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Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Spending time with Bufflehead Ducks in eastern NC

By Sally Siko

The weather finally cooled off this week as we settle into autumn here in NC.
We’ve already had a ton of beautiful migratory song birds moving through the state lately but the best is yet to come IMO.
Case in point, soon flocks of waterfowl will arrive, filling out coastal impoundments with a flurry of feathers, squeaks and quacks.
Among the droves of birds one of the most beautiful species are the Bufflehead Ducks.



A wintertime resident of North Carolina, Buffleheads are best spotted swimming on our coastal lakes, ponds, estuaries, and impoundments. You can even see them swimming in the ocean just offshore on calm days.
I was photographing a couple of Pintail’s last year when a pair of male Buffleheads swooped in and landed right in front of me.
Under flat lighting (cloudy) conditions these ducks appear to be dressed in simple black and white plumage.
Yet on this day, the bright morning sunlight was just hitting the faces of the ducks perfectly which really brought out those incredible colors on their heads.



One of our smallest species of diving ducks, Buffleheads will hunt for a meal in both fresh and salt bodies of water.
In freshwater habitats, they eat primarily insects, and in saltwater, they feed predominantly on crustaceans and mollusks.
Aquatic plants and fish eggs can often become locally important food items as well when available.
They are strong swimmers and able to stay under water for more than a minute, then often popping up a long way from where they disappeared.
This makes them a little more challenging (ok,darn frustrating) to photograph but it’s still fun to try haha!

The Buffleheads should start arriving in NC next month so you’ve still got plenty of time to enjoy them before the year is through.

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

Bird watching trips in Maine, Birding Trips and Birdwatching Tours in SC, Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Birding trips at Cape May New Jersey, Gifts for Birders and Bird watchers

New birding tours and bird watching trips in Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina and South Carolina have been added to my 2023 and 2024 Calendar

Pack your bags, lets go birding!

Birders and bird loving photographers of all skill levels are invited to join me, Sally Siko as we explore the trails, woods, fields and shorelines of the United States in search of interesting birds. From North Carolina and beyond, there are plenty of great species to get out and enjoy throughout the year.

In addition to local trips here in the Triangle, new birding tour dates and locations in coastal Maine, coastal New Jersey, eastern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina have been added to my 2023 & 2024 calendar. Click on the dates marked in green in the box below for more information.

Book today as space is limited on these small group tours, Gift Cards are on sale too!

BIRDING TOURS CAPE MAY, NJ

BIRDING TOURS IN MAINE

BIRDING TOURS AT PINCKNEY ISLAND, SC

BIRDING TOURS AT CAPE FEAR SHINERS PARK, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT HUNTINGTON BEACH STATE PARK, SC

BIRDING TOURS THE OBX NORTH CAROLINA

BIRDING TOURS AT THE PEE DEE NWR, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT OLD BYNUM BRIDGE, NC

PAINTED BUNTING BIRDING TOURS AT FT.FISHER, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT WEYMOUTH WOODS, NC

Private birding tours in North & South Carolina are also available for reservation to best suit your needs and schedule!


For more information please contact sallysiko@birdwatchingnc.com or call/text (919) 449-7331 to book a private trip.

Shown below is the Best Life Birding Instagram feed featuring of some of the species I’ve found for my guests here in the United States.

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Photographing first year male Painted Buntings in North Carolina

While leading a birding tour last weekend, I spotted this handsome Painted Bunting singing his heart out and fluttering around the shadows of the brush scattered behind the dunes of Wrightsville Beach.
Although this bird isn’t adorned with the familiar rainbow plumage, I was able to identify it as a first year male.
The reason why is because of its song as only male Painted Buntings sing out in varied warbling song, while the females are generally silent save for a few chip calls every now and again.



It can be difficult to identify a juvenile male versus female Bunting though! First-year males (like this bird) look similar to the females (which are dressed in subtle green hues), but the vibrantly colored green color of the young males plumage is much brighter and may have flecks of iridescent blue in it.
Male Painted Buntings retain their green plumage until they are 15-18 months old, then molt into the multi colored feather gems which we are most able to recognize in the field.



As seen in the last couple photos in this post, the adult male Painted Bunting’s upperparts are blue, with a lemon-green back, green wings, reddish rump, and red eye ring. The underparts of their plumage is bright red.
But what is the point in being so flashy?
As with other members of the Cardinal family, the brightest hued Painted Buntings are most likely to attract the mates of their choice.
Not surprisingly, the breeding plumage of the adult Buntings tends to attract the attention of photographers and others the most too lol!
And for good reason, they are truly stunning.

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Ovenbirds are here in North Carolina

When the springtime heat rolls in, it’s nice to get out of the sunny fields and into the woods to cool off.We aren’t the only ones who appreciate the cool shade that the trees provide, Ovenbirds are masters of the shadows and remain active throughout the day even during the hottest hours.
I spotted this beauty yesterday while birding in the woods of Pittsboro NC.



