Yesterday I received a rare bird notification from @eBird that a pair of Roseate Spoonbills had been spotted at Lake Lynn in Raleigh NC so I decided to go see if I could get a look at them with my friend Corie @calatta We met up an hour later in the southern parking lot and walked to the north end of the lake where we were happy to find these beautiful birds hunting for a snack in the shallows with a Little Blue Heron Nice to get a win so easily!
Roseate Spoonbills are normally found in southern Florida and along the coast of Texas during the summer which is why it was so unusual to find these two at Lake Lynn. That being said, sightings of Spoonbills here in North Carolina have been on the increase in recent years though most of those have occurred in our southern coastal regions.
These lovely birds are best spotted in marshy areas foraging for a meal in the water or mudflats. Sweeping their namesake spoon-shaped bill side to side in the shallow water, the Spoonbills mouth is partially open as their bill probes into the mud. When they stir up a fish or invertebrate, they’ll clamp that bill shut to capture their prey. Their diet mainly consists of minnows, but they’ll also eat shrimp, crayfish, crabs, aquatic insects, mollusks, and slugs. Spoonbills will also snack on plants including the roots and stems of sedges.
I have no idea how long these two will stick around the Triangle for so if you can get out within the next day or two you might be able to find them as well. For reference, I’ve included a Google Map pin drop showing the exact location of these birds at the north end of Lake Lynn (as of yesterday & today) to the end of this post. Hope you are able to see them too! Happy birding! -Sally
Birders and bird loving photographers of all skill levels are invited to join me, Sally Siko as we explore the trails, woods, fields and shorelines of the United States in search of interesting birds. From North Carolina and beyond, there are plenty of great species to get out and enjoy throughout the year.
Private birding tours in North & South Carolina are also available for reservation to best suit your needs and schedule!
For more information please contact sallysiko@birdwatchingnc.com or call/text (919) 449-7331 to book a private trip.
In addition to local trips here in the Triangle, 80+ new birding tour dates and locations in eastern North Carolina and South Carolina have been added to my 2024 calendar. Click on the dates marked in green in the box below for more information.
Book today as space is limited on these small group tours, Gift Cards are on sale too 🙂
Greater White-fronted Goose, Yates Mill Park Raleigh North Carolina
This morning was actually one of the best birding days I’ve had in a while! I got up early and drive out to the Mid Pines Road area because I’d heard of reports that said that there was a White fronted Goose hanging out in the fields of NCSU farms.
It was super cloudy and kind of dark when I arrived at 7:45. I drove up and down Mid Pines Rd anyway scanning the vast landscape for signs of the Goose. I had no luck! This bird was nowhere to be found.
By now, it was around 8am so I thought I’d try looking for the Goose at nearby Yates Mill Park. On my way out to Yates Mill, I got lucky and spotted a Peregrine Falcon sitting in a tree just north east of the Mid-Pines dog-leg. Wow! That was freak’n awesome!!! You can read about that encounter HERE.
As I pulled into the parking lot of Yates Mill, I could see a huge flock of Canada Geese sitting on the water through the trees. Now, I was getting excited! I’d had a hunch that the White fronted Goose would be likely to be found in the company of other geese. Now, it was time to see if this idea paid off.
Canada Goose, Yates Mill Park Raleigh North CarolinaRuddy Duck at Yates Mill Park, Raleigh N.C.Mallard drake, Yates Mill Park Raleigh North Carolina
Making my way to the boardwalk, I could hear the geese honking and splashing. As soon as the flock was in sight, I took out my camera and started searching for the White- fronted Goose (WFG) on the water. This was not easy! There were so many Canada Geese, Mallards, and Ruddy Ducks here that picking out the WFG in this loosely mixed flock was proving to be difficult.
Then, there it was!
Greater White-fronted Goose, Yates Mill Park Raleigh North Carolina
I was so happy that I finally spotted it! the White fronted Goose was much smaller than the Canada Geese . Yet, he/she seemed to fit right int with the rest of the flock.
