|
This article is incomplete. This article is missing one or more sections. You can help the BirdForum Opus by expanding it. |
|
Overview
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway operated, and overseen, by the United States National Park Service.
The central part of it, the actual parkway itself, is approximately 469 miles long beginning near the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and ending in Western North Carolina at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Elevations of the Parkway range from just over 600 feet to more than 6000 feet above sea level.
A visitor could experience such a wide range of trees, bushes, plants, wildlife, birds, and fish as to defy description.
It “IS” a true nature lover’s paradise. Read on to find out more.
Birds
Notable Species
When you’re talking about an area that’s 460+ miles long, running through 2 states and rising and falling through close to 6000 feet of elevation above sea level throughout its length along with the eco-systems that go with something like that, it’s impossible to list the notable species of birds a birder could encounter.
So, let’s do it this way using data from eBird. At the northernmost end of this Parkway at milepost 0, in the area of Shenandoah, the Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle were the two most reported species.
About a fourth of the way down at milepost 115, in Roanoke County, Virginia, the top two reported species were the Common Grackle and European Starling. At around the mid-point, milepost 230, we come to an area called Glade Valley, North Carolina. Birders in, and around Glade Valley, which is in Alleghany County, North Carolina most reported the Broad-winged Hawk and Chimney Swift.
Three-fourths of the way down near milepost 345, you’ll arrive in the area of the Singecat Ridge Overlook near Marion in Yancey County, North Carolina where the 2 most reported species of birds were the Swainson's Thrush and Red-winged Blackbird.
Coming to the end, in the area of milepost 469, you will find yourself in the area of Cherokee, North Carolina, and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Cherokee’s most reported species were the Tree Swallow and American Crow.
These are just the most reported species in 4 roughly equally spaced places along the length of this expansive and wonderfully natural place. Think of all the others you might see. Now that’s notable!
Rarities
Just as it is impossible to pin down notable species in a 469-mile long area, it’s equally so when it comes down to rarities in that same area. So let’s visit the same areas we did for the notable species and see what has been seldom seen there.
Leading off with Shenandoah, Virginia, milepost 0, the Summer Tanager and Yellow-throated Warbler have seldom shown up.
In Roanoke County, Virginia, milepost 115, the Summer Tanager and Wilson’s Warbler fit the bill. Coming to Glade Valley, Alleghany County North Carolina, milepost 230, again is found the Summer Tanager and Wilson’s Warbler.
Looking at the Singecat Ridge Overlook area, milepost 345, in Yancey County, North Carolina the Orange-crowned Warbler and Kirtland's Warbler are way down the list. Finishing up this journey south on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Cherokee, North Carolina area, milepost 469, the Summer Tanager is listed again, as is the Kentucky Warbler.