Ovenbirds favor mixed deciduous and coniferous forest areas which are semi open under the canopy yet still contain scrubby thickets and moderate brush.Though they look like Thrushes, they’re actually a species of warbler and like others in that family they are voracious eaters of insects.However like Thrushes, (and unlike most other warblers) Ovenbirds are usually spotted hunting for a meal on the ground scratching up under the leaf litter in search of beetles, worms and grubs.
In fact they even nest on the ground (usually at the base of trees) building old world pizza oven shaped tunnel nests for which they derive their names.



These lovely birds are a spring and summertime resident of North Carolina and are found across the state from the mountains to the coast from April to October. That being said, a few Ovenbirds have been found to spend the winter in Buxton Woods on Cape Hatteras Island in recent years. This is an interesting trend to watch as more people get out to go bird watching during the winter in the OBX.Pretty cool, huh?

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Green Herons on Sunset Beach NC

When birding near shallow bodies of water in the eastern Carolina’s it’s hard not to stumble on a Green Heron or two hanging out on the shore.
I spotted these beauties earlier this week while birding along the Carl Bazemore Bird Walk in Sunset Beach NC.



It was a lot of fun to watch them squabble for the premium perches in the scrubby brush which lined the shore. There were several of them nesting in the cattails near the observation deck too.
It takes a few minutes to spot them nestled in the reeds so patience is required lol. My best advice is to look for the reflection of sunlight glinting off of their eyes among the shadows.
Since they are so common they’re often overlooked but if the light hits them just right, these little birds are absolutely beautiful!



So it goes with others in the heron family, Green Herons can be found walking in shallow waters stalking fish, insects and small crustaceans.When their prey is spotted, they’ll freeze and then strike like a dart into the water piercing the prey with their bill.Interestingly, Green Herons also employ another tactic to catch a meal as they’re the only species of heron known to “bait” their prey.These clever birds will use twigs, feathers, or insects to lure a fish within reach. When the fish comes in closer to investigate the object, the bird will strike.
Truly a smart and fascinating creature IMO!

The Green Heron is found throughout the Carolinas from March to October so you’ve still got plenty of time to go see them this year.That being said, quite a few of them have been reported to spend the wintertime in our southeastern coastal counties which is pretty neat!



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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Common Terns on Wrightsville Beach NC

Tensions are running high at the Common Tern nesting grounds on Wrightsville Beach NC. With breeding season well underway, competition for mates and nest sites is causing tempers to flare within the colony resulting in yelling (screeching lol!) matches between former friends.
It was very entertaining to sit on the beach and watch these otherwise elegant birds scuffle for dominance.
They swooped and screamed from above at the terns below who vigorously defended their chosen spit of sand.
Those who weren’t involved with nesting site disputes spent their time catching small fish and bringing food back to shore to feed their mates who were waiting patiently for a meal.



Though their name would imply otherwise, unfortunately nesting populations of Common Terns are in decline here in NC. This is likely due to a loss of suitable nesting habitats due to storms and development of the barrier islands where they prefer to raise their chicks.
Luckily this species breeds in both Eurasia and in North America (even inland!) so for now they aren’t considered threatened on a level to trigger a Federal level endangerment status.
Still, this is a species to keep an eye on as they are considered endangered on the State level of concern.



Common Terns are a spring & summertime resident of North Carolina and can be found along our coastline between April and September.
They are mainly spotted hunting for a meal over the Atlantic Ocean and over our saltwater inlets. As you probably have guessed, their main diet consists of fish however they’ll also eat crustaceans and insects.
From the looks of it, they’re are prolific hunters and they seemed to have access to a good supply of fish here at Wrightsville Beach.
This means good times may be ahead for the next generation of Common Terns which should arrive next month.

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Birdwatching News, Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

North Carolina Rare Bird alert- Dickcissle in Carrboro NC

By Sally Siko

Stoked to finally lay eyes on my first Dickcissle a couple of hours ago in Carrboro, NC!
Luckily this lifer wasn’t too difficult to spot as he was singing loudly in an open field of Blue Cornflowers across the highway from the Maple View Farm Ice Cream shop between the creamery and the farm pond.
It only took about 30 minutes to locate the bird once I was able to pick out his unique song of sharp sounds followed by a buzzy, almost hissed cisssssselll.
What a beauty!



The breeding range of the Dickcissle typically stretches across the great plains region of the United States. Strangely enough though, quite a few of them also breed east of the Appalachian mountains, including right here in North Carolina.
Though a certain number of Dickcissels call the East Coast home during the summer they are still considered a rare sighting here in the Tar Heel state from May through July.



The Dickcissel is the only living member of the “Spiza” genus, inside the family of Cardinals and were named for the male’s song.
As with other members of Cardinal family, during the breeding season, Dickcissels eat both insects and seeds. Insects include grasshoppers, caterpillars, termites, flies, wasps, beetles; they also eat spiders. During migration and in the winter months, they eat almost exclusively seeds including grasses, willows, and buckwheat as well as crops including rice and sorghum.

These handsome birds are best spotted singing from the tops of scrubby branches in open fields, grasslands and in agricultural areas throughout the midwestern states of the US from Texas to the Dakotas.
But as seen here, you never quite know where a pair of Dickcissles will show up so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for them throughout the summer months.

