Tag Archives: birding north carolina

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Little Blue Heron encounter at Ft.Fisher NC

By Sally Siko

While birding yesterday at Ft.Fisher NC I spotted a Little Blue Heron hunting for a meal in a small pond alongside a Great Egret, a Tricolored Heron and a Snowy Egret.
It was neat to watch the four birds making their way around each other in order to catch a meal.



Interestingly this species is closely related to the Snowy Egret (same genus), a white bird of similar size.
Their similarities are especially noticeable as first-fall and first-winter immature Little Blues are completely white in plumage and are easily confused with Snowy Egrets.
The easiest way to tell the two species apart from a distance is to observe their feeding habits.
Unlike the Snowy’s who are constantly on the move, the Little blue Heron is slow and methodical in its feeding approach, walking very slowly in shallow waters or standing still waiting for prey to approach.



These beautiful birds are known to breed here in NC. Their nests are flimsy, hardly more than a few layers of loose twigs and sticks haphazardly stacked to provide a platform for the eggs to be laid.
Their typical clutch is 3-4 eggs, with an incubation period of three weeks and a nesting period of six weeks.
 While in the nest, both parents feed the young by regurgitating a softened stew of prey. Within four weeks after hatching, the chicks are capable of short flights but don’t become independent until around six to seven weeks.

Little Blue Herons are a year round residents in the coastal regions of the Carolinas. Although they are typically live near saltwater areas they prefer freshwater habitats, in fact they’re also occasionally spotted inland all the way to the Triangle (central NC) from June to August.
They are usually seen hunting for fish, invertebrates, frogs, small reptiles and insects in shallow freshwater marshes, ponds and on mudflats.
What a beauty!

Photos by Sally Siko of @bestlife_birding captured on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Birding Trips and Birdwatching Tours in SC, Birding Trips in SC

Spending time with Red-breatsed Mergansers in SC

By Sally Siko

One of the obvious challenges that comes with photographing a bird is of course that they move around quite a bit.
 Add the Atlantic Ocean waves and a species of diving duck and now I’ve got a whole fresh set of obstacles to deal with.
 In this case I was incredibly lucky to be able to catch a fair amount of shots of this male Red-breasted Merganser swimming right offshore of the rock jetty at Huntington Beach SP which was freak’n awesome!



A member of the “Sawbill” family of ocean faring ducks for its long, thin serrated bill, Red-breasted Mergansers are voracious eaters of fish.
 The young ones will also eat crustaceans and insects until they learn to hunt on the open water.
 These guys are strong underwater swimmers, easily able to catch a slippery fish in that serrated bill and there are even reports of flocks of RBM’s hunting for schools fish cooperatively by driving them into shallow waters. Red-breasted Mergansers aren’t just speedy underwater, they happen to be one of the fastest flyers of all the duck species in North America with speeds clocking in approaching 80mph at level flight.
 Crazy!



Red-breasted Mergansers are usually found in brackish and saltwater habitats in the eastern counties of the Carolinas. That being said, smaller numbers also frequent our fresh water impoundments, lakes, and ponds, usually for short periods of time, both inland and coastal areas.
 They’ll stick around until late May before they heading north to their breeding grounds so you’ve still got plenty of time to see them.

By the way, I’ve added 80 new birding tour dates to my 2024 trip schedule so if you’d like to join me out there in South Carolina to see these beautiful ducks for yourself, check the calendar below for details & booking info!



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

Birdwatching News, North Carolina rare bird alert

Rare bird alert North Carolina- a Trumpeter Swan at Hanging Rock SP in Danville NC

By Sally Siko

Stoked to lay eyes on a Trumpeter Swan this morning while birding with my friend Corie @latta.ridge at Hanging Rock SP in Danville, NC!


