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Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Orchard Orioles in North Carolina

Here’s an immature male Orchard Oriole that I found in my own yard earlier this week.
He was hunting for insects in the trees at the edge of a field along my property line.
With as much traveling as I do, it was nice that I only had to walk a couple feet from my back porch to find this beautiful bird!

Orchard Orioles are the smallest species in this family of black and orange/reddish colored birds.
Juvenile male Orchard Orioles like the bird featured in the first two photos are a orange-ish yellow color with a black beard of feathers running down their chests below their bills.


*The third photo in this post shows an adult male Orchard that I photographed at Harris Lake Park and the fourth pic is one that I photographed at Ft. Fisher NC.
As you can see, there is quite a difference in appearance between the young and mature birds.
In fact, it takes almost 2 years for the young males to molt into the reddish and black colored plumage of the adults.

Orchard Orioles are summertime residents of North and may be found throughout the state through late August.
They are often spotted in groves of trees in the middle or edges of fields (like this one) looking for a six or eight legged snack. Although they primarily dine on insects, they will also eat fruit and will even sip nectar from flowers or hummingbird feeders when available too!
Aren’t they lovely?

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

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

The Summer Tanagers are back in North Carolina

One of the most beautiful birds here in North Carolina is the Summer Tanager. These striking red birds are easy to spot even in the treetops with that vibrant plumage.
The males are crimson colored with a few bits of orange feathers mixed in during molting periods while the females are dressed in a lovely yellow and warm brown plumage.



The Summer Tanager is currently making its way back into the Triangle for the breeding season. Though they are found throughout the state, they’re most numerous in the central and eastern regions.
Their diet mainly consists of insects and they are particularly fond of eating bees.
You can even attract them to your yard by offering suet and and jelly at your feeders.
When out in the field, look for them hunting for a meal in the mid canopy layers of the trees in deciduous woods, from longleaf pine stands to oak forests.



These beauties will stick around North Carolina until mid September so their is plenty of time for us to enjoy them over the next few months!
🙂

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, Out There with the Expert

A Bald Eagle encounter at Harris Lake Park in New Hill, NC

While birding at Harris Lake Park in New Hill North Carolina last weekend, I was surprised by the sight of this female juvenile Bald Eagle flying low over a field near the playground area.
Although I often see these impressive birds here, normally they tend to hang out on the western side of the lake where it’s less populated with park visitors.



Bald Eagles are found throughout the Tarheel state from the mountains to the coast and thanks to a ban on DDT & the efforts of conservation programs, their numbers are increasing.
Although wintertime brings in migrants down from Canada there are quite a few of them that even call the Triangle region home throughout the entire year.
In fact, nearby Jordan Lake hosts over 20+ pairs of breeding Bald Eagles which is pretty awesome!



Look for these large raptors hunting for a meal over large bodies of water such as rivers, lakes and estuaries. They are an especially common sight in the Lake Mattamuskeet and Jordan Lake SRA’s with varying degrees of population flux from summer to winter.
Aren’t they lovely?
🙂

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

A Yellowthroated Warbler at Harris Lake Park in New Hill, NC

Last weekend I hosted a birding tour at Harris Lake Park in New Hill NC. I’d visited there a few days beforehand and had spotted a Yellow-throated Warbler hopping around high up in the trees.
Unfortunately that one was just far enough away enough that I couldn’t get any decent photos.
I was hoping that I’d have the opportunity to show him to my guests on the second trip and lo and behold we got lucky to see this handsome little guy up close.
Yellow-throated Warblers are striking looking birds with that bold yellow throat paired with black and white plumage. Definitely easy to ID once you know what to look for 😉
This one was all floofed out while preening on a branch in the sunshine before flying down to a brush pile to search for breakfast.

Yellow-throated Warblers are usually found in North Carolina from late March through September however some do spend the wintertime here which is pretty neat.
During the breeding season, Yellow-throated Warblers may be seen in wet forested areas like swamps, marshes and foraging in the brush along the shorelines of ponds, streams and lakes. The habitat of Harris Lake Park is just perfect for them!

When winter arrives, most migrate to the Florida, the Caribbean islands and along the Gulf Coast in Mexico to Costa Rica.
That being said, a few of them just make a short trip to the southeastern most part of NC to spend the cooler months.
From September through February, a few Yellow-throated Warblers are best spotted in our far southern coastal forests looking for a meal in mature pine-hardwood stands.

Luckily many have already returned to the Tarheel state this spring to kick off the breeding season so we’ve got plenty of time to enjoy them throughout the summer 🙂

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, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Song Sparrow info at Harris Lake Park, New Hill North Carolina

Looks like this weeks theme is shaping up to be all about sparrows lol! These sweet little birds are often overlooked by many due to their relative abundance and *seemingly “drab” appearance.
The thing is that birds like this Song Sparrow are actually pretty remarkable & resilient creatures.


Did you know that there are 31 recognized subspecies of the Song Sparrow, more than any other bird species found in North America?
They are found in every state of the Union and across all of the Canadian provinces which makes them the most common and widespread sparrow native to North America.


