Tag Archives: bird watching bass lake park

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

Eastern Bluebirds at suggs Farm in Holly Springs NC

A sure sign of the changing of the season, the Eastern Bluebirds have begun the hunt for nesting spots here in North Carolina.
If you haven’t put out your Bluebird box yet, now is the time to do so!

The Eastern Bluebird is a familiar sight to many all across the Tarheel state throughout the year. They are just as likely to be found looking for a meal at the woodlands edge, open field’s and pastures as in our own suburban backyards.
I spotted this one perched near its nest box on a fence at Suggs Farm in Holly Springs NC last week. The group and I enjoyed watching him for several minutes as he flew back and forth between the fence line and it’s box.


As tree cavity dwellers, eastern bluebirds will nest high up in old woodpecker holes and in dead trees abutting open meadows, but of course these birds are well adapted to using the nest boxes that we put up every year.
To entice these beauties to make a home in your yard, install a southeast facing box to shield the entrance hole away from the prevailing wind and weather. The nicest boxes are made of cedar or recycled plastic, will have brass hinges, predator guards, and elevated mesh floor to protect the chicks from blowflies.  
It’s best to place the box in an open area five to six feet off the ground.  
If you can, mount the nest box on a pole or 4×4 post with baffles to protect against predators too!

By the way, spring migration is coming!
Wanna join me out there?
Bird loving photographers of all skill levels are invited to take part in all the trips I’ve got scheduled for 2021 in North Carolina.
Make sure you check out my upcoming birding tours list here on the BWNC website and reserve your spot today!


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

A Ruby crowned Kinglet encounter at Bass Lake Park

Now here’s a bird I’m always happy to see with the arrival of cooler weather, a Ruby crowned Kinglet!
These tiny feathered dynamos are a bundle of energy and are usually kind of tough to photograph since they rarely sit still for longer than a second or two.


I spotted this one at Suggs Farm while birding couple of months ago. It was neat to watch her gleaning the undergrowth for a six legged meal. Hovering just about a foot or two off of the ground, she eyed her prey before diving down to catch it.
Check out the last few photos of this post to see her in action!



The Ruby crowned Kinglet has good reason to live a life constantly on the go. Though they require just 10 calories a day to remain healthy, their hyper active metabolic rate burns through those calories at lightning speed forcing these birds to spend all of their waking hours foraging to replace the burned calories. In fact, a Kinglet can lose one-third of its body weight if it doesn’t find something to eat every 20 minutes.
Crazy!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
#5Ds

Field Notes, Instagram Birding, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

April Birding Highlights at Bass Lake Park, holly Springs, N.C.

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

A Prothonotary warbler at bass lake Park

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It’s always great to start a morning of birding with a singing Prothonotary Warbler at your side! I returned to Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs this morning to see if I could find these gorgeous Warblers again and was rewarded with these few moments of @canonusa birding zen 🙂 The Prothonotary Warbler is a springtime resident of central North Carolina. As was the case with this handsome fellow, they are usually found near ponds and swamps searching for insects and grubs. During late April and early May, their trilling notes are a familiar song throughout the Triangle. Get out and see them while you can! Video by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc Canon 5DS 600mm . . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #birdwatchers #bird #birds #ncbirding #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #ncoutdoors #ncnature #canonwildlife #ncwildlifephotographer #northcarolinabirding #birdwatchingnc #northcarolinabirds #audubonsociety #birdoftheday #warbler #warblers #warblersofinstagram #prothonotarywarbler #basslakepark #nature_perfection #canonvideo

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

Wintertime birding at Bass Lake Park, Holly Springs N.C.

By: Sally Siko- Admin Birdwatching NC

I really enjoy birding in the wintertime here in central North Carolina. It’s great to get outside and see all of the best birds without the obstruction of leaves getting in the way, lol! One of my favorite spots is Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs.

Recently I made a trip out here to see what birds I could find. The highlight of the morning was definitely a Hermit Thrush!

Hermit Thrush

I had such a nice bird watching experience that I ended up making a video which you can watch below.

Here is a map of Bass Lake Park. I suggest that you stick to the western side of the water to find the best birds.

Come birding with me in 2020! I’ve got some guided tour opportunities coming for Bass Lake Park in the next few months. Check out the link below for dates and trip information.

https://birdwatchingnc.com/birdwatching-n-c-trips-birding-in-north-carolina/birding-at-bass-lake-park-trip/

Happy Birding!

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

watching Cormorants at Bass Lake Park, Holly Springs, N.C.

Another grey afternoon in central North Carolina at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs N.C.
Not much bird action out there but it’s still nice to be outside despite the raindrops.

These Double crested Cormorants were having trouble drying off their wings in the rain. I watched them for a few minutes as they squawked and screeched at one another while Ring billed Gulls circled overhead looking for an easy meal of discarded prey.
The Cormorants dove repeatedly in search of fish and it was interesting to try and predict where they would pop up above the surface.

Cormorants at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs, N.C.


Sometimes it was as easy as following a trail of bubbles in the water but often they traveled a surprising amount of distance in a relatively short amount of time.
I also noticed that with every dive, the Cormorants seem to float half in/ half out with more than 50% of their bodies remained below the water line.
Birds that had dove more than 3 times eventually ended up looking like snakes with only their necks sticking above the surface.
The reason why is because Cormorants lack the protective oils which repel water (as found in ducks and geese) thus, their feathers can quickly become water logged causing them to paddle around in a semi-submerged state.
This is actually a good thing if your a bird who dives deep in search of fish but not so great for taking off in a hurry.
To dry their wings on a cloudy day, Cormorants like this one will flap their wings while floating on the open water for several minutes before they are able to take flight.

I, for one was grateful that these interesting birds stuck around for a while allowing me to try and get some photos of them flapping away the raindrops.



PS. They have blue eyes!
Crazy!

Photos by Sally Adams Siko @sally_siko & @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5DS

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

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

‘Tis the season for Ruby Crowned Kinglets in central N.C.

Check out this beautiful little Ruby-crowned Kinglet that I photographed at Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs N.C. a couple of days ago.
She was very curious about my presence on the trail and stopped moving just long enough for me to grab a couple of photos while she snacked on some berries.


The tiny sized Ruby-crowned Kinglet is one of the smallest birds in North America. They are filled with energy bouncing from limb to limb like golf balls on a side walk.
Always on the move, their quick movements can make it hard to spot their ruby red crowns, which are normally flattened down, but when these birds catch sight of a competitor or predator, up goes their bright red mohawk.
Fierce little fighters, Kinglets will defend challengers three times their size, particularly when it comes to retaining a good food source.


Kinglets actually have a good reason to be constantly on the move: they’ve got a hyperactive metabolisms which requires them to eat almost constantly.
In fact, if these little birds are deprived of food, they could lose nearly a third of its body weight in just 15 minutes!
Eat like a bird, indeed!


Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds