How does that refrain go? “You can’t always get what you want.”

Thursday, Sept. 20, I wanted the Highlands Plateau Chapter of the Audubon Society to see perhaps a 1,000 migrating broad-wing hawks at Caesars Head State Park. Caesars Head is a South Carolina park, located along the N.C.-S.C. border along U.S. 276, just south of Brevard. It is probably the largest raptor watch in the region.

The current season at Caesars Head has been exceptional, with over 9,000 broad-wings recorded to date. The last few days had been exceptional, especially Tuesday, when volunteers counted 2,881 broad-wings.

Thursday’s date (Sept. 20) had been selected at least a month in advance. The middle through the end of September is always the biggest push of broad-wings. Well the rain moved in Wednesday and Thursday the fog stuck to the Blue Ridge escarpment like a wet blanket. Needless to say, there were no thermal seeking migrants to be seen.

Fortunately, Caesars Head was only one aspect of the trip. We met around 9 a.m. Thursday morning at the intersection of U.S. 23/74 and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The plan was to bird along the BRP to U.S. 276, then drive down to Caesars Head.

The morning got off to a good start quickly when we ran into a mixed flock of migrants at the Waynesville Overlook. We saw many of the common fall migrants including Tennessee warbler (probably the most common fall warbler in the region), chestnut-sided warbler, black and white warbler, black-throated green and black-throated blue warbler, robin and rose-breasted grosbeak.

We also ran into a couple of not so common migrants. We got a quick look at a flying yellow-billed cuckoo and we discovered a Philadelphia vireo foraging with the warblers. The Philadelphia was a life bird for some in the group (which means it is the first time they’ve ever seen it).

Not far beyond the Waynesville overlook we saw our first migrating raptors of the day. Two birds were circling in a thermal, trying to get a little lift. It was easy to see by the size difference that they were different species. Through binoculars, we saw one broad-wing hawk and one osprey. The osprey streamed directly overhead giving good looks. While “fish hawks” are not common in the mountains they do migrate through.

Many of the Highlands group are also wildflower enthusiasts, so we included a little “botanizing” in our trip. We stopped at Wolf Mountain Overlook (milepost 424.8) to check out the large rock seepage area for sundew, Drosera rotundifolia. We found this small carnivorous plant and a couple of other seepage area specialists; Michauxii’s saxifrage, Saxifraga michauxii and grass of parnassus, Parnassia asarifolia.

We found our next flock of migrants foraging along the roadside at Devil’s Courthouse. We added three warblers to our list here — magnolia, bay-breasted and Wilson’s. The Wilson’s was another lifer for some in the group. Along with the migrants, we also got great looks at the high-elevation resident, the red-breasted nuthatch.

After lunching at Black Camp Gap, where we saw several small groups of migrating broad-wings, we headed down U.S. 276. We made a quick stop at the Pink Beds picnic area. We only listed one additional bird species here — eastern wood pewee — but we saw literally thousands of migrants. The sky was full of flapping, gliding, wafting monarch butterflies.

Standing in the parking lot at Pink Beds, looking up, monarchs were visible as far as the eye could see. It’s amazing to think that these creatures were fluttering their way to Mexico.

Eastern monarchs from as far north as Canada make their way by the millions to the mountains of the Mexican state of Michoacan, were they overwinter, clinging to native fir trees until spring rolls around and they once again begin their northerly trek.

After Pink Beds, we made our way to the fish hatchery at the Pisgah Wildlife Education Center, a reliable spot for black vultures. We picked up the vulture plus nine other new species for the day, including another warbler — northern parula.

As we headed south on U.S. 276 from Brevard low clouds and fog became more and more prominent. By the time we reached Caesars Head, it was a total “grey out.”

Dedicated hawk-counting volunteers had been there since 9 a.m. Not a single raptor had been recorded for the day. We sat around for an hour or so hoping for blue skies and a late push of broad-wings but to no avail.

At first I was feeling a little disappointed. We arranged the trip a month in advance to go to Caesars Head and see hawks and there were no hawks to be seen at Caesars Head. But then, I thought back on the day. We had recorded 60 species (including 12 warblers); we had seen nearly a hundred broad-wings; and we had stood under a sky filled with monarchs.

You can’t always get what you want. “But if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need.”

I need more days beneath thousands of wafting monarchs.

(Don Hendershot can be reached at don@smokymountainnews.com)

 

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