Tag Archives: bird watching trips north carolina

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Photographing Buffleheads in eastern NC

By Sally Siko

Here’s a duck which I’ve yet to get a good clean photograph of, the Bufflehead.
While I see tons of them every winter, I just can’t seem to get close enough to one to grab a great shot.
It’s so frustrating because these are beautiful ducks, especially when they’re swimming on the blue water under bright skies. The sun just lights up the iridescence on the males head which reflects a dazzling array of color.
So beautiful!


I took this series of (zoomed in on a 600mm lens & cropped 80%!)shots this past weekend while birding in the OBX and while they are pretty good, I still want better lol!
Happily I’ll be back in eastern NC next week to lead another tour so maybe I’ll get another chance at getting the perfect photo then.
We will see….



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.
The males are easy to ID with that striking combination of black and white body plumage paired with a black (but multi colored iridescent) face and white patch of feathers which extends from his eyes to the back of his head.
The hens (the ones shown in the series of in-flight photos) are quite lovely too with their soft grey and black plumage with white spots on their cheeks.

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 to photograph but it’s still fun to try haha 😉
The Buffleheads will remain in NC until early March so you’ve still got plenty of time to enjoy them this season.
Wooohoo!

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

New Birding trips are here just in time for migration

Now that spring has sprung in the Carolinas, it’s an exciting time to be a bird watcher!
Migration is getting underway and with it brings tons of beautiful birds into our state.
They’ll be a lot to see over the next few weeks and you can bet I’ll be out there birding and trying my best to grab some cool photos along the way.

Want to join me?
I’ve got 9 birding tours available for booking in destinations in North Carolina & South Carolina between now and June 30th.
Space is limited for these trips so reserve your spot today!
Looking forward to going birding with ya and cheers to a wonderful season ahead 🙂

Details and trip calendar links are found below!!!

Go Birding With Me: Best Life Birding Trips, Guided Group Birding Tours & Bird Photography Workshops



-Sally Siko
Best Life Birding

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

Spending time with a Common Eider on Jennettes Pier in Nags Head NC

By: Sally Siko

Last week, I returned to the OBX of North Carolina to lead a birding trip.
As always, I arrived a couple of days early to scout out the area to make sure all of the expected species were where they were supposed to be.

After spending the day on Pea Island, I headed up to Jennettes Pier to see if I could catch a glimpse of some sea birds hunting for a meal on the Atlantic.
There was plenty to see including Black Scoters, Common Loons, Gulls and Grebes but most of them were flying far offshore. Only the Brown Pelicans were swooping in at close range.



By 4:45, daylight fading fast I was about to leave when this lovely Common Eider hen flew in and landed alongside the pier.
Although I certainly wish I could have photographed this beautiful bird from a lower vantage point, the last few minutes of golden hour light was simply too good to pass up for catching these portraits.



Measuring 25-27 inches in length with a wingspan stretching 41 inches, Common Eiders are the largest species of duck in the northern hemisphere.
Their size non withstanding, Eiders are agile swimmers. They spend a great deal of their time at sea diving beneath the waves in search of mussels, clams, scallops, sea urchins, starfish, and crabs resting on the ocean floor or clinging to rocks and jetty’s.
Because their prey is often located in shallow water, they are more easily found then other sea duck species when birding on the shoreline.

Common Eiders are a wintertime visitor to the coastal areas of NC.
Interestingly, 95% of sightings of this species in the Tarheel State comprise of adult females and immature males while the bulk of adult males appear to spend the winter in New England and Newfoundland.



Look for Eiders in coves, near inlets and especially around bridges, piers and rock jetties. Basically anywhere along the oceans edge where mussels and crabs are present.
These beautiful ducks will stick around NC until early April so we’ve still got plenty of time to enjoy them.
Aren’t they wonderful?
🙂

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Spending time with a Yellow-throated Vireo at Brumley Nature Preserve

Every once in a while, I start seeing certain species of birds more often than others.
In this case I’ve noticed Yellow-throated Vireos seem to be flying around NC in greater numbers than in the past 5 years.
I spotted this one snacking on a caterpillar at the Brumley North Nature Preserve this past weekend.


While I don’t know the exact reason for the influx (it could just be luck-right place/right time scenario) I’m certainly happy to to have the opportunity to photograph them again without much effort.

