North Carolina county #85 Lenoir Greenway
This week I set out on my last overnight trip of the year, into the mountains of North Carolina. On my way there, I stopped at the Lenoir Greenway in Caldwell County.
It was a sunny and cool morning, and there was a good amount of birds in the trees. I started at the Zacks Fork Access area of the Greenway and walked for a little under two miles. There are lots of trails throughout, including mountain bike trails. I didn’t see even one other hiker, although it was pretty early in the morning.
I was glad to have my camera back up and running. Getting a photo of a small bird in the trees or bushes can be very hard, and with my backup camera, shots like this would just be a dark blur.
These guys were the star of the show for this hike, and really throughout the next two days. They have come in from the north in a big way, and I was happy to have them back. For a relatively common bird, they are colorful and always fun to watch.
I am pretty sure I heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, but I didn’t list it since I wasn’t confident enough. It’s too bad I didn’t get to see it, I’ve only seen one this year so far. I was expecting to get more warblers, but it looks like they are starting to move on. I only saw a single Yellow-rumped Warbler. I did see a Hermit Thrush; I guess they are coming back to stay with us for the winter now.
Overall it was a good visit, and nice to get some proper fall weather for a change.
ebird checklist