Tag Archives: bass lake warbler

Field Notes

Birding at Bass Lake Park – The Common Yellowthroat

Few species of Warbler are more delightful to encounter on a spring walk than the Common Yellowthroat.
I spotted this one while birding at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs NC.
With those inquisitive dark eyes peering out against a black face mask paired with a cheerful bright yellow plumage, it’s hard not to smile when watching one go about it’s day of hunting for insects in the brush.



As their name implies, Common Yellowthroats are indeed “common”. Not only do they nest in all 100 countries of North Carolina, they actually boast a breeding range that stretches across the entire United States and even over most of Canada! This makes them one of the most abundantly found species of Warbler on the continent.
Quite a feat for such a tiny bird!

One of my favorite characteristics of these beauties is their friendly demeanor. When not actively nesting, they’re quite curious about people and will fly in close to check you out if you try pishing at them. It’s neat to get a close up look at these lovely feathered gems when the opportunity presents itself.
Look for the Common Yellowthroat in open fields and along the shorelines of marshes, ponds and streams hiding out in thickets and dense brush.
Aren’t they sweet?



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

Northern Parulas at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs NC

I had an excellent morning of birding while leading a guided bird watching trip to Bass Lake in Holly Springs NC.
We spotted 39 species of birds including this lovely Northern Parula Warbler as we explored the wooded shoreline of the lake.
It was wonderful to get outside while sharing good memories with people who love this stuff as much as I do!

Of all the birds we found, this male Parula was the most friendly. He was quite amicable to having his picture taken by my guests which was pretty neat!


Arriving in mid April, the Northern Parula is a summertime resident of North Carolina.
They are a fairly common in swamps, near lakes, ponds and other wetland areas but they also may be found in dry deciduous forests as well.
They’ve got a distinctive call which sounds somewhat like a zipper being pulled up lol!
Look for these tiny birds in the mid to upper canopies of the trees and listen for their call of
“Zzzzzeee-up” in the woods to find them.
They’ll stick around the Tarheel State until mid October and are well worth the time to stop and enjoy if you can take the time to get out and see them.

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, Field Notes

Prothonotary Warblers are back at Bass Lake Park

My favorite little yellow guys are back, the Prothonotary Warblers!
I was so happy to show this sweet bird to my guests this past weekend at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs NC.
It was super windy and a bit cold that morning so that’s why this Prothonotary’s feathers are a bit out of sorts. He looked a bit perturbed every time the wind blew as his feathers were ruffled with each gust.



With that bright gold plumage, this species is easily one of the most striking birds you’ll find in the woods.
Prothonotary Warblers are named for the bright yellow robes worn by papal clerks, known as prothonotaries, in the Roman Catholic church.
The males sport bright-yellow heads and breast, greenish-yellow back, and bluish wings. The underside of the tail is mostly white, extending onto the undertail coverts.
When spread, the bluish upperside of their tail feathers shows large white spots.
Females look very similar to the males but are dressed in overall slightly muted green tones showing in their lovely yellow plumage.
Even though this handsome male had a few feathers out of place, I think he still looked amazing!



The Prothonotary Warbler will stick around N.C. from now until August so we’ve got plenty of time left to enjoy them this year.
I’m actually headed back out to Bass Lake Park later today on another birding trip and am hoping to have another crack at photographing this gorgeous feathered gem.
Wish me luck! 🙂

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, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Warbler season is upon us- Northern Parulas at Bass lake Park in Holly Springs NC

A couple of days ago, I headed out on a birding trip to Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs NC.
It was a beautiful morning with lots of birds to be found including this gorgeous Northern Parula.
These little guys are among my favorites because they are friendly, inquisitive birds who will often fly in close to say hello to ya if you pish at them.


The Northern Parula breeds in the eastern United States from Florida up to Maine and all the way up into Canada.
Though they build their nests at varying heights in the trees, they are specific about what kinds materials they use to construct them.
Here in North Carolina (and other places in the southeastern states), they generally build their nests in hanging bunches of Spanish moss.
In their northern ranges, they usually build their nests in bunches of Usnea lichen (Old Man’s Beard) by hollowing out a cup near the bottom of the mass with an entrance hole in the side.



The best way to find them during the spring and summer is to listen for their call, which kinda sounds like a zipper being pulled, “zzzeeeeeup”.
They’re best found in foraging in the mid to upper canopies of trees in mature forests along streams, ponds and wetlands.
They’ll spend the summer here in the Tarheel state and will stick around until mid October so their is plenty of time for you to get out there and enjoy them too!

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

Field Notes, Instagram Birding, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Fledglings at Bass lake Park in Holly Springs N.C.

View this post on Instagram

While birding at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs N.C. recently, I spotted a couple adorable fledglings in the brush next to the water. The first is a young White-eyed Vireo (along with it’s parent) and the second is a sweet little Prothonotary Warbler with its parent nearby. I took these photos using my zoom lens at full 600 mm as not to disturb the little ones or their parents. It’s very important to respect the space of these birds at this crucial time as they are still learning how to assess predator behavior and understanding what dangers people may or may not pose to them. Plus, you definitely don’t want to stress out the parents as this may interfere with the feeding behavior of caring for their young. During this time of year, sightings of young birds are common and when folks find them on the ground they tend to get worried. The best thing to do if you find a fledgling is to leave it alone. While you may not see it’s parent in the area, chances are it’s nearby or at least on the way back to care for its young. In the unlikely scenario where the little bird is visibly injured then it may be a good idea to contact your local wildlife rehabilitator who specializes in caring for birds. A simple Google search of the wildlife rehabilitators in your city and state is a good place to start. Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the @canonusa #5ds

A post shared by Bird Watching N.C. (@birdwatching_nc) on

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A female Northern Parula warbler encounter at Bass lake Park

Last week, I took a short walk around Bass Lake in Holly Springs. I’ve noticed lately that local parks in the Triangle region are becoming crowded early, often before 9am so arriving early is key if one has birding on their mind.



