Fall Migration

Kennesaw Mountain park is the site of tons of history for our area. The park preserves important sites in the Atlanta Campaign. This was an epic battle between Sherman and Johnston, and the mountain itself was a killing field for something like 4000 soldiers.
It's kind of nice that now it's one of the most heavily used parks in the area. If you arrive BEFORE the place opens, you have a chance of getting a spot to park. Otherwise, plan to park and walk in. It's also nice that it's ranked as an Important Birding Area.
I love taking guided walks with Audubon Society Guides. I have never met a guide who wasn't wicked smart, not just about identification, but about overall birding behavior. They will give you tips about optics, and help you distinguish between even the most similar birds. And for us, the day began with a caution.
Fall migration is one of the best times to bird in this location. It's described as a huge landing strip for all the birds heading to warmer climates. Unfortunately, the weather here as been GREAT. That's a problem. Because GREAT weather doesn't drag the birds to the ground like a nice wet and cold front would. So, instead of stopping here to fill up and get a happy meal for the teenagers, the birds do the equivalent of "driving until nightfall." Sounds like lots of them won't slow down until Florida.
Now, there are pros and cons to being alone and being with guides. We had a large group today, around 30 birders. Loud birders. The things I like about birding include nature, solitude and quiet, so that's a big consideration for me. On the other hand, I love being with the pros. Today, we were led by Chuck.
Imagine getting your morning exercise in - over a mile on a fairly steep grade. Imagine heading back down the moutain, thinking about that great breakfast you're planning. Imagine hearing this.
"YOU HAVE GOT TO SEE THIS! IT IS A BLACKBURNIAN! OH THAT MAKES THE TRIP FOR ME."
Chalk up another positive to birding with a group. I love the geekiness attached to it like a veil of morning dew on an open field. There's no set meeting point for the bird walk in Kennesaw Mtn., but you have absolutely no difficulty locating the birders. Muted colored clothes, cargo pants so no one has to carry bags, low profile caps, binoculars in one hand (often with harnesses to avoid neck strain), and Sibley guide books tucked in back pockets.
You can also find them on any trail, if they are walking in a group. They are the big blob of humanity that moves in unison, stopping, staring into trees and pointing with binoculars. And though all the action takes place yards away, the collective gasps also come in unison.
Look! he moved!
Over there!
Between the V of the tree! Up there!
I admit it. I did it too. Particularly when I saw the Peregrine Falcon and the Yellow-Billed Cuckoo.
More than once, walkers on the way up or down would stop, try to follow where we were looking, and then walk on. One even said, "I wish I knew what they were looking at."
Yep. I like that too. We had the keys to secret knowledge on top of the mountain.
So, what did we see?

White-eyed vireo
Red-eyed vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Swainson's Thrush
Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher
Sharp-shinned hawk
Peregrine falcon
Yellow-Billed cuckoos (beautiful, and I think my favorite spotting today
Cliff swallows
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Black and white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Black-throated Green warbler
Eastern Wood Pewee (which I thought was a Phoebe)
Goldfinches
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Summer tanager
Scarlet tanger (who aren't scarlet right now, but a sweet greenish yellow)
Rose-breasted grosbeak-who sounded his night migration call rather than his usual daytime squeak)
Eastern Phoebe
Brown Thrasher (our state bird)

Not a big day for the pro maybe, but a big day for me. Now to upgrade to the 8x40 binoculars. Or maybe 10x50.

--Laura