birds north carolina | Best Life Birding- Birdwatching Tours

Now here’s a bird that I’ve struggled to get a good photograph of, a Yellow billed Cuckoo.
I found this one at Charles D. Owen Park in Swannanoa N.C. last month while scouting the area for the birding tour I had scheduled for the following day.

I was standing on the trail that circles the pond looking in a bush for a Warbler when I heard the rustle of flapping wings above my head.
Looking up, there was this Cuckoo curiously peering back down at me.
The sunlight was super bright so it was difficult to catch an angle of this striking bird in good light without it’s face being obscured by the contrasting shade.
Luckily the Cuckoo was in no hurry to move on which allowed me plenty of time to patiently wait for the perfect moment for it to cock it’s head in the right direction.
What a beauty!

From the mountains to the coast, Yellow billed Cuckoos breed in nearly every county of N.C. throughout the summer. Look for them in open woodlands, near ponds and forested streams with dense, low vegetation along its banks. They are also found in open areas such as orchards, overgrown pastures, and abandoned agricultural fields.

Despite being a somewhat large bird, Yellow-billed Cuckoos are often hard to spot as they move sneakily and quietly through the treetops looking for insects to eat. They feed primarily on caterpillars, (especially Hairy caterpillars!) which many other species of birds avoid, but they will also catch other insects in flight if the opportunity presents itself.

Though they have headed south for the winter, they’ll return to North Carolina in April. Get out there this spring to see one for yourself! These lovely birds are worth the patience to find them 🙂

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

I haven’t had much luck this year in photographing an adult male Ruby throated Hummingbird sporting those crimson namesake feathers. That being said, I’ve seen a large number juveniles this summer and have been lucky to be there in the right place and the right time to catch a few with my lens.

During the early days of autumn, with so many green and white tiny birds zipping around, it kinda looks like we’ve got a ton of female Ruby throated Hummingbirds flying around in central N.C.
Yet, if you look carefully at their face and throats, you’ll realize that although Juvenile male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds look similar to their mothers, there are some details that you’ll notice which can help you tell them apart.

Juvenile males like this sharp looking bird have the same gray feathers on their cheeks that their mothers have, but the gray color is subtle and less extensive in this area. It also shows more green coloring that will gradually darken to a deeper hue as they molt out into their mature plumage.

While females have very faint gray streaks on their white throat, juvenile male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have much bolder streaks and distinct spots that will gradually show the red iridescence characteristic of their fathers.
Young males may even show a couple of red spots on the feathers near the base of their throats. As the juvenile Ruby- throats mature, those spots will eventually become a full, boldly colorful gorget worthy of their famous name 🙂

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