Migration hotspots are well known to birders. Places like High Island in Texas or Magee Marsh in Ohio can make for terrific trips, but your birding success at these places is affected by factors like weather and migration pattern each year. Another option for birders who want to see a lot of the wonderful warblers present in the United States, as well as many additional songbirds, is to go to an area where these birds are nesting, with males almost guaranteed to be singing on territory.

The mountains of east Tennessee provide a wonderful destination during spring bird migration. About two dozen warblers can be found on nesting territories by late April, and many of those that breed farther north regularly migrate through the area at this time.

Because of the mountains on the Tennessee/North Carolina border, this region is home to several species near the southern edge of their breeding range. These birds find habitats here that are similar to what they prefer farther north. By going into the mountains, we have a chance to see birds like Least Flycatcher, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue-headed Vireo, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Veery, Red Crossbill, and an assortment of ‘northern’ warblers. While difficult to see, it is possible we could find a Northern Saw-whet Owl here as well.