Little Gap and Two Area Ponds ~ September 21, 2024

I arrived at Little Gap just after sunrise. It was cloudy but not too cool. I was walking along the pipeline when Joe Yuhas joined me. The two of us slowly walked up towards the top of the mountain when Adam Miller showed up. The three of us found some birds partway up that included Red-eyed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, 'fly-by' Cedar Waxwings, and warblers that included Magnolia, Black-and-white, Black-throated Blue, Northern Parula, and American Redstart.

Up at the banding station, we added Chestnut-sided Warbler to the list along with a 'fly-by' American Black Duck that Joe spotted.

Atop the mountain, we ran into one of the best group of warblers I had seen all Fall. In that group, we found an Eastern Phoebe, a few Red-eyed Vireos, Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and warblers that included an Ovenbird, a Bay-breasted, 2 Blackpolls, 2 Black-and-whites, 2 Black-throated Blues, 2 Black-throated Greens, a Blackburnian, 2 Tennessees, several Magnolias, a Chestnut-sided, a Yellow-rumped, a few American Redstarts, and several Northern Parulas.

Blackburnian Warbler

Farther along the Appalachian Trail, we added 2 Brown Thrashers, several Eastern Towhees, and 2 Common Yellowthroats, the 14th warbler species of the morning. A couple Sharp-shinned Hawks and 2 Chimney Swifts were also seen. On the way back down, I added Pileated Woodpecker and a Wood Thrush.

On the way back home, I stopped at the Hollo Road retention pond and found 14 Green-winged Teal, one Greater and one Lesser Yellowlegs, and 6 Least Sandpipers.

My last stop was at the Newburg Road retention pond. There, I found a Great Egret and 13 Tree Swallows among the Canada Geese.

Great Egret

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