Greater White-fronted Goose, Yates Mill Park Raleigh North CarolinaGreater White-fronted Goose, Yates Mill Park Raleigh North Carolina
Who is watching who? Lol!
Greater White-fronted Goose & Canada Geese, Yates Mill Park Raleigh North Carolina
I spent about an hour watching the WFG and taking photos. I think this is remarkable sighting because this Arctic tundra-nesting species normally spends it’s winters in the western half of the United States. So cool to think that this little Goose had somehow ended up here in central North Carolina…and I’m standing here looking right at it.
Greater White-fronted Goose, Yates Mill Park Raleigh North Carolina
As I made my way back to my truck, I smiled at the wonder of finding a Peregrine Falcon and a Greater White fronted Goose in the same day. One bird was found by research, & instincts, the other by pure luck. I think that both kinds of encounters are a joy to experience in equal measure.
Happy Birding!
-Sally
Here is a map of Yates Mill Park. The Greater White fronted Goose was seen in the northern part of the pond.
I set out today to find a rare White-fronted Goose that had been recently reported in the Mid Pines Rd. area of Raleigh North Carolina. Driving along the gravel road , I searched the fields and ponds. But, to no avail. This Goose was nowhere to be found.
Not finding anything interesting, I turned my truck around. Maybe I should check out nearby Yates Mill Park to see if the Goose might turn up there. As I made my way back down the road, a raptor perched on a far away tree caught my eye. I pulled over, grabbed my camera, and hopped out of my truck.
The skies were still pretty dark at this time. It was very difficult to focus my lens on the bird in these lighting conditions. I snapped off three shots. I reviewed the first two in camera and was disappointed with the quality of the images. They were so dark and grainy and absolutely useless for ID purposes.
Feeling deflated, I did not even bother looking at the third photo assuming that it was garbage too. In fact, I almost deleted the photos off of my camera right there and then. Left thumb planted on the trashcan button, for some reason, I hesitated. Something inside me said “look at these photos later”. So, I kept the RAWs anyway.
Standing there in the cold field, I debated weather or not to keep trying to get a better shot of this mystery raptor but ended up deciding to move on with my search for the White-fronted Goose. After all, this bird was really far away and the lighting was not looking like it was going to improve with all of the clouds moving in. Besides, my first thought was that this was likely a Red-Tailed Hawk and I’d have plenty of other (and better) photo opportunities to see one later.
So, off to Yates Mill Park I went. I did not give this encounter a second thought. Especially after how my birding at Yates Mill Park went. Let’s just say that I was not dissappointed. More on that later, stay tuned!
When I got home, I uploaded the photos onto my Mac. I could not believe my eyes! Yes, the first two photos of the mystery raptor were indeed absolute hot digital garbage but that third image… this third shot did not show a Red-tailed Hawk.
No.
My one, the only good shot of the Peregrine Falcon I spotted this morning at Mid Pines Rd.
It was a freak’n Peregrine Falcon!!!
This is a particularly nice find. You see, up until the 1950’s, Peregrines nested regularly here in North Carolina. Then, they were nearly completely wiped out, almost to the point of extinction. Their rapid disappearance from the eastern U.S., (as well as their decline in areas of the western U.S.) were caused by man-made environmental contaminants, including the pesticide known as DDT.
These pesticides got into the water and were absorbed by insects. Small birds ate the poisoned insects, and became contaminated themselves. Peregrines ate the contaminated small birds, and by now the multiplier effect of the pesticides in the food chain caused concentrations high enough to kill many birds directly. Worse yet, the pesticides interfered with calcification of eggshells, resulting in thin eggshells which were crushed as the parents sat on them during incubation.
In 1970, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Peregrine falcon as an endangered species. Recognizing the effect of DDT, the E.P.A. banned this pesticide from use in the United States back in 1972. Attempts at restoring the peregrine falcon began in 1974 with the first release of captive bred falcons.
