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, Out There with the Expert

Watching a Palm Warbler on Mid Pines rd

By Sally Siko

Now that an autumn migration is underway, birders everywhere are on the lookout for species of southbound traveling Warblers making their way through the state.
Among the flocks of transient birds are species who will call North Carolina home first the winter.
 One of my favorites is the Palm Warbler.



The nice thing about these little guys is that they tend to forage for a meal closer to the ground more so than other Warbler species.
*As seen in the last photo, keep in mind that sometimes they may be difficult to see as their camouflage game is strong in the grass lol!
Always on the lookout for a six or eight legged snack, Palm Warblers may be spotted in open fields, dense brushy areas and at the edges of forests. The best ID indicator is to look for their flicking/ bobbing tails as they make their way among the branches and grass.

Despite being named for a tropical tree, Palm Warblers actually spend most of their foraging time walking and hopping on the ground, or in low brushy undergrowth while randomly plucking at insects.
Weirder still, Palm Warblers nest in the boreal forests and bogs of Canada and although they do spend the winter in Florida, they don’t actually hang out in the Palm trees. Truly an odd name for a bird IMO.



Now that these beauties have returned to the Tarheel State to spend the winter you should have plenty of opportunities to find one over the next few months before the depart for their breeding grounds next May.
Look for them in short grassy fields or in semi open areas near water containing low dense, brush.
They’re also just as likely to visit your own backyard too.
Especially right after you’ve mown your lawn as all of the insects in your grass get stirred up after the cut 🙂

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding captured on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

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

A Chipping Sparrow at Lake Lynn in Raleigh

By Sally Siko

With autumns arrival, we’ve had a nice stretch of weather in central N.C. Now is one of the best times for getting outdoors to go birding in search of migrating warblers but don’t forget about our year round feathered gems too!This Chipping Sparrow made an appearance in a shallow creek last week at Lake Lynn in Raleigh.
Splashing and fluttering, the bird took its time lingering in the water.
Much to my delight it didn’t seem to mind the fact that there were 4 happy birders snapping photos nearby lol!



These delightful little sparrows are found in a wide variety of open woodland habitats in both their winter and breeding ranges across NC.This is somewhat of an unusual trait as most sparrows which are found mainly in grassy fields.
They are a common sight here in the Raleigh area, especially during the winter months when they come out of the woods and into our yards in search of an easy meal at the feeder.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding captured on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Out There with the Expert

Orchard Orioles at Dix Park in Raleigh NC

-Sally Siko

Here’s are a couple juvenile Orchard Orioles I spotted while birding at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, NC.
They were waiting patiently for their mother while she was hunting for insects in the grass nearby.
For the most part the two sat perfectly still, only moving occasionally to peck at an ant or two .Once she arrived with a snack, the two little ones would hop excitedly, mouth agape hoping to be the one to receive the food.



Sporting a striking combination of reddish orange and black plumage, Orchard Orioles are the smallest species in this family birds.
Though these little ones are a orange-ish yellow color, soon a black beard of feathers will grow in, running down their chests below their bills.

Orchard Orioles are summertime residents of North and may be found throughout the state through late August.They are often spotted in groves of trees in the middle or edges of fields (like this one) looking for a six or eight legged snack. Although they primarily dine on insects, they will also eat fruit and will even sip nectar from flowers or hummingbird feeders when available too! Aren’t they lovely?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding captured on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

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

Warbler season is upon us- American Redstart in NC

By Sally Siko

Green leaves are sprouting out on all of the trees, it’s really starting to look like springtime here in central NC.The treetop canopies are becoming dense now bringing the arrival of hatching insects which are closely followed by flocks of migrating Warblers such as these beautiful American Redstarts.



With that bold black and bright orange plumage and their loud calls echoing through the woods, male Redstarts are impossible birds to ignore when hiking along a trail.*Not that I’ve ever thought of ignoring them lol!These birds are freak’n gorgeous and although they’re relatively easy to find, I’ve spent many hours trying to catch a proper photograph of one for years but with no luck.Happily I finally came close with these shots which I took while birding in Bynum NC.One of the nice things about this species of warbler is that when flocks of them move into the area, they’re relatively easy to find and photograph.This is because Redstarts tend to hunt for food in the mid to lower understory of open deciduous woodlands, forest edges, near roadside trees, in open areas like orchards, shrubby edges of streams and ponds, brushy edges of sunny pastures, and suburban parks.Or to put it another way, unlike many other species of warblers you won’t break your neck or hurt your eyes by searching for them high up in the trees of a dark forest lol!

