more birds

This morning we had 2 male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at the feeder. RBGBs are a little smaller than cardinals and have black backs with white marks, white bellies, and a triangular patch of bright rose like a kerchief on their breasts. You'll notice that their beaks look like a cardinal's, too.

Last weekend we took a trip up to the top of the Smokies to look for Black-capped Chickadees. (We only have Carolina Chickadees in Knoxville.) It was the day after the hail storm came through, and there were still patches of ice on the ground. It was cold up near Clingman's Dome, and we were foolishly dressed for summer. Luckily it was somewhat warmer at the Indian Gap Trail, where we spent most of our time. We walked about 1/3 mile on the Appalachian Trail that crosses the Indian Gap Road. We heard a catbird, saw a few American Crows and American Robins, and then we spotted three Brown Creepers, which were the highlight of my day (bird #149). I had never seen them before--they're well-camouflaged and small--so it was a real treat to get to see three of them. We also saw two Golden-crowned Kinglets with crowns that were fiery orange. Those birds are quite small, too, and they frustrated me to no end until I identified them.

I tried to spend money on a new pair of binoculars, but the clerk at the Bass Pro shop in Sevierville was singularly unhelpful.