3 Days, 2 Nights in Shenandoah National Park

David Gersten (gerstens@erols.com)
Tue, 19 Jan 1999 11:31:52 -0500


Just returned from a three days of backpacking in Shenandoah National
Park.  My primary mission was to spend two nights out in the cold
mountains testing my new gear.  With the weather so nice I was able to
spend much of my time birding instead of trying to keep warm.

I started on Saturday morning at Thornton Gap and went to the north side
of Pass Mountain for the first night.  Sunday I hiked south along the
Appalachian Trail ridge to Little Stony Man and then backtracked to
Meadow Springs Trail and camped near the junction of Hazel Mountain
Trail and White Rocks Trail.  Monday I hiked along White Rocks Trail to
Hazel River Trail and then out of the park to Route 231 and 211 in
Sperryville, VA.

Here’s what I found to get excited about:

gosshawk - 1 adult, Pass Mountain
yellow-bellied sapsucker - 1 Pass Mountain
red-breasted nuthatch -  2 Pass Mountain
screech owl  - 1 Pass Mountain
barred owl  - 5 two heard calling to each other at each campsite and one
seen at dusk near Runyon’s Run
raven  - 20+  a pair near Mary’s Rock passed a pine cone to each other
in mid-air
ruffed grouse - 13 every few miles I was startled by one
red crossbill - 9   along White Rocks Trail
pine siskin - 10+ White Rocks Trail
pine warbler - 1 White Rocks Trail
northern saw-whet owl - 1 heard at close range along White Rocks Trail
winter wren  - 1 Hazel River Trail
white crowned sparrow - 4 Route 600 near junction with 608
tree sparrow - 2 Route 600 near junction with 608

Plenty of the regular juncos, chickadees, woodpeckers, cardinals, jays,
goldfinches, robins, nuthaches, and wrens.

Anyone interested in taking a similar trek should be sure to wear
crampons and use poles.  Most of the trails are iced over.  There were a
few day hikers along White Rocks Trail coming from the Route 600
entrance.  Skyland Drive was closed.

I'll try to get back there later in the winter and give another report.
___________
David Gersten
gerstens@erols.com
Herndon, VA