Found a female American Redstart at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs, NC. These beautiful birds spend their breeding season throughout the eastern United States including here in North Carolina. Now that autumn migration has arrived, people all over the east coast will get the chance to see them as the head south to their tropical homes in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. If they don’t normally live in your area, keep an eye out for them from now through the end of October. Photo by @sally_siko Canon 5Ds
This is a female Common Yellowthroat. I spotted her hopping in the brush along the trail on the western side of Bass Lake in Holly Springs, NC. Though she lacks the bandit mask of her mate, she’ll steal your heart! What a little beauty. 🌿 Common Yellowthroats are easy to find during spring, summer & autumn here in North Carolina. Look for them in open areas such as bogs, wetland edges, and brushy fields. This is why Bass Lake Park is a perfect habitat for finding these birds! Their call notes are distinctive. Keep your ears tuned for a husky, low “chuck” coming from the undergrowth. When you hear one, look low in bushes (under 4ft) and low in the trees for a quick, small bird, olive above and yellow below. In addition, Common Yellowthroats are often attracted to the “pishing” sound. These inquisitive birds will often pop into the open to see who’s making the noises. The ones at Bass Lake are particularly friendly so don’t be surprised if you encounter one up close! Photo by @sally_siko Canon 5Ds
This cool little bird is a Common Yellowthroat. I spotted him while birding recently at Bass Park in Holly Springs North Carolina.
I was able to get pretty close to this colorful little Warbler without stressing him out. Actually, most of the birds I saw at Bass Lake seemed acclimated to the presence of people. A big time plus if your short on time and don’t want to worry about delving deep into the woods to find birds! Photo by @sally_siko Canon 5Ds
Yesterday, I went out birding in search of Warblers at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs, North Carolina. I arrived when the gates opened at 8am, and spent about an hour or so on the trail.
There were plenty of Common Yellow-Throated and Black and White Warblers hiding in the brush at the edge of the water. They were nearly tame and were surprisingly easy to photograph. Then a few yards down the path, I got lucky and spotted my first Veery high up in a tree. Awesome!
On my way back to the parking lot, I snapped off a few photos of a flock of Blue-winged Teal as they flew over the lake. I’ve never seen these ducks in the wild before. That made for two lifers spotted in one trip. Truly a great morning of birding!
BIRDS SEEN:
Here’s a rundown of the species which I submitted to my eBird list last night…
Bass Lake (Wake Co.)
Sep 26, 2019
8:13 AM
90 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.9.3 Build 13
41 Blue-winged Teal
3 Mallard
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
2 Killdeer
1 Great Blue Heron
1 Osprey
2 Blue Jay
1 Carolina Chickadee
4 Tufted Titmouse
4 Carolina Wren
1 Gray Catbird
1 Brown Thrasher
3 Eastern Bluebird
2 Veery
2 American Robin
2 Black-and-white Warbler
4 Common Yellowthroat
1 American Redstart
4 Northern Parula
1 Pine Warbler
5 Northern Cardinal
Number of Taxa: 21
LOCATION INFORMATION & NOTES:
If you plan on visiting Bass Lake Park, keep in mind that it is a busy place. There are a ton of joggers and dog walkers along the trail however, the birds seemed to not care a bit about their presence. The warblers were especially tame and I was able to get quite close to them without stressing them out.
Bass Lake Park opens at 8am. There are two parking areas on either ends of the lake. Get there early for the best birding and remember to bring water on the hot days because half of the trail is lit by the full morning sun.
Common Yellow-throated Warbler : Photographer Sally Siko of Birdwatching N.C.Veery : Photographer Sally Siko of Birdwatching N.C.Osprey: Photographer Sally Siko of Birdwatching N.C.American Redstart: Photographer Sally Siko of Birdwatching N.C.Yellow-billed Cukoo: Photographer Sally Siko of Birdwatching N.C.Northern Parula Warbler: Photographer Sally Siko of Birdwatching N.C.Black and white Warbler: Photographer Sally Siko of Birdwatching N.C.Blue-winged Teal: Photographer Sally Siko of Birdwatching N.C.Gray Catbird: Photographer Sally Siko of Birdwatching N.C.
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