Standing at nearly 4ft tall with a wingspan stretching 5.2ft, and a hefty weight topping 30lbs, Trumpeter Swans are both the largest and heaviest species of waterfowl native to the United States. They are much larger than our wintering Tundra Swans and easy to identify by observing that elongated face and low posture in the water.
I was surprised how curious this guy was as the swan casually swam over to get a look at me as I took these photos. At one point the bird was only a couple feet away though it remained calm and unbothered throughout the entire visit.
These large elegant birds are truly awe inspiring to see up close and I was delighted to encounter such a friendly swan out in the wild.



The other reason that I was thrilled to see this bird is because although the numbers of this species are increasing (currently estimated at 63,000 birds), Trumpeter Swans are a rarely spotted here in the mid Atlantic region of the eastern US.
These elegant birds originally graced wetlands across a broad region of North America from Illinois all the way up into northwest to Alaska.
Unfortunately though, throughout the 17- and 1800s, they were hunted relentlessly for their meat, skins and feathers.
That combined with habitat loss meant that by the 1930s, only 69 Trumpeter Swans remained in the lower 48 states, living in the remote Red Rock Lakes area in southwestern Montana.
Crazy!

Thanks to modern conservation practices, this species is recovering however their future remains uncertain due to continued habitat loss and lead shot poisoning.
We almost lost them but at least we’ve got a chance to today to ensure the survival of this magnificent bird.
If you’d like to go see the spread for yourself, here is a Google Maps pindrop of its location at the bottom of this post.
I don’t know how much longer this big boy will remain at the lake, but it’s probably worth a look if you’re anywhere in the area.

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Spending time with Ruddy Turnstones in eastern NC

By Sally Siko

Here one of my favorite shorebirds, the Ruddy Turnstone.
I found this handsome little one on the jetty at Ft.Fisher near Wilmington NC.
I’d made the somewhat treacherous walk across the slippery jetty when I spotted this little guy picking along the waterline. What a beauty!
Swinging my camera onto my back, I hand over hand climbed down the side of the rocks to lay on the narrow strip of sand at its base in order to get these photos at eye level.
The nice thing was that this bird was quite amicable to my presence allowing a nice close up view from about 15 ft away.



Although they breed in the Arctic, Ruddy Turnstones may be found in the coastal areas of North Carolina throughout most of the year in varying numbers. They’re most often spotted on rocky jetty’s, inlets and saltwater shorelines with pebble beaches.
Interestingly their preference for foraging in these types of habitats is actually how they earned their name.
They’ll scour the shoreline flipping over stones, pebbles and shells to look for prey possibly hiding underneath. It’s a unique behavior that’s really neat to watch.


The Ruddy Turnstone is also nicknamed the calico cat of shorebirds. During the breeding season, both males and females have bright orange legs, an orange-and-black patterned back, white belly, and black-and-white face. As seen in these photos, their nonbreeding plumage look similar to their breeding attire, but during the winter it’s replaced with a warm brown rather than then that distinct orange and black color combination.
Since they have to walk on wet rocks, the pads of their orange feet are grooved plus their toenails are short and sharply curved which gives them added grip while walking on those slippery surfaces.
 Such fascinating birds!

Photos by Sally Siko of @bestlife_birding captured on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

By the way, I’ve added more that 80 new birding tour dates to my Best Life Birding trip schedule.
Check out the calendar below and book your next birding adventure with me today!

Out There with the Expert

Redhead Duck vs. Canvasback Duck ID

By Sally Siko

The best part about wintertime in North Carolina is the arrival of interesting waterfowl to our state.
Two such gems are these handsome Redhead and Canvasback ducks.
They are incredibly beautiful creatures and I’m always excited to see them whenever I travel to eastern NC.

Though at first glance the two species may look similar to one another, there are ways that you can tell them apart, even at a great distance.



The Redhead drake featured in the first 2 photos has a blueish bill with a black tip, an orangey yellowish eye, and more rounded “traditional duck” head profile.
The most distinctive ID point when viewed from far away is their gray back.



