Tag Archives: bird watchign nc

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

Quality time with a blue-Grey Gnatcatcher at Bass Lake Park

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While birding at Bass Lake Park yesterday, I found a cute little Blue-gray Gnatcatcher flitting among the leaves. Gnatcatchers are so darn quick, always on the move and a bit difficult to photograph as they constantly fly in and out of the shadows. Today was lucky though because of the cloudy skies which meant no harsh lighting to contend with so capturing this beautiful little bird with my camera was easier than normal. The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is quite common in the central North Carolina region. They are found in mixed and deciduous forests from late April into early September. Believe it or not, many people have them nesting in their yard without realizing that they are there! Because of their diminutive size and hyperactive nature, they are hard to see. To find them, listen for their distinctive “cheee-cheee-cheee” calls coming from the lower to mid canopies of trees and shrubs. Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc Canon 5Ds . . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #birdwatchers #bird #birds #basslakepark #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #ncoutdoors #ncnature #bluegraygnatcatcher #ncwildlifephotographer #northcarolinabirding #birdwatchingnc #northcarolinabirds #audubonsociety #birdoftheday #audubonnc #bestbirds #birders #birder #birdwatchers #birdfreaks #canonusa #yourshotphotographer

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

Great Blue Heron Fish strike at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs, NC

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Strike! I photographed this Great Blue Heron at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs, N.C. at the moment his head pierced the water while he was hunting for prey. Scroll through to the next photo to see what he caught. With a range reaching from Florida to Alaska, the Great Blue Heron are seen pretty much everywhere water and small aquatic animals are found throughout the United States. North-eastern populations of Herons migrate to the southern states or all the way down to the tropics for the winter. Here in central North Carolina, they occur throughout the region all year round. These majestic birds can be observed hunting a variety of prey in a range of wet habitats. Fish are it’s favorite food source, but amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates are all on their menu at dinner time. Great Blue Herons employ multiple feeding strategies. They can be seen hunting alongside each other, wading slowly in the water, or may be found standing alone for long stretches of time, still as a statue waiting for just the right moment to thrust their bills at unsuspecting prey beneath the surface. Interestingly, Great Blue’s are sometimes seen hunting for rodents in inland farm fields or even stalking a sandy beach shoreline in search of live (or dead!) crabs and fish. This remarkable ability to find prey in multiple habitats is probably a big contributing factor as to why Great Blue Herons are found in every state in the Union. Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc Canon 5Ds . . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #birdwatchers #bird #birds #ncbirding #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #ncoutdoors #ncnature #canonwildlife #ncwildlifephotographer #northcarolinabirding #birdwatchingnc #northcarolinabirds #audubonsociety #birdoftheday #naturesbestphotomagazine #earthfocus #basslskepark #hollyspringsnc #greatblueheron #heron #wakeparks365

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

Tundra swan observations at Lake Mattamuskeet

By: Sally Siko- Admin Birdwatching NC

While birding at Lake Mattamuskeet in coastal North Carolina, I found a flock of Tundra Swans feeding on the water.
It’s an incredible experience to see so many of these large birds in one place!


If you’ve never seen a swan migration for yourself, I highly recommend that you visit this area to check it out.
The Tundra Swans will be here throughout the winter until February so there is still time to go!



I observed this pair for a little while before they decided to join the rest of their flock on a different area on the lake.
Watching them take off was quite a sight to see!
Despite their enormous wing spans, Tundra Swans are not quite strong enough to take off by flapping it’s wings alone.
It takes a lot of power to achieve the lift needed to get their 23 lb bodies into the air.


A running start on the surface of the water is required to gather enough momentum for them to take flight.
Flapping their wings, they’ll extend their necks straight out and race across the water like a sprinter in a 100 meter dash.
Their large webbed feet help propel them off the surface of the lake, leaving a path of water splashes behind them before they make the final push for lift off.
Amazing.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatchingnc
Canon 5Ds

Field Notes

New Birding Beginnings

By: Gary Michael Flanagan

“I have always been captivated by birds.  From my early days growing up on Long Island, watching my mom generously load the bird feeders and fill our bird bath with fresh water, I gravitated towards the diverse species that would frequent our yard.  At around the same time, I was always intrigued by my father’s shiny camera and lenses.  I admired the wonderful portraits he took of our family over the years.

