Category Archives: Out There with the Expert

Interviews and blog posts by expert birders, tour guides and bird centered retailers from throughout North Carolina and the southeastern United States.

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

Coopers Hawk vs. Sharp-shinned Hawk at Jordan Lake

So every now and then I goof up an ID….
Recently I was birding at Ebenezer Point at Jordan Lake SRA with a group of fellow bird lovers when we spotted a hawk being pursued by a crow.
I was pretty sure it was a Sharp shinned at the time and even pointed it out to the folks with me. ( Ooof! 🤦‍♀️)
Yet once I returned home and was able to get a better look at the bird in the photos, I realized that it was a Coopers Hawk, not a Sharp shinned!

My mistake was in looking at the bird as a whole and (incorrectly) determining that he was slimmer in appearance than he really was.
The field marks that point towards Cooper’s hawk are it’s rounded off tail & somewhat larger head (in relation to its body).
Plus, the most obvious fact that this bird was nearly as large as the crow which definitely points towards a Coopers Hawk vs. a Sharp shinned.


As it goes with any challenge worth pursuing, sometimes the quickest way to get something right consistently is to be wrong from time to time and learn from our mistakes along the way.
Happy birding my friends!

-Sally

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my mighty megapixel monster the @canonusa#R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Out There with the Expert

Enjoying the Cape May Warblers at Jordan Lake SRA

It’s not often that I’ll post the same species of bird twice in a week but there were tons of Cape May Warblers putting on a show at Ebenezer Point at Jordan Lake in Pittsboro North Carolina recently.
It was great to see so many of them flitting through the trees, chasing each other while feasting any six or eight legged snack that dared cross their path in the canopy.



These lovely warblers were named for the county of Cape May, NJ where the species was first noted in scientific literature.
Sitting at the southern tip of New Jersey, bordering the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic, Cape May county is the premier destination for migrating birds along the east coast of the US.

Though Cape May Warblers stop in NJ when traveling between their breeding & wintering grounds, they are hardly alone as hundreds of different bird species are found in Cape May county every year during each migration cycles.
It seems like an odd name to give these beauties as it hardly describes any of the species unique characteristics.



Given the Cape May’s preference for nesting & feeding in conifer forests, perhaps a better name might be spruce warbler or maybe even tiger warbler since they sport those bold black stripes on it’s warm yellow breast.
Moniker choice aside, these feathered gems are standout birds in my eyes and I’m always grateful to catch a glimpse of Cape May every autumn.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless monster of a camera, the @canonusa
#R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Out There with the Expert

Scarlet Tanagers in North Carolina

Here’s a bird that I’ve struggled to get a good photograph of, the Scarlet Tanager.


The first few photos show a handsome male that I found along the Blue Ridge Parkway back in June.
While he did sit patiently as I took photos, unfortunately the closest view I had was from about 100ft away. Thank goodness for a zoom lens lol!

Finally though, this past weekend I got a great close up look at a female at the Old Bynum Bridge in Pittsboro NC.

Although she’s not as brightly hued as her crimson & onyx mate, female Scarlet Tanagers are quite lovely dressed in their autumn gold & charcoal plumage.

Scarlet Tanagers are a summertime resident of central and western NC. They are found in deciduous forests containing mature hardwoods.
Unlike their relative the Summer Tanager, Scarlets are secretive creatures preferring to nest and hunt for a meal in areas away from people.
If you’d like to try and attract these beauties to come out of the woods to visit your yard try planting raspberry, huckleberry, serviceberry, mulberry, strawberry, and chokeberry on your property.
These gorgeous birds will stick around for just a couple more weeks before migrating south for the winter.
Do keep in mind that Scarlets are also fond of eating jelly, cherries, oranges, suet and mealworms so offering these items in your feeders may be enough to entice them to visit you when they return to the area next April.
Aren’t they lovely?

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on
the mighty @canonusa
#5ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Out There with the Expert

Cape May Warblers at Bynum Bridge Pittsboro NC

The Cape May Warblers have returned to central NC and I couldn’t be happier to see these sweet birds again.


I spotted this one and several others at Bynum Bridge in Pittsboro a few weeks ago after a quick trip to Brumley North.
It was neat to watch them as they flitted through the branches in search of a meal.

