By Sally Siko
Tag Archives: blue ridge parkway birding
Canada Warblers have arrived in NC
One of the most visually striking birds found in the mountains of western N.C. in the summertime is the Canada Warbler.I spotted this one along the Blue Ridge Parkway while on a birding trip in the Craggy Pinnacle area last May.He was relatively easy to find along the trail by listening for his song, a “chip” followed by a distinctive pause, and then a series of short, sputtery notes: “chip chupety swee- ditchety”. Once I’d narrowed the spot where the calls were coming from, all I had to do is look for the movement of yellow feathers in the brush. This is my favorite species of Warbler to photograph. I mean would you look at this bird!
Just gorgeous!
Males are more brightly colored than females, with bluish-grey upper-parts and tail and bright yellow underparts. Their crown plumage is adorned with delicate black and bluish points, a black forehead and “sideburns,” which join to form a distinctive necklace of black blotchy stripes across its intensely yellow chest.
When looking for Canada Warblers, investigate areas which provide their favored habitats of dark brushy cover in the understory layer of mixed deciduous forests along the higher elevations of the Parkway. They are best found foraging in dense, dimly lit patches of rhododendron and mountain laurel. Though they can be hard to spot at times, luckily Canada Warblers are relatively common in the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge region so you should have multiple opportunities to see and photograph them if you take the time to search for these feathered gems from now through September.
Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5
Canada Warblers in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina
By Sally Siko
One of my favorite species of birds to find in the Blue Ridge Mountains is the Canada Warbler. With that slate grey, black and bright yellow plumage pattern standing out in the tangled brush, it’s hard to ignore these tiny feathered dynamos as they flit from limb to branch.
Though they’re small (measuring about 14cm in length) Canada’s are relatively easy to find at higher elevations by listening to their loud calls which starts with a starts a chip, followed by a series of warbling notes that often ends on a higher pitch.
These handsome Warblers nest across the southern boreal region of Canada, from extreme southeastern Yukon to Nova Scotia, and south to the Great Lakes region, New England, and into the Appalachian mountains all the way down to Georgia. It’s neat to have a species like this calling the Tarheel state home during the summer.
When looking for Canada Warblers, investigate areas which provide their favored habitats of dark brushy cover in the understory layer of mixed deciduous forests along the higher elevations of the Parkway.
They are best found foraging in dense, dimly lit patches of rhododendron and mountain laurel.
Though they can be hard to spot at times, luckily Canada Warblers relatively common in the Blue Ridge so you should have multiple opportunities to see and photograph them if you take the time to search for these feathered gems.
Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds
Spending time with Canada Warblers along the Blue Ridge Parkway
Here’s a bird I was happy to see during a recent trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Canada Warbler!
The group and I spotted a pair of them near Craggy Pinnacle flitting in and out of the brush. With that yellow, black and bright yellow plumage sparkling in the sunlight, these birds are absolutely gorgeous.
Canada Warblers are a summertime resident of North Carolina. Their breeding range extends from New England and the Great Lakes region in the United States, north into eastern and central Canada, yet quite a few nest in the Appalachian mountains as well.
Here in the Tarheel state, they are usually found in the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge in areas containing dense undergrowth as they prefer to forage and nest in the thick shrubs in the dark understory of hardwood forests.
They can be tough to find through the tangled maze of branches so seeing these two out in the open was definitely a rare treat!
These handsome feathered gems arrive in western North Carolina in late April and will stick around until September before migrating to their wintering grounds in northern South America. This means you’ve still got plenty of time to get out there and find them this summer 🙂
Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds
How to find Canada Warblers on the Blue Ridge Parkway
One of my favorite places to go birding is along the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina. I’ve got a trip scheduled here in a couple weeks and can’t wait to go back!
It’s up there that we can find birds like the Canada Warbler. With that striking yellow and black plumage, they’re always a cheerful sight on a summer morning in the Appalachians.
These handsome Warblers nest across the southern boreal region of Canada, from extreme southeastern Yukon to Nova Scotia, and south to the Great Lakes region, New England, and into the Appalachian mountains all the way down to Georgia. It’s neat to have a species like this calling the Tarheel state home during the summer.
When looking for Canada Warblers, investigate areas which provide their favored habitats of dark brushy cover in the understory layer of mixed deciduous forests along the higher elevations of the Parkway.
They are best found foraging in dense, dimly lit patches of rhododendron and mountain laurel.
This can make them somewhat hard to locate in the brush so listen for their songs which starts with a loud chip, followed by a series of warbling notes that often ends on a higher pitch.
Though they can be hard to spot at times, luckily Canada Warblers relatively common in the Blue Ridge so you should have multiple opportunities to see and photograph them if you take the time to search for these feathered gems.
Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds
A Tennessee warbler at craggy Gardens
This is a Tennessee Warbler that I spotted sitting on a fir bough at Bearpen Gap along the Blue Ridge Parkway last month.
It’s genus name (Leiothlypis peregrina) means the “ plain-unknown-bird wanderer” and travel they do!
Each spring, they pass briefly through North Carolina on their way to their nesting grounds in the far reaches of northern New England and Canada.
Now that autumn has arrived, Tennessee Warblers are making an appearance here in the Tarheel state once again. Look for these beautiful little Warblers in open areas that contain grasses, dense shrubs, and scattered clumps of young deciduous and coniferous trees.
You can find them throughout September and early October before they continue their hurried journey south towards Central and South America.
Such neat little birds!
Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa
#5Ds
Up close with a Canada warbler in western North Carolina
One of the most visually striking birds found in the mountains of western N.C. in the summertime is the Canada Warbler.
I spotted this one along the Blue Ridge Parkway while on a birding trip in the Craggy Pinnacle area a few weeks ago.
He was relatively easy to find along the trail by listening for his song, a “chip” followed by a distinctive pause, and then a series of short, sputtery notes: “chip chupety swee- ditchety”.
Once I narrowed the area where the calls were coming from, all I had to do is look for the movement of yellow feathers in the brush.
Males are more brightly colored than females, with bluish-grey upper-parts and tail and bright yellow underparts. Their crown plumage is adorned with delicate black and bluish points, a black forehead and “sideburns,” which join to form a distinctive necklace of black blotchy stripes across its intensely yellow chest.
The female Canada Warblers are beautiful too! Though they lack the black face and necklace feathers of the male, their subdued olive and yellow tones are quite lovely.
I wanted to see and photograph a female but unfortunately I couldn’t locate one on this day.
No worries though, this just means I’ve got a good reason to return to the Blue Ridge Parkway again 😉
Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
on the magnificent full frame DSLR beast, the @canon #5Ds
A Chickadee spreads his wings
While on a short hike a few days ago I found a tiny Black capped Chickadee hopping around in the brush. I stopped to watch him as he quickly made his way through the tangle of briars, stopping every few seconds to snap up an unseen insect.
Then he flew up and out of the shadows onto a brightly sunlit branch and he spread his wings wide like an umbrella. He peered down below his feet onto the forest floor cocking his head from side to side. This went on for a few minutes before he dove to the ground to capture a beetle. In a split second he was back up into the dark thicket moving on to find more prey.
This interesting (and entertaining!) behavior is called sunning and the reason for sunning is to maintain feather health. Sunning can dislodge feather parasites because the excess heat will encourage insects to move to other places in a bird’s plumage. This will give the Chickadee easier access to get rid of those parasites when preening. It is essential to get rid of these parasites since the tiny insects that infect feathers can cause problems for the Chickadees flight abilities, insulation, and appearance, all of which can impact its survival.
Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa
#5Ds
#yourshotphotographer
Dark eyed juncos in the summer in North Carolina
While birding at Craggy Gardens off of the Blue Ridge Parkway in N.C. I spotted a juvenile Dark eyed Junco and it’s parent in the brush.
The youngster was calling out to be fed as it hopped from branch to branch following it’s parent who was searching for insects in the grass.
I was so excited to see this little one since Juncos don’t breed in the part of central N.C. where I live. In fact, Dark eyed Juncos primarily breed in Canada and this thin little strip of land along the higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains is one of very few places along the East Coast of the U.S. where the Junco‘s nest in the lower 48.
I’d never seen a fledgling before, so I sat still for a while and simply enjoyed these brief moments watching the birds in front of me.
Dark eyed Juncos nesting sites are almost always on ground, well hidden in the grass, under brush piles, rocks, or at the bases of trees among the exposed roots.
With rocks, dense rhododendron thickets, and gnarled old trees, the habitat here at Craggy Gardens is absolutely perfect for their needs.
Their nests are shaped like an open cup and is constructed of weeds and leaves, lined with a soft fine grass, pine needles and sometimes with hair or feathers.
The female incubates the eggs for 12 to 13 days and the young leave the nest about 9 to 13 days after hatching.
Unlike most others of their species, the population of Juncos here in the mountains do not migrate so you can see them all year round.
Oh and speaking of round lol, the Juncos up here appear to be much larger then the ones that I see in central N.C. during the winter.
I’m not sure if this is due to their summer diet or hormonal conditions during the breeding season but the size difference is quite apparent (and absolutely adorable).
Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the stellar full frame SLR, the @canonusa #5ds