Their plumage varies widely within local populations in different parts of the country. Some are lightly marked and pale while others (like this one) are dark and heavily streaked with black and brown feathers.
Their plumage patterns serve as effective camouflage against predators when foraging in their preferred habitats of the tangled dense brush in open, overgrown fields.



I found this little one at Harris Lake Park in New Hill NC a couple of days ago singing his heart out in a field next to the water.


He caught my attention because I’d never seen one with such bold black “whiskers” (malar stripes) on his throat. His face reminded me of Hugh Jackmans character “Logan” from the X-Men Wolverine movies.
A few times, another Song Sparrow would enter his territory of personal space which set him off to chase away the intruder which cemented the Logan / Wolverine comparison IMO. Such a fierce little guy lol 😉

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

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

Swamp Sparrows at Harris Lake Park, New Hill N.C.

I can’t resist sharing a couple more Swamp Sparrow shots of this little dude all floofed out and looking fancy haha!
With that gorgeous mix of rust, steel and black plumage, these sharp looking birds are fast becoming my favorite wintertime sparrow species to photograph.



I spotted this one yesterday morning while birding at Harris Lake Park in New Hill N.C.
He popped out of the brush next to the lake to check me out as I was walking along the waters edge next to an open field.


From what I can tell, Swamp Sparrows are curious and dare I say friendly birds lol! This particular one was very curious about my presence in his domain and landed within just a few feet of my position to check me out.
After a few minutes he flew off to find a bite to eat on the leaf covered path next to the water.



Most often found in wetland areas, swamps and along the shorelines of ponds and streams, the Swamp Sparrow has longer legs than other members of the sparrow family. This unique adaptation allows it to wade in shallow water to hunt for a meal where other species of sparrows can not. Aquatic insects are definitely on it’s menu as well as the more typical sparrow fare of the seeds of grasses, weeds, and sedges.


Listen for their calls of “weeeet, weeet” near bodies of water, especially in the early morning. They will stick around NC until early May so there’s plenty of time for you to see one too!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Carolina Chickadees at Harris Lake Park, New Hill N.C.

While birding at Harris Lake Park earlier this week, I found a family of Carolina Chickadees foraging in the woods.
It was great to stand there for a few minutes watching their antics as they chattered and tweeted at one another while hopping from branch to branch.


Now that we’re getting into the heart of summertime, families of Chickadees are busy teaching the young ones how to find food.
As summer gives way to autumn, flocks of Carolina Chickadees will begin to form. Yearlings may join their parents’ group, or they may join nearby flocks.
When winter draws close, the young Chickadees and their parents will focus on building energy reserves, hiding seeds for later (caching), and fitting in with the flock as they go out as a group in search of a meal.
Today though, there’s plenty for the little ones to eat and time for learning how to survive on their own.

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

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Summer Tanagers at Harris Lake Park, New Hill North Carolina

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Took a quick birding trip this morning to Harris Lake Park in New Hill, N.C. Thankfully it wasn’t as hot today as it’s been lately, plus it was cloudy outside which was a nice change! One of the prettiest birds I found was this male Summer Tanager hanging out in the Maple trees near the parking lot. I watched him for a few minutes as he made his way through the leaves hunting insects. Did you know that Summer Tanagers eat bees and wasps? They also consume of lots of other insects too such as cicadas, mealworms, katydids and grasshoppers throughout the spring and summer. However, during the mid-late summer months, they will try to build up their fat content in preparation for their autumn migration ahead. This means that fifty percent or more of its diet consists of fruits and berries during this time of the year. If you would like to attract Summer Tanagers to your backyard, the best way to do that is to provide them with the fruits and berries they relish. They are also quite fond of grape and raspberry jelly! In addition, here are some of the plants that provide fruits and berries relished by Summer Tanagers as they prepare to embark on their long flight to Central and South America in October: blueberry, blackberry, grape, hawthorn, flowering dogwood, rough-leaf dogwood, pokeberry, and black gum. While it might be too late to add these plants to your garden this summer, now is the time to plan ahead for next year. The birds will thank you for it! Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa #5Ds

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An Orchard oriole at Harris Lake Park, New Hill North Carolina

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While birding at Harris Lake Park in New Hill N.C. this week, I was pleasantly surprised to catch a glimpse of this stunning male Orchard Oriole perched low in a field near the shoreline of the lake. Usually these handsome birds are found in the low to mid canopies of the trees at this park hiding in the shade. I knew that they would drop down into the open field occasionally to search for insects but I’d never been quick enough to grab a nice photo before they disappeared into that tall grass. 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, Orchard Orioles are more chestnut toned than orange. 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 @birdwatching_nc Canon 5Ds

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

An Orchard oriole at Harris Lake Park, New Hill North Carolina

View this post on Instagram

While birding at Harris Lake Park in New Hill N.C. this week, I was pleasantly surprised to catch a glimpse of this stunning male Orchard Oriole perched low in a field near the shoreline of the lake. Usually these handsome birds are found in the low to mid canopies of the trees at this park hiding in the shade. I knew that they would drop down into the open field occasionally to search for insects but I’d never been quick enough to grab a nice photo before they disappeared into that tall grass. 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, Orchard Orioles are more chestnut toned than orange. 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 @birdwatching_nc Canon 5Ds

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