Yellow-throated Vireos favor a different habitat preference to their more often seen relative, the White-eyed Vireo. They tend to shun pine barrens are best found foraging in the high canopy’s of the treetops in old growth deciduous forests and occasionally near wooded streams.
Interestingly, the Yellow-throated and White-throated Vireos share similar calls so finding one isn’t too difficult if you know what to listen for depending on if your in the woods vs. the field.



These cheerful little guys will stick around NC for just about a week or so before heading to their wintering grounds in Central and South America, south Florida and on through to the coast of Texas.
Get out and enjoy them while you can!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless monster of a camera, the @canonusa
#R5

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

Birding at the Art Park: The Northern Cardinal

When bird watching in NC, one of the most instantly recognizable species is the male Northern Cardinal.
A familiar sight both in our yards and in the woods, these vibrantly colored birds are found in all 100 counties across the Tarheel State.
I spotted this handsome fellow at the NC Museum of Art Park yesterday morning hiding on a shady bough.



As the end of the nesting season draws near, the Cardinals will start to molt out their feathers which will be replaced by bright new plumage. Some of them even lose all the feathers on their head all at once! This one appears to have started the process as he’s looking a little rough around the edges.



The Cardinal’s signature crimson red colored feathers are a product of the birds diet of plants, fruits and seeds rich in carotenoids.
Although there are plenty of options for them to snack on in the wild, you can grow plants right in your own backyard to help your local Cardinals keep their bright color.
These guys love fruit like raspberries, blackberries and strawberries as these fruits are packed with the carotenoids the birds need. That being said, if you really want to impress your flock of Cardinals, plant a a Dogwood as those red berries produced by this flowering tree are by far and away their favorite backyard treat.

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

Birdwatching News, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Best Life Birding Sally Siko on the Papa Bear Hikes Podcast

By: Sally Siko – Admin Birdwatching NC / Best Life Birding

Obligatory blog-post-selfie of your Best Life Birding admin. Hi ya!

Check out the July 2nd episode of the Papa Bear Hikes Podcast @papabearhikes01 where Martin and I discuss ways to enjoy the outdoors from a photographer / birders perspective.
Find the episode on

iTunes

Spotify

Amazon Music

or wherever you get your podcasts or click on the link below to listen.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1467697/8798980

In the meantime I want to take this time to share the accounts of some of my favorite folks on Instagram.
Some of them are birders, others are wildlife photographers, tour guides, friends and outdoor enthusiasts, all are good people who love getting out there to capture incredible moments in the outdoors to share with you.

@nilaytphotography
@ncbirdnerd
@wildandexposd_podcast
@deborahroyphotography
@joesubolefsky
@eddeburgessphotography
@gregpiperarts
@srboga
@apexbirdlover
@planet_chad_photography
@28204dan
@2x25mpg
@christian_miller_photo
@biggdread
@mpkopack
@i_guess_i_like_birds_now
@debeluv1960
@talktotheplume
@jeffgresko
@alaskaphotoadventures
@ronhayes_wwi
@rubenbirder
@siberianart
@goodrum.photography
@jhorvathphoto
@birdiepalooza
@ncbirdwatch
@nc_wildlyfe
@kolanderphotos
@thewitt68
@kb_biscuitphoto
@divasecunda

Give them a follow.
You’ll be glad you did 🙂

Happy birding!
Sally Siko
😎

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

Papa Bear Hikes July 2nd, 2021 interview with Sally Siko of Birdwatching NC
Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Birdwatching News

New Weekend bird watching tour dates are now available in North Carolina for 2021

Come birding with me!
I’ve just updated the tour page on the website to include a bunch of new dates and birding locations here in North Carolina for 2021.

These trips are are geared towards birders and bird loving photographers of all skill levels and are usually a lot of fun.
Real time species ID is provided in the field with a trip goal of getting out there to see more birds in less time.
An eBird summery documenting all that we find along the way will be sent to you immediately following the tour so that you can add new birds to your own life list at your leisure too!

Check out the tour links below for more information on upcoming trips and I hope you enjoy the photos of some of my favorite birds from 2020.

Happy birding my friends and cheers to the new year ahead 🙂

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc

Bird watching tours in North Carolina
Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Birdwatching News

Spring birding trips and tours in central North Carolina

https://birdwatchingnc.com/birdwatching-n-c-trips-birding-in-north-carolina

Come birding with me in central North Carolina!
My spring group tour schedule is now posted and I’m taking reservations for bird watching trips March through May.
Reserve your spot early as space is limited.