Asheville/Black Mountains, NC
2007 Spring Field Trip
May 31st through June 3rd

Despite the low numbers of attendees (only seven from Forsyth Audubon) the Spring Trip to the Asheville area was a success. The weather was fair for the most part in the mornings and any rain was in the afternoon so that worked out pretty well for birding. The “old timers” in the group had a reunion with “C” Sommer who joined us for birding on Saturday. He and his wife, Nancy, then hosted the group for a dinner that evening and it was a perfect way to end the outing.

The group started Friday at the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary in Asheville and then traveled south on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A highlight for the day was to find the Alder Flycatcher at Black Balsam just south of Graveyard Fields and then at Devil’s Courthouse we scoped Peregrines nesting on the cliffs opposite the parking area. It was a good educational opportunity as other visitors to the site enjoyed viewing the birds too.

On Saturday it was a real treat to have Marilyn Westphal as our guide on the Parkway north of Asheville. Not enough can be said about her knowledge of the area and its birds. We were very fortunate to have this opportunity to bird with Marilyn. Among many other birds she helped us find the Cerulean Warbler and just as our morning was ending north of Mt. Mitchell a flock of Red Crossbills flew over us. They were just two of the ninety species seen on the trip.

Don Adamick
Trip Planner
 

Cerulean Hunters on the Blue Ridge Parkway

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