Cape Mays are lovely creatures.
They breed across northern Canada in forests of spruce and balsam fir, especially in areas where their favorite food (the spruce budworm) is abundant.
Every spring, thousands of them make the journey north to their nesting grounds stopping in western NC along the way.
When autumn arrives they tend to spread out a bit more and are often sighted in central and eastern NC as well.

Usually the Cape May’s are spotted hunting in the upper canopy layer of the trees which is why having access to an elevated viewing area (as which is found at Bynum Bridge) is helpful if you’d like to get a good look at one.
That being said, they’ll be headed to their wintering grounds in the West Indies and Central America soon so get out there while you can through mid October.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless monster of a camera, the @canonusa
#R5

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

When should I take down my Hummingbird feeder in North Carolina


Here’s a a photo that I took this afternoon in my backyard of a Ruby Throated Hummingbird zooming in for a quick snack.



Now that autumn as arrived, I’m often asked the question of “when should I take down my Hummingbird feeders?”
Usually this is posed out of the concern that leaving your feeder out “too long” would tempt the birds into not migrating south for the winter.

The truth is that there’s no need for worry that the birds would delay their migration and get caught by winter.
The reason why is because it’s not the lack of food that tells a hummingbird when to go south. It’s the bird’s internal biological calendar, or circannual rhythms.
In fact, most Hummingbirds species start migrating while food is still plentiful.
This strategy ensures that they will always have a good source available along every step of the way on their journey south.

So, my advice is to leave your feeders up as long as hummingbirds are visiting them. Once you’ve noticed that they are gone, leave it up an additional week, just in case a straggler comes through.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless monster of a camera, the @canonusa
#R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

Pileated Woodpeckers at the Pee Dee NWR

While walking along the gravel rd at the Pee Dee NWR I heard a loud drumming sound echoing in the trees overhead. Wanting to see who was making all that noise, I sped up taking care not to make a sound (as best I could lol) as the rocks and leaves crunched underfoot.
Then a familiar call rang out.


A Pileated Woodpecker!
Looking up into the canopy, I finally spotted this handsome young male working his way up the trunk of an oak tree.
He was moving so fast I barely had time to snap off a couple shots before he disappeared into leaves.
Though the encounter was brief, I was glad to catch a good look at him anyway.

Measuring up to 19 inches in length, Pileateds are the largest species of Woodpecker living in North America. These large birds are found all across the eastern United States, western California and in the Pacific Northwest. Their hefty size and loud calls make them a pretty easy bird to ID in the field, even when other species are in the area.


Their diet consists of insects including larvae, beetles, Caterpillar‘s, termites and spiders. That being said, their favorite food is ants and it’s not unusual to see one sitting on an anthill at the base of a tree eagerly gobbling up the six legged delicacies.
Pileated’s are more often seen high up in the trees circling the trunks and limbs in search of a meal.
Using their long bill, Pileated’s will poke and prod under the bark to snap up a tasty insect snack.

Pileated Woodpeckers are a year round resident of North Carolina. As with most of our other Woodpecker species found in the Tarheel state, their best spotted in swampy areas with stands of large dead trees but can also be found in dry, mixed deciduous forests as well.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Out There with the Expert

Common Gallinules in the Carolinas

By: Sally Siko

One of the most unique looking birds we’ve got here in the Carolinas is the Common Gallinule.
I spotted this pair (and an immature one) at the Huntington Beach State Park last weekend.



These sharp looking relieves of the Coot are mostly found in our eastern coastal counties though they do stray further inland from time to time.
Generally, Gallinules are not easily spotted as populations are scarce in certain areas within it’s overall range, yet they may be locally common in others so it sort of depends on where you are in regards to chances of seeing one.



Common Gallinules breed in areas where they have access to small ponds and marshes to hunt for a meal and are easily identified by their charcoal black plumage and by that bright red and-yellow bill, and of course by those huge yellow feet.
Unlike their cousin the Purple Gallinule, Common’s spend a lot of time swimming vs. the Purple’s preference to search for a a meal on foot. This behavior difference is a helpful way to ID them when viewing one from a distance or in poor lighting conditions 🙂

These understated beauties are a year round resident of the Tarheel state but are much easier to find during the spring and summer.
Along with the Huntington Beach State Park in SC, you also have a good chance of finding Common Gallinules at the Lake Mattamuskeet NWR in Swansquarter, NC.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless monster of a camera, the @canonusa
#R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Out There with the Expert

White Ibis fight at the Huntington Beach State Park

While birding at the Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet SC on this past weekend, I ended up with a ringside seat to a battle of two American White Ibises
Though it was a remarkable sight, this behavior is not unusual as male American white Ibises are known to be quite aggressive when defending their meals (and personal space!) against intruders.

