By Sally Siko
Category Archives: Bird watching Videos
Bird Fail
By Sally Siko
Sound on heh heh;)
So a couple of weeks ago, I got up at 3:30 am, hit the gym for about an hour and then drove 4 hours west to Lake Julian Park in Arden NC (just outside of Asheville) in search of bird number 296 to add to my list, a Black-bellied Whistling Duck who was “hiding” in plain sight when I shot this.
That might not have the best idea as this video proves why crazy ass birders like me should probably get more sleep at the end of the year lol!
It’s also good to point out that although I’m a birding guide who takes guests all over the place to see cool birds, there ain’t no such thing as a pRofeSSioNAl biRdEr 🤪
We all miss the forest through the trees (or the lifer in the mallards) sometimes and it’s ok not to be perfect 😉
Spending time with Black Bears at the Alligator River NWR
By: Sally Siko – Admin Birdwatching NC
Although most of the time I’m focused entirely on the birds in North Carolina, it’s hard not to stop and spend a few minutes appreciating all of the wildlife found here in the Tarheel state.
Here’s a quick video of some sweet Black Bears I found while birding at the Alligator River NWR this past weekend. Enjoy!
Birding Huntington Beach State Park SC
By: Sally Siko | Admin Birdwatching NC
This past weekend I took a trip down to Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina to see what was flying around down there. This was also a nice opportunity to try capturing some more video with the Canon R5.
As it turned out, it was well worth the 3 hour drive to head to the coast as there were plenty of interesting birds to see once I arrived.
Though it was crazy hot outside, I was amazed at the level of constant bird activity occurring throughout the day!
Thanks to tidal changes in the marshes water levels, from sun up, to sundown there was always something new to see.
Even in late summer when the action slows down in other parts of the country, the Carolina’s offer a nice variety of birds to find if you’re willing to travel a short distance to see them.
Huntington Beach State Park is just such a place where year round birding opportunities exist making this a premier destination for birdwatchers in the southeast no matter the season.
I can’t wait to get back down there soon. Wanna join me?
I’ll likely be adding the Huntington Beach State Park on my list of upcoming birding tours this autumn so check back on my Birding Trips Page for updates soon!
Photos & video by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless monster of a camera, the @canonusa
#R5
Gear used on this trip shown below.
Canon R5
Black Skimmer nest site in North Carolina
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit a nesting colony of Black Skimmers on Wrightsville Beach.
Watching the parents fly back and forth to bring food to their mates and chicks was absolutely fascinating.
It’s such a joy to see new life thriving on the coast of North Carolina.
Black Skimmers typically nest as a large colony on the sand flats in between the dunes on our barrier islands.
One to five eggs are laid into a depression in the sand and are incubated by both parents for around 23 days.
The chicks break out of their eggs already covered in downy feathers and can even run around within a few hours of hatching.
During the first few days, one parent will stay with the chick but shortly thereafter the little one will be left alone on the beach while both parents go off to catch its next meal.
Despite their mobility, the little ones rely solely on their parents for food and usually scurry off to hide under some beach grass to await their parents return.
As it goes in large flocks, it’s only a matter of time until some bird drama goes down.
In this case I watched a Black Skimmer trying to bring a fish to his chick.
He wasn’t the only parent trying to feed his young though as a very aggressive Common Tern came swooping in to try and steal the Skimmers prize.
Over and over the Tern dove, snapping at the Skimmer with every pass.
I really thought the Tern would be successful given the speed of its attack.
Yet, the Skimmer held tight to that fish and managed to endure the onslaught long enough to feed his hungry chick.
Interestingly, Black Skimmers often nest near or among Tern colonies, which (despite skirmishes like this one) can provide benefits fir the Skimmers, as the Terns will aggressively attack gulls and mammals that prey on the eggs and chicks of both species.
For the most part, the Skimmers and Terns ignored each other and there was peace to be found on this beach.
In fact I saw far more squabbling between the Skimmers themselves as males super protective of their small territories around the nest.
Guarding the females against all other males, they use warning displays of force such as tossing their heads upward, standing upright, or facing down with the tail cocked up. Sometimes, the males spread their wings wide and opened their bills, exposing a bright red gape.
It wasn’t all about fighting though.
One of the sweetest things to watch are the Skimmers courtship rituals.
The males will fly in and present a fish to it’s chosen female.
If she refuses the fish, he’ll eat it and go out to catch another to try again.
If she accepts the gift, she’ll take the fish in her bill during the exchange and mate with the suitor immediately.
Once the couples bond is established, they’ll parade through the area together with necks outstretched and bills held up for all to see.
Although you can find them on most of our coastal beaches, Black Skimmers are most often spotted feeding in our inlets, estuaries and other slow moving bodies of water.
One of their most striking features are it’s red-and-black bill and as you can see here, they’ve got a lower mandible that juts out farther than does the upper.
When feeding, the Skimmer flies low over water with its beak open and lower mandible partially submerged.
When the lower part of the bill touches prey, such as a small fish, the bill’s upper mandible snaps down like a mousetrap, securing the bird’s meal.
Black Skimmers are a year round resident of North Carolina but they do appear to migrate locally to the southern coast of the Tarheel state during the winter months.
The Wrightsville Beach area is a wonderful spot to observe these handsome birds and it’s nice to know that there is a safe place for them to raise their families, thus securing a spot for the next generation of Skimmers to grace our shorelines.
Purple Finch or House Finch ID help
Last week, a small flock of Purple House Finches and a lone male House Finch visited my feeder in Fuquay Varina North Carolina.
Since I often receive questions on how to tell the difference between House Finches and Purple Finches, I took the opportunity to put together a short video highlighting the two species.
Hope that it’s useful to ya!
Thanks for watching & happy birding.
-Sally
Photos & video by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
on the magnificent full frame DSLR beast, the @canon#5Ds
Birding tour coming up in the Outer banks of North Carolina
Birding at the NCMA
Backyard Birding highlights from Fuquay Varina
Birding the OBX : Video Bird watching adventures
I had an excellent trip this past Thursday & Friday leading a private birding tour in the OBX on Pea Island and Cape Hatteras. With 11 checklists in 2 days, it was an absolute blast getting out to the coast to see some interesting birds!
I’ll be heading back out to Pea Island in November to catch some good views of autumn & winter migrant waterfowl. If you’d like to join me to go see some cool birds like Tundra Swans, Canvasbacks, Snow Geese, Widgeon, Ruddy Ducks and more, check out the “Go Birding with Me” page here on Birdwatching NC and click on the “Birding the OBX” trip for details and tour date.