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Birdwatching News

North Carolina Rare Bird Alert: Rufous Hummingbird in Cary, NC

By Sally Siko

After missing out on a vagrant Rufous Hummingbird sighting earlier this week, I decided to try my luck again on a second bird which had been spotted in my area.
Happily, I got lucky this morning and found it perched on a winter Honeysuckle bush in Cary, NC.
I was stoked to finally see this tiny feathered gem and as a bonus, actually managed to pull off catching a few nice pics of him to go along with the trip notes.
Sweet!



The reason why seeing this hummingbird was so exciting today is because Rufous’s aren’t normally found in the eastern United States.
Although numbers suggest that a growing number of vagrant Rufous’s are showing up more often here in central NC each autumn, this species (generally) stays put west of the Rockies.


That being said, if you live in North Carolina your best chance of finding one is right now.
It’s immensely helpful to check the eBird North Carolina Rare Bird alert every day to see if they are being reported at local backyard feeders.



Interestingly, these guys make one of the longest migratory journeys of any hummingbird in the world.
During migration, they’ll travel almost 4,000 miles all the way from their nesting grounds in Alaska down to spend the winter months in Mexico.
This is an epic journey for a teeny tiny bird that weighs less than two U.S. pennies!
I think that’s pretty cool.



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

Exact location to this bird is shown below.

*Address is publicly displayed by the homeowner Eddie Owens via his eBird rare bird alert listing!

https://ebird.org/checklist/S122977873

While Eddie is very accommodating in allowing his fellow birders into his backyard to see this bird, please be respectful as this hummingbird is on private property. He has asked that I post his phone number here so that you can text him for viewing (919)619-3165

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

Northern Parula summertime sighting in North Carolina

By Sally Siko

Here’s are a couple close up looks of one of my favorite birds, the Northern Parula.
These little ones seem to be everywhere this time of year here in North Carolina.
Aren’t they beautiful?



Though they are tiny (only about 4.5in long!) their relatively easy to find by listening for their high pitched buzzy zeee-zip calls in the mid to high canopies of the trees.
They also respond well to pishing and will sometimes swoop in down low so that they can get a better look at who’s making all that swoooshing noise.
These lovely feathered gems nest over nearly all of the eastern United States and Canada, and not surprisingly it nests in all parts of North Carolina.
Parulas are most commonly spotted in swamps and bottomlands, especially where growths of Spanish moss are found hanging from the trees (their favorite nesting material).
As for the rest of the state, Parulas favor other moist forests and woodlands, such as cove forests; occasionally it does nest in drier forests too.



Leaving in mid October, most Northern Parulas will spend the winter south of the United States. That being said there are a handful of them which will stick around the Tarheel state through early winter so you still have plenty of time to get out there and enjoy them this year!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

White eyed Vireo nesting information for NC

By: Sally Siko

I always enjoy spending time with fledgling birds like this White-eyed Vireo when exploring the outdoors here in central NC.
It was so neat to spend a few minutes watching the little guy being fed by it’s parents. I first located the young one by hearing it’s chirps echoing in the trees as it was calling out for a meal.
After spotting him perched on a low branch, I sat very still on the ground on the ground to await the return of it’s parent.
Happily that did not take very long and I was rewarded with the opportunity to grab a few photos of the encounter!



A White eyed Vireos nest is a marvel of the delicacy of bird brained engineering.
They collect soft strips of bark and grass which is woven into a sturdy hanging basket, fastened to a branch with spiderwebs. It’s actually quite deep relative to the size of its occupants and the mother bird can disappear into the triangular shaped cup simply by ducking her head down.



Incubation of the eggs takes around 15 days and the young will typically stay in the nest for 11 days before fledging. The work is not over for the parents though since the little ones will still be taken care of up to 20 days after fledging before becoming independent.
Interestingly, fledgeling male White-eyed Vireos learn their father’s song very early in life, and may begin mimicking his call as early as one month after leaving the nest.
Young White-eyed Vireos like this little one may even develop some elements of their songs by sampling the song tracks of their avian neighbors.
Pretty cool, huh?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

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

A field Sparrow encounter in the Sandhills Gameland preserve North Carolina

By: Sally Siko

Though they aren’t the most colorful bird around, I’m always delighted to encounter Field Sparrows when birding throughout the year in North Carolina.
I spotted this little one snacking on some grass seeds near the Sandhills Campground in Hoffman NC.