Luckily, I was rewarded with a great look at a female Northern Parula shortly after my feet hit the trail.
She was quite curious about my presence and actually flew close to me at times as I stood still and watched her preen and forage for insects.

Northern Parulas can be found hunting tent caterpillars, gypsy moth caterpillars, spiders, and other insects in the mid to high canopies of trees. Moving quietly through the leaves, they seem to be a bit more methodical in their foraging habits vs. the hyper ping pong ball behavior of other Warblers.



With their lovely plumage of greys, yellows and blue, the Northern Parula may be hard to see in the brush and leaves, but they are easy to hear. Just listen for a clear “zeeeeeeeeeZip”, with an abrupt end note and look up!
You may be lucky enough to see them as they hang upside down on the leaves above or as they walk up the tree trunks in the never ending search for a six or eight legged meal.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
@canonusa #5ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Late season Yellow- Rumped Warblers at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs N.C.

The Yellow-rumped Warblers are looking sharp out there this spring!
I found this one a few days ago at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs, NC.
Glad that he posed so nicely for me, haha!

Yellow – rumped Warbler


Now that we’re in late-April, these lovely little birds have molted out into their breeding plumage. The males are now sporting bold summer colors and are easily identifiable in the leafy canopies above our heads.
Within the next few weeks, loose flocks of Yellow-rumped Warblers will begin their migration North into Pennsylvania, New England and Canada.
They won’t be back here in North Carolina until September so get out there and enjoy them while you can 🙂

Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds

All photos and video were captured with my mighty Canon 5DS. If you are interested in getting shots like these with this 50 MP beast of a camera, please check out the link below to Canon USA.

Birdwatching NC is sponsored by Canon USA and I am proud to be a Canon shooter. After 13 years of trusting my professional photography business to Canon’s line of products, I cannot recommend this company strongly enough. If you have have any questions about my gear, shoot me a message!

Birdwatching News, Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

A yellow-rumped warbler encounter at Bass Lake Park, Holly Springs North Carolina

The Yellow-rumped Warbler is one of my favorite wintertime birds to see here in the Raleigh area of North Carolina.


They are a common sight around the lakes, ponds and bogs, flying from branch to limb searching for berries.
Yellow-rumps are one of a handful of bird species that can digest the berries of the Wax Myrtle. This is why they are often spotted in these quintessential North Carolina trees.
A small flock of hungry Yellow-rumps can strip the tree of it’s fruit within a matter of days.


They are not a flashy winter bird, often under appreciated by casual viewers.
Their winter plumage shows shades of gray from whitish to darker streaking on the flanks and breast. The lone splash of color is found on two yellow patches on the sides of the upper breast and a patch of yellow on the rump.
By mid-April the muted hues will change to a beautiful plumage of blue-gray, black and white colors. The yellows will deepen and contrast sharply against the gray and black feathers. Add a yellow patch right on top of the head and the transformation is complete from a understated winter feeder, to a stunning, spring breeder!



And then…. they leave, lol!
The destinations are their breeding ground in the western forests of the higher elevations of the Appalachians, on up into New England, and even Canada.
Then we will have to wait until October to see them again here in central N.C.
Enjoy them while you can!
🙂 Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds

Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Wintertime Wax Myrtle dining with Yellow-rumped Warblers at Bass Lake Park

By: Sally Siko- Admin Birdwatching NC

I never tire of taking photos of Yellow-rumped Warblers in the wintertime. These little birds are friendly and curious, even when they are in snacking mode.

One of the reasons why the Yellow-rumps spend their winters further north than other Warbler species is that they can digest the berries of the Wax Myrtle. These bushy/trees are found throughout central and coastal regions throughout the state of N.C., especially near ponds, marshes, and lakes.



The ability to digest Wax Myrtle fruit gives Yellow-rumps a distinct advantage in the foraging department because most birds cannot eat these berries, thus the Yellow-rumps have a monopoly on a relatively abundant wintertime food source here in central & eastern NC.
The only other bird I can think of at the moment that consumes Wax Myrtle berries is another winter resident, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
If anyone out there knows of any other bird species who eats this stuff, let me know!



I captured these pics of one eating the winter bounty of Wax Myrtle a few days ago at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs, NC.


Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds

Come birding with me! I’ve got a few tours scheduled for Bass Lake Park in 2020. Check out the link below for trip details and available dates.

Birding Tours at Suggs Farm & Bass Lake Park
Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Wintertime birding at Bass lake Park : Yellow-rumped Warbler

Finding small birds in the trees is a whole lot easier now that the leaves have fallen here in central N.C.
I spotted this Yellow-rumped Warbler at Bass Lake in Holly Springs a few days ago as I was walking around the water. It’s subdued winter plumage actually makes for pretty good camouflage against the grey tree limbs but it’s pretty yellow colors gave it away instantly when silhouetted against the blue sky.



Yellow-rumped Warblers are one of the most versatile foragers of all warbler species.
They are the warbler you’re most likely to see fluttering out from a tree to catch flying insects in the autumn, yet they’re also quick to switch over to eating berries and suet from our feeders in the winter.


Yellow-rumped Warblers can also be found picking at insects in washed-up seaweed along North Carolina’s beaches, skimming insects from the surface of lakes, canals and even gleaning gnats off of shoreline waves of the Atlantic.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds