Michelle and I enjoyed a morning of hiking along the New River Trail Saturday. The weatherman had called for rain but none was to be found as temperatures started below 70 and finally climbed into the low 80's. We hiked from Draper Station to past the Hiawassee Bridge and back so I figured we covered about 10 miles or so. Warblers were singing all along the way and we found Ovenbird, Yellow, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, Black-and-white, Northern Parula, Louisiana Waterthrush, Yellow-rumped, Yellow-throated, Hooded, Palm, Prairie, and Worm-eating Warblers. On Claytor Lake we found 2 Common Loons, 15 Scaup, a pair of Osprey, 4 Coots, a Pied-billed Grebe, and a Double-crested Cormorant. Sparrows were also out in good numbers with Song, Chipping, Field, Savannah, and lot of White-throated still hanging around. Other migrants included White-eyed, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated and Blue-headed Vireo, Acadian Flycatcher, Indigo Bunting, Orchard Oriole, and Wood Thrush. It was a perfect day for hiking one of the state's most amazing parks.