Unlike other species of sparrows which can be tough to identify, Field Sparrows are relatively easy to ID by that white eye ring, orange feet, orange legs and orange beak. They’ve also got a light tannish-orange patch of color behind their eyes and a clear un-spotted grey belly.



Field Sparrows are best found in overgrown fields, clearcuts, maritime thickets, and woodland borders, always where there is a thick grass and scattered shrubs and saplings.
Their proclivity to spend most of their time in open areas and curious disposition makes them an effortless bird to photograph as I was able to get within just a few feet of this bird without it’s concern.

These lovely feathered gems spend the entire year throughout the state of North Carolina but are generally more commonly found in the spring and summer months.
Aren’t they lovely?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

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

Orchard Orioles in central NC

By: Sally Siko

One of the joys of summertime birding is to find a family of Orchard Orioles hunting for insects and berries in the field.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing several this year while leading tours. It’s always a thrill to show off these beauties to my guests!



Measuring around 6.5 inches long the Orchard Oriole is the smallest species of oriole in North America. Although they look somewhat similar to their brightly colored cousin the Baltimore Oriole, male Orchard Orioles are more chestnut-reddish toned than the familiar bright orange of the Baltimore.
The female Orchards are equally stunning dressed in their yellow and tan plumage.



Look for Orchards foraging low to the ground along the tree lines near and in open tall grass fields containing scrub brush.
They one of the earliest-departing species after nesting as their departure for winter migration takes place in late July and August here in central North Carolina.
You’ve still got a couple of months left to see them so get out there while you can!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Out There with the Expert

Ring necked Pheasants in North Carolina

By: Sally Siko

North Carolina is home to hundreds of species of amazing birds but few match the stunning beauty of the Ring necked Pheasant.
These rare gems are truly a spectacular sight to behold, especially when engaged in a courtship display as seen in this series of photos that I captured at Sylvan Heights in Scotland Neck, NC.



Ring necked Pheasants were introduced into NC from Asia around 100 years ago.
Though they were once a (relatively) common sight in the fields of our coastal areas, today that is not the case.
Unfortunately due to predation and habit loss, they are a scarce find with only very small population of these birds residing on a small strip of land of the Core Banks and Portsmouth Island within the Cape Lookout National Seashore.



If you’re up to undergo a search for the Ring necked Pheasant, look for them feeding in open grasslands containing scrubby thicket areas.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5ds

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

Summer Tanagers in North Carolina

By: Sally Siko

Each spring, the woods begin to fill up with the sounds of bird songs. It’s a symphony of whistles, chirps and chortles but with one call in particular that sounds out above all others.
That is the familiar cluck-chirp of the Summer Tanager!
The sound of these gorgeous birds calling to one another in the forest is an unmistakable signal to mark the changing season.



Did you know that the Summer Tanager is the only entirely red colored bird found in the United States? Northern Cardinals and Scarlet Tanagers come close however both of those species also have black feathers on their bodies.
All three species get their bold red hues from carotenoid compounds which produce the red (and sometimes yellow) colors seen in the birds feathers. These are acquired through their diets (mainly through fruit), and are then processed in the body into pigments that are deposited in the growing feathers.

Summer Tanagers are generally spring and summertime residents of North Carolina.
They arrive in April and hang out until September before migrating south to Mexico, Central and South America. That being said, there are small but growing numbers of Summer Tanagers that stick around for the entire winter in the eastern part of the state provided that they have a reliable food source available to them via a feeder.
Pretty cool huh?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers in Charlotte NC

By: Sally Siko

This past spring, I took a quick trip to try and find my first Scissor tailed Flycatcher at Ft. Fisher NC.
That lone fly catcher was a vagrant in the area and I certainly didn’t expect to lay eyes on another one until next year when I head out to Texas for my spring migration tour on High Island.