The American Redstart is a somewhat unusual bird in that they’re both a breeding resident and transient migratory visitor to North Carolina with populations fluctuating wildly in different regions throughout the year.They are known to nest in both the mountains in the western part of the state and along a narrow north/NE to south/SW strip in several of the counties in central NC which is kinda odd.Generally though your best bet in finding them is from now through mid May and then again from September through early October during migration periods.Get out there and enjoy them!

Photos & video by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty megapixel monster, the @canonusa #5Ds

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

Great Horned Owls are nesting in my backyard in Fuquay Varina, NC

Got lucky this spring to have had a pair of Great horned Owls nesting in my backyard. It’s been a real joy to watch and listen to them over the past few months.
A few minutes ago I finally saw their owlet which was pretty cool.
I’ve heard his screeching calls emanating from the pine grove for a couple of weeks but this is the first time that I’ve laid eyes on him.
He’s awkwardly fluffy and appears grumpy but super cute lol!



With a breeding season that starts in December, Great Horned Owls are one of the earliest species of birds to lay eggs here in North Carolina. Interestingly, they don’t build their own nests, rather they will take over the vacant nests of crows, hawks, Ospreys and other raptors as needed.Incubation takes around 33 days and by 7 weeks of age, the Owlets are capable of taking their first short flights out of the nest.
I’m excited to have an opportunity to watch this little guy grow up and hope that he sticks around for another couple months.



Finding a Great Horned Owl can be challenging but the best way to spot one is to look for them in dry habitats like long leaf pine forests at dusk or very early in the morning.When searching for these impressive raptors, it pays to look down at the ground too!This is because Owls regurgitate the indigestible hair and bones of their prey: called owl pellets. You can often find a number of these pellets below their preferred perching trees.



Although they are a year round resident of NC, as a nocturnal bird, they tend to be more vocal at night during the wintertime months and can be best located by sound from November through February. Look for their distinctive, large football/cat-shaped silhouettes on the top of bare tree top snags or telephone poles at the edges of fields.

Photo by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

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

Eastern Towhees at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Preserve

By Sally Siko

When walking through the woods of the Weymouth Woods Sandhills Preserve in central North Carolina, the air is filled with sounds of bird song, most especially so via the Eastern Towhee.These handsome birds are quite vocal and are relatively easy to find by their familiar “drink your tea” calls emanating from the brush. Occasionally they’ll pop out from the tangled undergrowth to provide you with a good look and may even follow you on the trail.


She spent most of her time rummaging on the forest floor among the leaf litter under a stand of small saplings.
Happily, she did fly up to land on a branch at eye level which offered a brief opportunity to grab a couple of photos.
Isn’t she beautiful?
Eastern Towhees come in two different varieties, the white-eyed and the red-eyed seen here. Years ago, they were known as the Rufus-sided Towhee but today both white & red eyed birds are lumped together under the Eastern moniker.



Breeding season will soon be underway for these lovely birds.
Towhees are generally ground nesters and will usually build their nest in a clump of leaves or in the tall grass at the base of a tree. They’ll also occasionally build their nests in tangled briars about 2 to 4ft off of the ground.Both parents take care of the chicks who will leave the nest around 11 days after hatching.Interestingly the young will hang out with their parents after fledging for a few months before moving on to scout their own territories.



Eastern Towhees are a year round resident of NC and are one of a handful of species that nests from the coast all the way up to the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge Mountains.They are best found in areas where there is dense woods and scrub brush available for them to forage for a meal.I’ve had luck spotting them in thick bushy patches in the OBX, in dark Rhododendron thickets in the mountains and right here at Weymouth Woods.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC, Out There with the Expert

It’s 2023- the Limpkins are still in South Carolina

By Sally Siko

Each spring, I make the return to a small suburban neighborhood in southeast SC to check on a family of Limpkins.
Why?
Well the Limpkins are technically a rare bird for SC and it’s unusual to be able to see a specific species which is way out of it’s normal range year after year in the same spot.
I think it’s pretty neat to be able to enjoy these elegant birds without having to travel several hundred miles south to see them!