Many years later, during grad school at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, I decided to take up the hobby of photography to help relax me on the weekends.

Something sparked inside of me at that time, and I read everything I could on how to improve my photography skills and continued to go out exploring and shooting Arizona’s birds for the past 11 years.  

Elegant Trogon (Madera Canyon, AZ

I traveled all over Arizona, capturing photographs of rare birds such as the Elegant Trogon and Montezuma Quail near the southern border.  My wife Stacy has joined me on many of these adventures, and we laugh about the great lengths of effort we have went through to find some of these rarities.

Verdin (Oro Valley, AZ

Long story, well..long, my wife and I grew lonely for our families who still resided in New York. Arizona was just way too far for her, and despite my greatest efforts, it’s difficult to fill the hole that missing family can leave in one’s heart. Thankfully, my full time job allowed for me to relocate back to the east coast, and continue working from home, while my wife landed a new job in North Carolina, allowing us to have the security we needed in order to plan the huge move.   For my wife and I, the Sandhills region was perfect for us, and decently close to New York, so we are able to drive up to visit our families several times per year now.  So, we took our pets and began our 2100 mile road trip to our new home!!

Great Crested Flycatcher

We arrived in North Carolina this past summer and absolutely love it.  On our first day here, we were greeted by a Great Crested Flycatcher!! I have since photographed quite a few species so far, and happy to share them with you today. I look forward to continuing to explore this great state of North Carolina.  

Eastern Towhee
Gray Catbird
Carolina Chickadee


If you enjoy my art, prints are available for purchase through my website below.  

https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/gary-flanagan

I plan to share a blog posting of my birding adventures in the near future, as time permits.  

Carolina Wren

Thank you!”

Bio: Gary Michael Flanagan is a published bird photographer based out of Pinehurst, North Carolina.  He specializes in bird photography, pet portraits, and dog sports events.  His bird photography prints can be purchased at
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/gary-flanagan

Birds featured:

Elegant Trogon (Madera Canyon, AZ)
Verdin (Oro Valley, AZ)
Gray Catbird
Eastern Towhee
Carolina Wren
Carolina Chickadee
Great Crested Flycatcher

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

Yellow-bellied sapsucker at Raven Rock Park, Lillington N.C.

Hiking in the woods at Raven Rock State Park and heard a familiar knocking sound echoing through the trees. I gripped my camera a little tighter and slowed my walk while looking up into the canopy to try and find the source of the noise.
With the wind blowing the leaves around, it’s difficult to spot the movement of birds in between the branches.
Then the knocking noise sounded again and I was able to hone in on its source, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker!
I love these birds 🙂 Although they are a relatively common species of woodpecker here in N.C., I don’t get to see them as often as I’d like. Usually it’s the sound of their pecking on the trees that announces their presence instead of a good look.



But why are they constantly hammering their beaks into the tree trunks?
The clue is actually wrapped up in their name. It’s all for that sweet, sweet sap 🙂
Sapsuckers move 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.
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.

Photo by @sally_siko
Canon 5Ds

Out There with the Expert

Shout out to the guys over at the back Porch Birding Podcast

Driving home yesterday while listening to episode #23 of the Back Porch Birding Podcast. Was pleasantly surprised to hear Birdwatching N.C. receive a shout out from one of the hosts, Tim Harris.

Thanks guys!

In case your not familiar with this podcast, Tim & Austin are couple of birders with a real passion for sharing their extensive avian knowledge with their listeners. Austin Roe is a student working within the field of ornithology and Tim Harris is gifted photographer and writer. It’s entertaining for bird lovers of all skill levels and you’ll learn something new with every episode.

Check out the show notes from episode #23, Imidacloprid and Birds download out their latest episode by visiting the Back Porch Birding Podcast website HERE