well, so we birded that 2 mile long stretch of Route 610 between the tower and mm. 4 of the parkway for 2-1/2 hours. At the old tower we saw a female Black-throated Blue Warbler, and then I saw a flock of 4 or 5 Tennessee Warblers.
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
I didn't notice any other warbler species in this flock, but when I started processing photos, I saw that one of them had yellow undertail coverts, and not the white of a Tennessee Warbler. Unfortunately, my photos of this bird are out-of-focus, so I can't identify the warbler species. Perhaps it was another Black-throated Blue Warbler?
Unidentified Warbler
A bit farther south on 610, we hit an avian jackpot! There was another female Black-throated Blue Warbler, at least two Black-throated Green Warblers, another Tennessee Warbler, some Cape May Warblers, and several non-warbler species.
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Cape May Warbler
While we were watching a Carolina Chickadee at this stop, a Philadelphia Vireo popped up into view!
Philadelphia Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
We saw a few Red-eyed Vireos and a Blue-headed Vireo there.
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
There were one or two Swainson's Thrushes, a Scarlet Tanager, and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Swainson's Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
There were White-breasted Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice, and woodpeckers (we had 5 woodpecker species on 610 this morning). And then a juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo flew in. Note its juvenile yellow eye-ring, fairly unmarked undertail, and buffy brown throat.
Black-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo
It was fairly quiet farther south on 610, but we added a Blackpoll Warbler, and I got some poor photos of a Magnolia Warbler.
Blackpoll Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
We ended up with about 30 avian species, and had a great birding morning!