But what keeps these Limpkins from moving on?
The answer is snails.
Apple snails to be precise.

The small drainage ponds in the neighborhood and the adjacent swampland are full of them.
Apple snails are the Limpkins favorite food and there’s plenty to go around so why leave?
In fact, the original pair of Limpkins have successfully nested here for four years.
Most of their offspring have moved on into other territories but apparently at least two have decided to stay in the area.


I was surprised and delighted to count four of them this past weekend during my visit.
They weren’t difficult to locate as all of them were calling loudly from the west pond to the swamp.
Luckily, I was able to photograph two of the birds without having to venture into the swamp (it’s alligator season).
I was surprised to see one of them in a tree on a small island.
Normally, I’ve only observed Limpkins foraging on the ground for snails so perhaps this bird was building a nest?
I’m thinking I’ll return next weekend to try to get a better look…
Aren’t they beautiful?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5
Biridng Trips and Tours in SC, Out There with the Expert

Great Egret in breeding plumage

By Sally Siko

Great Egrets are a common sight here in the Carolinas. Almost as as ubiquitous to the landscape as a Northern Cardinal unfortunately can lead us to kind of ignore these beauties.
But as it goes so often with birds, keeping a sharp eye on all the species which cross our paths can lead to some delightful moments.
In this case, a splendid display of a Great Egret coming into breeding plumage!


I photographed this handsome Egret getting harassed by a jerk Brown Pelican (he was being a total bully, even having the gall to go after a large Great Blue Heron who was minding his own business lol!) during my birding tour this past weekend at the Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet South Carolina.
Normally these guys are pretty cool to see but when their long plumes grow out they turn into something like a white peacock of the water.

Did you know that these these majestic birds were nearly hunted to extinction?This was due to the demand of those elegant white breeding plumes in the late 1900s. A now familiar icon of the Audubon Society, public awareness of this species rapid decline was the flash point which sparked the fist bird conservation movements in the United States.Today, these stately birds are thriving and are happily found searching for food throughout much of the U.S.



As you might expect, Great Egrets are found in similar habitats of other wading birds such as Herons and Bitterns, often seen along the shorelines of ponds, lakes, marshes, estuaries and brackish water inlets.They are a bit smaller and more lithe then Great Blue Herons, yet these are still big birds with large wingspans of around 5.5 feet.Expert hunters of frogs and fish, they’ll stand perfectly still in the shallow water along a shoreline until the moment they strike.A lightning quick thrust of their sharp yellow bill is all that’s needed to land a meal and then their prey is swallowed whole.
As a birder and photographer I think they are super entertaining to watch while hunting and are always worth taking the time to stop and admire when in the field.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5
Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

An American Woodcock encounter at Prime Hook NWR

By Sally Siko

While birding at the Prime Hook NWR in Delaware last weekend I spotted this adorable American Woodcock dancing by the side of a quiet country road.
These round little birds are usually pretty flighty so it was super cool to catch a good look at one at close range.
My only regret was not having the wherewithal to take a quick video of him doing his classic bebop sway dance but I was so shocked to see him that all I managed to get were a few photos.
Still it was amazing to take in the details of this bird as he danced in a pool of sunlight in the grass.


The American Woodcocks black and brown striated feathers serve as excellent camouflage and their long, malleable beaks probe the soil for earthworms.
This is where natural selection comes in; because their preferred food lives underground, nature has selected for birds with upward-facing eyes that can scan the air for predatory birds while their bill pokes around for worms just under the earth’s surface.

Despite what their name suggests, American Woodcocks are actually a type of shorebird. Although this species and its closest American relative, (the Wilsons Snipe) are found in forests, it’s cousins are found in brackish marshes near salty waters.
These guys typically spend the day resting in leafy cover of hardwood or mixed forests or taller thickets, especially were somewhat damp. At dusk, the Woodcocks will leave the forest and fly out to nearby plowed fields and other muddy or short-grass habitats, where they feed on earthworms and other invertebrates in wet ground during the night. At dawn birds can be seen flying back from the fields into the forests to hide again.
Aren’t they awesome?!
I love them.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5