Date: 6/12/26 8:17 am From: Alan Meijer (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Ruffed Grouse and Swainson's Warbler on BRP.
Took a brief jog along the BRP on Tuesday evening after work and then Wednesday morning before work.
June 10. Henderson County. BRP: Halfway between the Little Pisgah Tunnel and the Mills River Valley Overlook, just south of where 151 branches off the BRP, I saw a RUFFED GROUSE standing in the grass in full sunshine on the side of the road. I did a U-turn to confirm what I thought I had seen. Sure enough. I have photos. He looked wet but undisturbed. What was great was that it was foggy and cloudy everywhere else but that spot remained in full sunshine as I did my u-turns to drive back to that spot.
June 11. Buncombe County. BRP. Tanbark Ridge Tunnel Parking Lot (south end). I stopped here briefly because of the number of cars here (and finding out it's a popular trailhead. I had the windows down and before I could stop, I could clearly hear the loud song of a SWAINSON'S WARBLER over all the other bird songs. I found it quite quickly on the [left side of the road, when heading north toward Mt. Mitchell] skulking around in the undergrowth. He was loud and was constantly calling. Other birds at this site included: EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, EASTERN PHOEBE, RED-EYED VIREO, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, HOODED WARBLER, and NORTHERN PARULA.
On Mt. Mitchell, I didn't see much but did see a large flock of PINE SISKINS, CANADA WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, and heard the virtuosic singing of a WINTER WREN that would not come out of the brush for a view.
Other birds seen and heard on this trip included: CANADA WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER closer to Boone, NC on Hwy 221 on Monday evening after work. I saw one BROAD-WINGED HAWK soaring just above me and would have gotten a great photo had it not been for the mist that enshrouded the hawk, or rather, me.