But as luck would have it, a pair of Scissor tailed Flycatchers have shown up in the Charlotte North Carolina area in June!
So I met up with my friend Corie to see if we could capture some better photos of this beautiful species.
This time I think I nailed it and am very pleased with how the photos turned out 🙂



The Scissor tailed Flycatcher’s normal range extends south from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, in areas of western Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana, all the way down into Mexico and Central America.
This species is a rare sight indeed east of the Mississippi and certainly not a common bird to spot in North Carolina!
That being said, there seems to be an increase in sightings of the aptly nicknamed ‘Texas Bird of Paradise here in the Tarheel state which I find absolutely fascinating.

The flycatchers appeared to be a bonded male & female pair which makes me wonder if they’ve got a nest in the area.
I’d learned that they prefer to nest in trees or tall shrubs, usually on horizontal limbs about 7 to 30ft above the ground so I did spend some time checking the trees in the area to see if I could locate a nest but to no avail.
I plan to revisit the spot in a couple weeks so perhaps I might get lucky and confirm a nest site then.
We’ll see I guess 🙂



Btw, if you’d like to see these birds for yourself, I’ve included a Google Maps screenshot of their exact location in the last photo of this post.
*drawn purple lines show where the birds mainly hang out near the pin drop.
Be respectful of the property owners though as the land the birds are on is actually an Amazon distribution center!
Best advice is to stay on the side of the road where the drainage pond is.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

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

Red cockaded Woodpeckers in the Sandhills of NC

By Sally Siko

It’s always a joy to catch a glimpse of a rare bird when out in the field and one of my favorites are the Red cockaded Woodpecker.
I spotted this little one bringing food back to its nest while leading a tour last week in the Sandhills region of North Carolina.
Though it didn’t stick around for very long, it was a delight to be able to share the experience of seeing this feathered gem with my guests!



These sweet little birds were once a common sight in the southeastern regions of the United States. Due to loss of habitat, today they are considered an endangered species.The reason why is because Red-cockaded Woodpeckers require a narrow scope of forest conditions to breed. They prefer to nest in mature stands of long leaf pine trees with little or no understory. Unfortunately these old growth forests have faced rapid decline which in turn has led to the decline of this species as well.



Luckily, the Sandhills region of North Carolina is a special place where several stands of old pine trees are preserved and maintained lending to provide the perfect conditions for the Red-cockaded to nest.
Here you can see them raising their families every spring and throughout the summer months. It’s truly a special place to enjoy these wonderful birds.
I can’t wait to come back for another look!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

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

A Wilsons Warbler at Brumley Nature Preserve, NC

By Sally Siko

It’s the last week of May and spring migration is winding down here in central NC.
Luckily, (with the help of @latta.ridge ) I was able to get a good look at a lone male Wilson’s Warbler last week at Brumley Nature Preserve.
These handsome birds breed across the entirety of Canada and into Alaska which is why I was excited to catch a glimpse of a Wilson’s on his hurried journey north.



A somewhat rare sighting in the Tarheel state, Wilson’s Warblers are spotted here only during migrational periods.
They are tiny birds measuring 4.7” in length which makes them kinda tough to spot in the brush.
To make matters more difficult, Wilson’s prefer to hide out in dense willow thickets and dark forests with a water source nearby.
Their yellow plumage seems to absorb the green light of the sunshine filtering down through the leaves which provides an effective camouflage while they flit about on the branches. This makes them a challenging bird to find and photograph!
Though I spent about 15 minutes observing this one, I only managed to capture this single photo from the encounter as the tiny bird emerged from the woods to a field’s edge.

Wilson’s Warblers are found in central and eastern (rarely in the mountains) portions of North Carolina in mid to late May and again from late September through early October.
There still may be a few hanging around out there right now so be on the lookout this week!
Otherwise you’ll have to wait for autumn for another chance at seeing these beautiful feathered gems.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds