![[photo credit: William H. Majoros]](https://www.innonmillcreek.com/wp-content/uploads/chestnutsided-warbler-wiki-commons-william-majoros-200x200.jpg)
Keep an eye out, especially during spring and fall migration, for our September 2016 pick in our 12 Months of Birding at the Inn blog series: The Chestnut-sided Warbler. And guess what color its sides are. Let’s learn more, shall we?
As a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the North Carolina State Park System in 2016, we’ve been featuring one of the four state parks closest to the Inn on Mill Creek each month this summer. We cap off our summer and our highlights of nearby state parks this month with Lake James State Park.
Our August 2016 bird in the 12 Months of Birding series here on the Inn on Mill Creek blog is a terrific warbler, the Common Yellowthroat. This bright and cheery songbird arrives in springtime to the mountains of western North Carolina and remains in our neck of the woods throughout the summer months.
We’ve chosen a decidedly American bird for our July 2016 pick in our 12 Months of Birding at the Inn blog series: The American Redstart. Not only does this feathered fellow have “American” in its name, but you can find it in nearly every state in the continental U.S. during the summer or migration period in spring and fall.
Arriving during spring migration and hanging out all summer long in parts of Pisgah National Forest is the Acadian Flycatcher, our June 2016 pick in our 12 Months of Birding at the Inn blog series. If you book one of our rooms in the Deck House, you may see one of these enchanting little birds making the acrobatic feat of catching insects while flying look easy.
In the spring, we see lots of migratory birds in western North Carolina — some hang around for the spring and summer, while others are just passing through on their way to another destination. One of those “just passing through” birds is our May 2016 pick in our 12 Months of Birding at the Inn blog series: the Swainson’s Thrush.
Our April 2016 bird in the 12 Months of Birding at the Inn blog series, the Yellow-rumped Warbler, is a bird best seen during spring and fall migrations, although some have been noticed while wintering here in Pisgah National Forest around Asheville, NC.
As we transition from winter to spring, one bird that may be spotted on its migration back north to cooler climes is the White-throated Sparrow, a winter resident of the Asheville area and our March 2016 selection in our 12 Months of Birding at the Inn blog series.
The February 2016 pick for our 12 Months of Birding at the Inn series on the blog is a cool-weather resident of Pisgah National Forest around the Inn on Mill Creek, providing a little bit of spunk to the forest during an otherwise quiet wintry season. Let’s meet the Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
We kick off our 12 Months of Birding at the Inn series for 2016 with a favorite bird of ours: the Brown Thrasher. With its striking yellow(!) eyes, white chest speckled brown and noticeable singing voice, this bold bird really makes an impact.
