Spreading out to all the corners of Madison County, in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, Birds for Books observers counted 109 species on April 25, 2020. The migration was strong and included ospreys, eagles, 18 species of warblers, 5 hawk species, 5 swallow species, and 6 species of woodpeckers. Among the many highlights were timeless moments watching a pair of mature Bald Eagles consort with the breeze and call on the rugged limey cliffs over the ancient French Broad River.
- Geese and Ducks (Family Anasidae)
- Canada Goose
- Mallard
- Common Merganser
- Pheasants and Turkeys and Grouse (Family Phasianidae)
- Wild Turkey
- Ruffed Grouse
- Cormorants (Family Phalacrocoracidae)
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Herons, Bitterns and Allies (Family Ardeidae)
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Egret
- Green Heron
- New World Vultures (Family Cathartidae)
- Turkey Vulture
- Black Vulture
- Ospreys (Family Pandionidae)
- Osprey
- Kites, Eagles and Hawks (Family Accipitridae)
- Bald Eagle
- Broad-winged Hawk
- Cooper’s Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Kestrel
- Peregrines
- Rails, Gallinules and Coots (Family Rallidae)
- Coot
- Lapwings and Plover (Family Charadriidae)
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Kildeer
- Pigeons and Doves (Family Columbidae)
- Rock Pigeon
- Mourning Dove
- Cuckoos, Roadrunners and Anis (Family Cuculidae)
- Yellow Billed Cuckoo
- Typical Owls (Family Tytonidae)
- Barred Owl
- Goatsuckers (Family Caprimulgidea)
- Swifts (Family Apodidae)
- Chimney Swift
- Hummingbirds (Family Trochilidae)
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Kingfishers (Family Alcindinidae)
- Belted Kingfisher
- Woodpeckers (Family Picidae)
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Northern Flicker
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Tyrant Flycatchers (Family Tyrannidae)
- Phoebe
- Great-crested Flycatcher
- Eastern Kingbird
- Least Flycatcher
- Vireos (Family Vireonidae)
- White-eyed Vireo
- Blue-headed Vireo
- Red-eyed Vireo
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- Crows and Jays (Family Corvidae)
- Blue Jay
- American Crow
- Fish Crow
- Raven
- Swallows (Family Hirundinidae)
- Purple Martin
- Tree Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow
- Cliff Swallow
- Waxwings (Family Bombycillidae)
- Cedar Waxwing
- Chickadees and Titmice (Family Paridae)
- Tufted Titmouse
- Carolina Chickadee
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Kinglets (Family Regulidae
- Ruby Crowned Kinglet
- Wrens (Family Troglodytidae)
- Carolina Wren
- House Wren
- Gnatcatchers (Family Polioptilidae)
- Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
- Thrushes (Family Turdidae)
- Eastern Bluebird
- Wood Thrush
- Hermit Thrush
- American Robin
- Veery
- Mockingbirds and Thrashers (Family Mimidae)
- Grey Catbird
- Northern Mockingbird
- Brown Thrasher
- Starlings (Family Sturnidae)
- European Starling
- Wood Warblers (Family Parulidae)
- Chestnut-sided Warbler
- Canada Warbler
- Blackburnian Warbler
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Black-throated Green Warbler
- Black-throated Blue Warbler
- Yellow-throated Warbler
- Pine Warbler
- Black-and-white Warbler
- Worm-eating Warbler
- Louisiana Waterthrush
- Hooded warbler
- Common Yellowthroat
- Yellow-breasted Chat
- Ovenbird
- Yellow Warbler
- Northern Parula
- American Redstart
- Prairie Warbler
- Emberizids (Family Emberizidae)
- Eastern Towhee
- Chipping Sparrow
- Field Sparrow
- Song Sparrow
- White-throated Sparrow
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Cardinal, Piranga Tanagers and Allies (Family Cardinalidae)
- Scarlet Tanager
- Northern cardinal
- Indigo Bunting
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Blue Grosbeak
- Blackbirds (Family Icteridae)
- Eastern Meadowlark
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Common Grackle
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Orchard Oriole
- Baltimore Oriole
- Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies (Family Fringillidae)
- American Goldfinch
- House Finch
- Pine Siskin
- Old World Sparrows (Family Passeridae)
- English Sparrow