The N. C. Wildlife Resources Commission began releases in 1984. Eighty juvenile peregrines had been released in the state by 1991. An additional 12 birds were released in 1996 and 1997 to increase the population in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
Although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the peregrine from the Federal Endangered Species list in 1999, it remains protected under the N.C. Endangered Species law and at the federal level by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Although, the survival of peregrines in N.C. still remains tenuous due to a low rate of successful nests, the species does appear to be recovering (slowly) here in the Tar Heel state through the efforts of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission breeding and nest monitoring programs.
This bird is a lifer for me as I have never photographed a Peregrine in the wild before. I’m absolutely thrilled and am honestly wishing that I could leave right now to go back out to this birding spot to get another crack at photographing this bird. Unfortunately, my family has other plans for the rest of my day.
But, that doesn’t mean that you cant try instead!
Ok, here are the details of where I saw this bird along Mid Pines Rd. Below is the Google maps link to get to the general area…
Here is a screen shot of the exact location where the Peregrine was sighted. I spotted him in the treeline that lines the field to the north-east of the dog-leg.
Hope that you get a chance to see and photograph this impressive bird too!
Happy Birding!
-Sally
References: Phil Spivey, Allen Boynton. Updated by Chris Kelly, NCWRC Johnsgard, Paul A. Hawks, Eagles and Falcons of North America (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1991).Ratcliffe, Derek A. The Peregrine Falcon (Vermillion, SD: Buteo Books, 1980).Scott, Shirley L., ed. Field Guide to the Birds of North America (Washington, D.C.: The National Geographic Society, 1987).Terres, John K. The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds (New York, N.Y.: Wings Books, 1980
Spotted a small group of Sandhill Cranes preening among a flock of Tundra Swans yesterday morning at Pungo Lake in the Pocosin Lakes NWR. I’ve never seen one in the wild before so it was thrilling to finally have a chance to photograph them. So awesome to get another lifer!
Sandhill Cranes Pungo Lake, N.C.
Scientists believe that ten million years ago, birds similar to these were found to be structurally the same as modern Sandhill Cranes. Today, these beautiful birds are found throughout in North America. Their range extends from Mexico, through the United States and as far north as Siberia. Despite the widespread occurrence of the species in the Western Hemisphere, they are not commonly found here in North Carolina. It was wonderful to add one more “rare” bird species to my eBird list as the year draws to a close 🙂
Sandhill Cranes are omnivorous and will dine on items such as lizards, small rodents, frogs and insects, as well as vegetables, such as bulbs, roots, grains and seeds. The ones I photographed here seemed to split up their time between preening and foraging for food in the mudflats along the shoreline.
Six Sandhill Cranes preening at Pungo Lake, N.C.
This small flock of birds may have hit the jackpot by choosing to spend a few weeks this winter here at Pungo Lake. In addition to hosting a variety of small lizards and rodents on site, the lake is surrounded on all sides by wide open fields of cut corn stalks, with plenty places available for the Cranes to feed on spilt grain on acres of vast agricultural fields. I hope they stick around for a little while longer so that my fellow N.C. birders have the opportunity to see them before they head out!
Oh wow am I stoked! I finally captured a photo of a Downy Woodpecker right-side up while on my CBC a few weeks ago at Yates Mill Park in Raleigh, N.C.
Haha, every other picture I’ve ever got with one of America’s smallest Woodpeckers shows one hanging upside down or partially hidden by the tree trunk or branches! Am so pleased to get a lovely shot after all this time 🙂
Ya know, there is a certain advantage to being so small. Downy Woodpeckers are able to hunt for food where larger woodpeckers can’t, including on the thin branches in the upper canopy’s of trees. They are acrobatic little climbers, (as proved by every photo I’ve ever taken of them ) they can even cling upside-down like a Nuthatch or Brown Creeper.
Being opportunistic little birds, they’ll follow the Pileated Woodpeckers through the forest, taking advantage of the larger bird’s excavations and will devour any insects the Pileated might overlook. During the cooler months, Downy Woodpeckers can be found traveling with mixed-species flocks of chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches, thereby maximizing opportunities for an easy meal.