The Canvasback drake featured in the photos below have a black bill, ruby colored red eyes, and a unique triangular head profile.
 You can ID them easily from way across the water by their bright white backs.



From November through late March/early April, Redheads and Canvasbacks can be spotted paddling around in the shallow bays and marshes foraging for a an underwater snack of stems, seeds, and roots of aquatic plants: shoalgrass, pondweeds, and sedges at many of our coastal wildlife refuges.
There is plenty of time left for you to go see them this winter so get out there if you can!

By the way, I’ve added 80 new birding tour dates to my schedule so if you’d like to join me out there to see these beautiful ducks for yourself check the link in bio for details & booking info!

Photos by Sally Siko of @bestlife_birding captured on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

House Sparrows in North Carolina

By Sally Siko

Behold the humble House Sparrow.
Bane of some but awfully cute when viewed up close.
I spotted this pair while birding in Wrightsville Beach NC.
I’d been tracking a nearby Coopers Hawk and found these two huddled in a shrub behind the dunes.
Realizing I’d never photographed this species before I quickly snapped off a couple pics as they huddled in the brush, little feet clutching tightly to the twigs against the wind blowing on the beach.

The House Sparrow was introduced from Europe into New York City around 1850.
From there they spread quickly across North American continent, from Canada and down into Latin America.
Here in North Carolina, they are indeed a common sight in suburban backyards, urban shopping center parking lots and of course in agricultural areas.
Heck, I think I counted my first House Sparrow of 2023 back in January inside of a Lowes lawn and garden center lol!
Sufficient to say that these guys epitomize the term “common” when it comes to birds species.

But why are these European floofs so abundantly found in the U.S.?
When it comes down to it, people are the reason. House sparrows thrive on the food and shelter we provide. They prefer to live anywhere there are people. Like other common urban wild neighbors, we create perfect habitat for house sparrows.
In addition to eating wild sources of grains and seeds, our discarded food, and insects, they’re also happy to eat many commercial birdseed mixtures offered at our backyard feeders.
As their aptly named moniker suggests, House Sparrows will often literally make themselves at home in our own homes lol!
Dryer and other vents, attic vent louvers, behind wall mounted signs, and crevices, such as around window-mounted air-conditioners, are favorite nesting and roosting locations.

House Sparrows call North Carolina home throughout the year so if for some reason you haven’t listed this bird yet, keep an eye out for these little brown feathered gems today while you’re out shopping for Black Friday lol!

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

Birdwatching News, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Lincolns Sparrow encounter

By Sally Siko

Here’s a neat little bird I was lucky to see this past month, a Lincolns Sparrow.
I’d found reports of a sighting of this bird at the Alligator River NWR so since I was in the area, I stopped off to see if I could spot it.
Happily, the Lincolns was chirping away perched on a chain link fence right out in the open. Usually sparrows are a bit more of a challenge to find so it was kinda cool to be able to lay eyes on it so quickly.
Once I approached though, the Lincoln’s flew immediately down into the thick wall of grass lining the canal ditch below.
Although I was pleased to be able to add the bird to my yearly list, I still wanted to see if I could get a photo.
So, I waited.



It wasn’t long until a small flock of Song Sparrows flew in and landed right in front of me, promptly disappearing into the same grass that the Lincoln’s had fled.
Shortly afterward I heard a cluster of chirping coming from the grass followed immediately by the Lincoln’s flying once again into the chain link fence.
He sat for a moment or two, then with a quick glance and a cock of the head later, flew down to the canal brush below.



These small brown and white sparrows will stick around eastern NC through early April and are best spotted skulking down low in brush piles contained in damp weedy, grassy fields as well as in the grassy edges of marshes.
The Alligator River NWR is the perfect definition of that sort of habitat so it’s well worth checking back here again this winter as the season progresses.
By the way, if you’d like to see this bird
yourself, I’ve included a screenshot to its location in this post.
Hope you get to see it too!

