Bird Watching on Mt. LeConte

I am not sure if you can see the hole in the side of the mountain in this picture? It is known as the "eye of the needle". I am so used to taking a break and searching for the peregrine falcons when they used to nest there. You could see them flying around and bringing food back to their chicks. We have not seen them there in a few years. We believe they have moved their nest above the Bluffs. You can usually hear their chicks if you stop and take a rest at the bluffs. Twelve years later and I still stop and watch the falcons in great fascination. I think they are such beautiful birds. Chris and I learned, while traveling in Central America, that you won't always see animals on the ground. If you keep you eyes peeled to the trees, you will discover some exquisite birds. We spent ten weeks hiking through rain forests and beach trails checking out the unique birds that we don't see on top of Mt. Leconte. We may have not seen some of the four legged creatures, but our winged friends put on a show. I often tell people when they visit the mountain, stop and check out the birds. We see some pretty special species around here. Not counting the peregrine, I have seen a bald eagle, cross billed finch, and a black-throated blue warbler. These mountains are host to some magnificent birds. Remember next time you hike up, watch the sky around you. You never know what you might see.

As for today, our skies are a little foggy. We are currently socked in and the current temperature is 47º. The high yesterday was 53º.