“Birding or bird photography is great therapy for me. What a stress reliever.”
I have to agree, it’s the best stress reliever ever and it is how I maintain a genuine love for photography despite the fact that it’s my day to day profession.
Although I enjoy my job, with all the pressure that comes with marketing my business, answering emails, taking and processing 30,000+ client pics, personal lens time is needed to avoid the burnout of time spent indoors stuck behind a desk staring at a computer all day.
I love the idea of going outside somewhere new to take pictures with an end goal of finding a specific as-yet-unseen bird in mind.
Heck, the planning stages of the trips is half the fun! Nerding out on the latest species sighting reports and habitat data for planned outings makes me happy and eager for an adventure into an unknown area.
The research done beforehand that gives me the confidence to take that knowledge out into the field to test my skillset.
It’s a really nice feeling to go into a new place/habitat yet feel comfortable in understanding my surroundings well enough to find what I’m looking for. Even if it’s my first time stepping on to that trail.
And omg, just like snapping off an expertly timed photo, finding the target of my search is very satisfying for sure.
What a rush!
Better yet, in those times when those plans fall short (because nature is what it is, lol), there is always the potential to encounter joy in sighting something completely unexpected along the way.
In all honesty, my most memorable of birds are never the ones I’d planned on seeing.
Plus, I get to use a camera to share this passion for moments of discovery with all of you who appreciate the birds & the journey as much as I do.
It’s a vicious cycle and it’s freak’n awesome.
Today, I’ve got loads of useful random bird facts floating in my head, but I’ve got a lot left to learn. And that’s ok. Tbh, I like the fact that I don’t know all there is to know about birding. This just means that there is still a potential to grasp a better understanding what’s really out there in those woods and that there’s a ton of birds in places all over this world that I haven’t seen yet. I suppose that if I had the financial resources and the time maybe I could accomplish that feat. No doubt, to see all the birds in the world would be an incredible accomplishment. But to why would I want to hasten the completion of that journey? The truth is that I hope I never see them all because I’m not ready for this lifer-trip to end. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try anyway.
How about you?
What motivates ya to get up early to go find birds?
Just published a new video from my latest bird watching hike along
the North Carolina Birding Trail at Yates Mill Park in Raleigh, N.C.
With three distinct habitats located in a small area, this park is a great stop if you’ve got a long list but are short on time. Check out the video and then view some of the photo highlights below.
Located just five miles south of downtown Raleigh North Carolina,
Yates Mill is one the best bird watching destinations in the Triangle.
The thing that I love about this place is that
it offers a wide range of varied bird habitats
within the boundaries of a relatively small park.
The trails best viewing opportunities include a 20 acre lake, swampy- bushy areas, forest lands, and a wide open farm field.
All of those spots are within a quick 15-20 minute walk from the parking lot.
A few weeks ago, I went birding at Weymouth Woods in Southern Pines, N.C. What an interesting environment to explore!
After about a 1/4 down the trail, I spotted 3 male Eastern Towhees singing in the brush and finally saw a Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Here’s a pic of one of the Towhees and my eBird list. Looking forward to making a return trip in November!
While hiking at Harris Lake Park on Friday morning, I spied a female Northern Parula Warbler holding a fat green caterpillar in her beak. This species is the smallest of eastern wood-warblers. They have a habit of foraging high in tree canopy which therefore makes it a difficult bird to observe from the ground. I photographed this little beauty as she was gathering food to feed her nearby fledgling. The Northern Parula arrives in N.C. early in April. They depart at the end of September. Their breeding range extends across the eastern half of the U.S. In the winter, the Northern Parula can be found from southern Mexico to as far north as the southern tip of Florida. What a cool little bird to find in the Triangle 🙂 Photo by @sally_siko
Bird watching tours, trips, adventures and birder news in North Carolina and beyond