Both Ibises lunged, stabbed and bit, often holding onto the others head or wings while clawing at each others bodies in a submission hold of avian sorts.
Several times one bird would give up yet the other would pursue it relentlessly, dive bombing and even chasing the weaker opponent on foot.
Eventually they called it a draw and walked away together (lol!) seemingly at peace at least until the next meal was found.

When they’re not fighting, White Ibises are highly sociable birds. They roost, nest and feed together in large flocks throughout the year.
Happily the numbers of American White Ibises residing in the Carolinas have been in the increase which is pretty neat!
They are a year round breeding resident of North Carolina and are most commonly found along our southeastern coastline, especially on our small offshore islands.
Look for them foraging (and yes, even fighting!) for a meal in shallow brackish, salt & freshwater open swamps, marshes and on mudflats during low tide.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless miracle, the @canonusa
#R5

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

Prothonotary Warbler changes in autumn

Autumn will soon be here.
Signs of change are everywhere if you know where to look. From flocking Canada Geese to molting plumage, birds everywhere are preparing themselves for the migration journey ahead.
Some changes aren’t so obvious, yet if you take the time to look closely you’ll be able to pick up on the seasonal cues even before cold weather arrives.
Case in point, the beak color of a Prothonotary Warbler.

During the spring & summer this warbler has a bright black beak. In autumn and winter it is a tan color.
The change happens quickly too!


I took photo of a Prothonotary with the black bill (featured in the first photo) late last month.


The second photo shows a Prothonotary with the tan beak just last weekend.
Can you see the difference?

But how does a Prothonotary Warblers beak change color?
Their beak is covered in keratin, the same substance from which our hair and fingernails are made from.
Under the beak’s layer of keratin lies a bony structure. While the bone makes up the foundation, it’s covered with a layer of living tissue which, in turn, is coated with a thin layer of see-through keratin. These living cells can change color, and the color shows through the keratin.
Seasonal color changes to the living tissue in their bills occur due to fluctuations in the birds hormone levels and diet throughout the year.

Now that the Prothonotary’s breeding season has ended, their hormones levels have changed again so their beaks have returned to a light tan color.
These beauties will stick around North Carolina until early September before heading south to their wintering grounds in Central America and northern regions of South America.
Enjoy them here in the Tarheel state for a couple weeks because they won’t be back until April.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty @canonusa
#R5 & #5Ds

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

Indigo Bunting and Blue Grosbeak species comparison

One of my favorite places to visit during late summer is the Art Park at the NCMA in Raleigh North Carolina. Along with the wide array of colors in flower fields there are plenty of beautiful birds to be found here too.
Two species which are particularly common in the area are the Indigo Bunting and the Blue Grosbeak.
Even on a cloudy day, these gorgeous azure hued birds are absolutely stunning when viewing them at close range.

With similar colors and habitat preferences, Indigo Buntings & Blue Grosbeaks can be difficult to tell apart.
I’ve often been asked often what ID marks are helpful in differentiating the species so here are a couple of notes which may help you in the field.


-Indigo Bunting-(1st photo)
*Male and female Indigo Buntings lack wingbars. Adult male wings are entirely blue with black points.
*Indigo Buntings have a much smaller, narrower, pointy beak.
*The head of an Indigo Buntings is rounded, smaller and more delicate.


-Blue Grosbeak-(2nd photo)
*Male Blue Grosbeaks have two rusty colored wingbars. While not as pronounced as on the males, the tan-colored females will also show two brownish wingbars.
*Similar to Northern Cardinals, Blue Grosbeaks have a large, heavy triangular shaped bill, the top edge of which nearly forms a straight line into the forehead.
*The head of a Blue Grosbeaks is large and squared off giving them a decidedly block-headed appearance.

Bonus Tip!
Size: The average Blue Grosbeak is nearly twice the weight of an Indigo Bunting.
This is something you’ll notice if you happen to see both species in the same day.
If you’d like to test your ID skills in telling these blue beauties apart, the North Carolina Museum of Art Park is an excellent place to do this!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa
#5Ds