Biltmore Estate - 16 Jun 2010

This morning we decided to drive to Asheville, NC to tour the Biltmore Estate. If you haven't seen this place there are few words to describe the absolute grandeur of the largest private home in the US. George Vanderbilt built the home using his $10M inheritence in 1908 and ended up owning over 60,000 acres of land, much of which now donated to the US Forest Service.

The estate is listed as one of North Carolina's hot spots for birding, with over 170 spp. of birds recorded on the property. As we drove in the 3 mile long driveway to the estate, I head Ovenbirds, Northern Mockingbirds and Canada Warblers. Red-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos were singing near the parking lot. Black-throated Green Warblers were also heard nearby.

The gardens were blooming and I managed a few photos of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding on one of many flowering vines. Song Sparrows sang nearby, and I managed brief looks at a Rufous-sided Towhee (male) before he ducked into the thickets. Overhead Chimney Swifts were flying by the dozens, and even though I had the chance to photograph them from the roof of the estate, I couldn't track them fast enough to the get any decent photos.

Biltmore Estate, Buncombe, North Carolina, US
Jun 16, 2010 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Robin and Me
10 species

Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  26
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)  1
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius)  1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  2
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)  2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)  2
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)  2
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  2
Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S165318307

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)