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

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

An Eared Grebe encounter in the OBX of NC

By Sally Siko

Happy to get a lifer last month in the form of an Eared Grebe!
I’d somehow always missed out on spotting this rare visitor to North Carolina but was finally able to lay eyes on one floating on a small pond in Waves while birding in the OBX.
The range of this species typically stretches from central and western Canada down through the western United States and into Mexico so finding one here in North Carolina was super cool.



Here in NC, (on the rare occasion when we get a glimpse of one) they are usually dressed in their winter plumage – gray below and black above, with those cherry red eyes popping brightly against their black heads and clean white collars.
In summer, they’ll trade the white collar for a black neck, exchange their gray undersides for golden brown, and add wispy golden feathers across the sides of their heads that look kinda like furry ears. These seasonal wardrobe changes give them both of their common names: eared grebe, for the golden feather “ears,” and black-necked grebe, from the black neck.


Migrating eared grebes undergo a truly strange annual cycle of physical changes.
While they fatten in preparation for their fall migration (normally heading south or southeast to coastal California and Mexico or to the Gulf Coast), their digestive organs enlarge and their flight muscles shrink until they can no longer fly.
About three weeks before migration, the process reverses, with flight muscles enlarging and digestive organs shrinking in readiness for their night flights to wintering areas. This process of alternating “atrophy and hypertrophy” occurs three to six times a year in eared grebes.
In fact they’re are actually unable to fly for nine to ten months out of the year – the longest flightless period known for any bird that can fly at all.
Crazy huh?

I don’t know how long this bird will stick around the Tarheel state, but I’ve included a screenshot of the Grebes location in this post just in case you’d like to see it too.

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

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A late season White-eyed Vireo in central NC

By Sally Siko

Found myself with a little free time last month so I decided to go birding in the woods and swamp that line my property.
Along with a cheerful flock of Kinglets, and a very loud Winter wren, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a White-eyed Vireo flitting through the brush.
I hadn’t expected to see this species so late into the season so it was really cool to be able to snap off a few photos with that lovely golden hued background of autumn color.



White-eyed Vireos are the only members of the Vireo family that prefer to forage and nest in the understory of forests and brushy areas.
In fact, you’re most likely to see them at eye level looking for a meal.
They are usually found in wet areas such as along the shorelines of creeks, ponds, swamps and marshes. The dense scrub brush growing along banks of the swamp where I found this bird is a great example of their favored habitat.


These handsome birds call North Carolina home during the spring and summer with a range that stretches from lower elevations of the Appalachian’s all the way to the coast.
This little guy should’ve already taken wing to head south for the winter.
Not sure what he’s doing here so late, but he better get a move on before the real cold sets in!

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

Marbled Godwits in eastern NC

By Sally Siko

Pleased to spend time with a resting flock of Marbled Godwits last week while birding in eastern NC.
I’d been scouting the area for newly arrived migratory waterfowl when I discovered this sleepy group snoozing on the shore of a large pond.
I ended up just chilling on the sand next to them for about 30 minutes taking in the nice view and of course a few photos too.



Marbled Godwits are an autumn and wintertime resident of North Carolina and found mainly looking for a meal on the mudflats in the shallow water tidal marshes and impoundments of our coastal counties.
Their diets mainly consist of marine worms and small crustaceans but they’ll also eat insects and other invertebrates when the opportunity arises.

 When feeding, they’ll move slowly probing for food underneath the mud with their sensitive bill. If a Godwit finds prey deep down they’ll insert their entire bill into the mud, sometimes submerging their entire head if it means coming up with a snack.
Yes, muddy headed Godwits are a thing lol!



Standing at around 18 inches tall, these attractive cinnamon colored birds are relatively easy to ID in a mixed flock of smaller shorebirds such as sandpipers, Willets, Dowichers and plovers.
They’ll stick around the coastal counties of NC through late March so you’ve still got plenty of time to see one for yourself this year.
Aren’t they beautiful?

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