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

PS. 10/10 recommend getting some ice cream at the nearby Maple View Farm Ice Cream ❤️

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Birdwatching News

NC Rare Bird Alert: An Iceland Gull on Pea Island

By Sally Siko

Last month I tried to find an Iceland Gull which had been been reported on Pea Island in the OBX of NC.
Unfortunately I never found the bird which didn’t come as much of a surprise since the Iceland had been spotted hanging out with a large flock of other gulls at Oregon Inlet.
Given that the flocks tend to move around quite a bit throughout any given day, my odds of success in finding the Iceland that morning were slim at best.


Redemption was found last weekend though while on another birding trip to the OBX.
While walking on the Salt Flats Wildlife Trail along the North Pond, the Iceland Gull that I’d searched for weeks ago flew directly in front of me, wheeling and banking in the air just a few feet above the ground and water!
I couldn’t believe that the bird was right there, no effort required other than walking a few feet in the rain down a weedy sand path.
How cool was that?!
Though part of me always seems to crave more of a challenge when it comes to finding rare birds, I’ll take a win whenever I can get it.


Though the far southern range of the Iceland Gull extends off the coast of North Carolina during the winter months, they are an uncommon bird to find here in the Tarheel state.
These lovely birds are a medium-size gull, whose smaller size helps to differentiate themselves from the look-alike Herring Gulls they like to hang out with.
Iceland’s have very pale plumage and white wing tips and, like the glaucous gull, it is been given the nickname of ‘white-winged’ gull. They’ve also got a rounded head and smallish beak, giving them a sweet, almost dove-like expression.
Just gorgeous and well worth getting out into the rain to see on a windy January day!

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Yellow- bellied Sapsuckers at Brumley Nature Preserve in Chapel Hill, NC

By Sally Siko

Like many of you out there in the eastern US this week, I’ve been stuck inside over the past few days due to rain and then extra chilly weather.
It’s been driving me nuts to stay cooped up indoors for so long!
Finally, I had an opportunity to get outside today to go birding with a guest at the Brumley Nature Preserve.



It was a balmy 21 degrees *lol!* when we got started but despite the cold we did manage to find and photograph several interesting species of birds including this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
I really enjoyed getting this series of shots as that bright winter blue sky contrasted perfectly with the black, white, yellow and red plumage of this beautiful little woodpecker.



Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are found in varying numbers from our mountains to the coast throughout the year.
While this bird was busy gorging himself on wild persimmon fruit (check out his messy bill lol) usually they are spotted (errr heard) pecking loudly on the trunks of trees.
But why are they constantly hammering their beaks into the tree trunks?
The clue is actually wrapped up in their name. It’s all about that sweet, sweet sap flow!
These little guys will move up hastily up and down trees to drill a series of wells in the trunks to drink the sap that oozes forth. Often returning to the same tree on a regular basis, the Yellow -bellied Sapsucker’s elaborate systems of sap wells are maintained daily to ensure sap production.
Boasting a legit honey-badger-don’t-care attitude, these feisty woodpeckers will defend their wells from all kinds of sap-stealing animals and birds, including other sapsuckers. They also may be found happily raiding both hummingbird and suet feeders alike in our own backyards with the same energy.
Isn’t he marvelous?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty 50MP monster, the @canonusa #5Ds

Field Notes

The Tundra Swans have returned to the OBX in eastern North Carolina

By Sally Siko

One of the things I look forward to the most year after year is the return of the large flocks of Tundra Swans in eastern NC.
Thousands of these majestic white birds are flying in to spend the winter months in the fields, lakes and impoundments of our coastal counties.



It’s quite a sight to stand on the shoreline of a lake and see so many of them all in one place. Yes they are indeed beautiful but gosh they are a noisy and rambunctious bunch lol!
Large groups of Tundra Swans may be best defined as thinly controlled chaos so it’s not uncommon to see scuffles like the one pictured here break out within the flock.
I photographed these two pairs brawling this past weekend and boy it was as entertaining to watch as any prize fight haha 🙂



When they’re not fighting each other, Tundra Swans nest in northern Alaska and in Canada’s Northwest Territories, Nunavut, northeastern Manitoba, northern Ontario, and northwestern Quebec.
Interestingly, these guys break off into 2 distinct groups of eastern and western migrating populations when traveling between breeding and wintering grounds.
Swans that nest east of Point Hope in northern Alaska winter on the Atlantic coast, while birds breeding from Point Hope south & west winter along the Pacific.
It seems odd to me for the birds in the Coleville River region of Alaska to make such a long trip east which spans across the entire United States when a straight shot flight south to California is quite a bit closer.
Whatever the reason, I’m glad they are here!

You can find these beauties in southeastern North Carolina from November through early March in with peak numbers occurring in January.
Look for them in open marshes, lakes, shallow ponds and estuaries in fresh and brackish waters. They are also easily spotted feeding in grain fields in our agricultural areas too.
So cool!

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