Tag Archives: birdwatching jordan lake

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

Yellow-throated Warbler autumn migration at Jordan Lake SRA

Here’s another bird I’ve been seeing in higher numbers this year, the Yellow-throated Warbler.
These little gems seem to pop up everywhere I’ve gone birding in North Carolina since May and I couldn’t be happier about it 🙂


I spotted the bird in the first photo a few days ago at Ebenezer Point in Pittsboro NC and the second bird this past May at Yates Mill Park in Raleigh NC.

Perhaps the reason why “warbler neck” is a thing, Yellow-throated Warblers are best spotted in the mid to high canopy of the trees searching for insects and spiders as they pry into crevices along branches.
Unlike other warblers that move quickly and sporadically while hunting for food, Yellow-throated’s are slower moving and deliberate when hunting as they scour the branches, leaves, and ground for a snack.
This makes them a bit easier to observe and photograph which is always nice lol!

Arriving in late March Yellow-throated Warblers may be found throughout most of the state however they are somewhat more common in our eastern counties.
Look for Yellow-throated’s in varied habitats like dry pine stands and also in the tall trees growing along shorelines of ponds, lakes and streams. They are also fond of swampy areas too which makes for a pretty diverse range of opportunities in which to find them.
Unfortunately they will be leaving NC soon to head south for the winter so try and get out and see them this week or you’ll have to wait until spring to enjoy these delightful little birds again.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my twin mighty megapixel dragons the @canonusa#R5 & the #5Ds

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

Enjoying the Cape May Warblers at Jordan Lake SRA

It’s not often that I’ll post the same species of bird twice in a week but there were tons of Cape May Warblers putting on a show at Ebenezer Point at Jordan Lake in Pittsboro North Carolina recently.
It was great to see so many of them flitting through the trees, chasing each other while feasting any six or eight legged snack that dared cross their path in the canopy.



These lovely warblers were named for the county of Cape May, NJ where the species was first noted in scientific literature.
Sitting at the southern tip of New Jersey, bordering the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic, Cape May county is the premier destination for migrating birds along the east coast of the US.

Though Cape May Warblers stop in NJ when traveling between their breeding & wintering grounds, they are hardly alone as hundreds of different bird species are found in Cape May county every year during each migration cycles.
It seems like an odd name to give these beauties as it hardly describes any of the species unique characteristics.



Given the Cape May’s preference for nesting & feeding in conifer forests, perhaps a better name might be spruce warbler or maybe even tiger warbler since they sport those bold black stripes on it’s warm yellow breast.
Moniker choice aside, these feathered gems are standout birds in my eyes and I’m always grateful to catch a glimpse of Cape May every autumn.

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

A Yellow Warbler encounter at Jordan Lake SRA

Here’s a bit of feathered sunshine to brighten your day, a Yellow Warbler!


I was pleasantly surprised to find a pair of them yesterday afternoon while birding at Jordan Lake in central NC.
It was neat to be able to catch a good look at these beauties hunting for insects in a stand of trees along the shoreline.

Yellow Warblers are true omnivores and are able to adapt their diets to suit the bounty of a given season.
During the spring and summer, their diet is based on insects such as leafhoppers, beetles, wasps, midges and caterpillars. They are often seen hovering over tree branches as they glean to catch the flash of light reflecting off of an insect’s wings.
When the weather cools, berries and fruits may also be consumed during the autumn winter months to supplement their normal diet when insects are scarce.



Unfortunately these gorgeous birds won’t be in North Carolina much longer in 2021 as they’ll soon migrate to locations in Central America and northern South America to spend the winter.
If you missed them this year, no worries they will be back again here in the Tarheel State sometime around mid April 2022.

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

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Great Blue Heron encounter on the Haw River in New Hill, NC

Last week, I took a birding trip to the Jordan Lake Dam in New Hill NC.
Along with the usual crew of Cormorants, gulls and Bald Eagles there were several Great Blue Herons hunting for fish in the Haw River.


It was wonderful to watch them gliding above the water low & slow like a jet. Whenever something caught their eye, they’d dive down into the water below.


I wish I was able to grab a photo of at least one bird facing me whenever they’d strike a fish, but every single Heron had its back to me that morning lol! Still, it was great fun to
photograph these magnificent birds in action.



A staple of the waterways here in North Carolina, Great Blue Herons are easily recognizable by their long graceful necks and legs and stately slate -blue plumage.
They are indeed attractive birds with those black plumes on their white head, bold black patches on their underparts, and even swatches of reddish-brown on the wings and thighs. Those dark grey flight feathers set off their bold look nicely!
As seen here in these photos, Great Blue Herons take off with their necks fully extended, but after a few wing beats they’ll pull it into that signature S shape as they fly on.


The largest and most widespread heron species in North America, Great Blue Herons are a familiar sight to many people from the mangrove swamps of Florida all the way up through Canada to the coastline of Alaska.
Here in NC, they may be found hunting for a meal at freshwater ponds, lakes, and streams all year long in all one hundred counties. Interestingly, they also feed in brackish waters, especially so at the coastal impoundments located in our eastern counties.
Aren’t they lovely?

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

Field Notes, Instagram Birding, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

TBW a Tufted Titmouse encounter at Jordan Lake

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Is there anything cuter then a young Tufted Titmouse? Nope, lol! Here’s some of my favorite shots from a family of Tufted Titmice that I found earlier this year at the Jordan Lake SRA in New Hill, N.C. They are known to nest in all 100 of North Carolina’s counties with a breeding season that runs March through May. Tufted Titmice prefer to build their nests inside old Woodpecker holes bored into tree trunks. Lining their nest with grass, feathers and other soft materials, they provide a safe and warm home for their nestlings, hidden away inside the tree. The young are able to take their first jumps into the air after just 16 days and will begin the breeding cycle within their first year. These cheerful birds spend the entire year here in NC and may be found in abundance throughout the eastern United States from southern Maine all the way down to Florida. They are closely related to Chickadees and often travel with them foraging for a meal in mixed flocks. Keep an eye out for them in your own neighborhood as they are a familiar sight at most backyard feeders here in the Tarheel State 🙂 Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa #5Ds

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Field Notes, Instagram Birding, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

An Ovenbird encounter at the Jordan Lake State Park recreation Area

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While exploring the woods near the Audubon Observation Deck near Apex, N.C., I heard a familiar melody echoing through the trees. I followed the song to a small clearing and was rewarded with the sight of a beautiful little Ovenbird perched on a low lying branch. This warbler can be found foraging for insects and grubs on the floor of North Carolina’s mature forests–those that are usually dry with deciduous trees, but you can also find them in wet areas or in northern coniferous forests. They prefer to hang out in areas with little or no underbrush making them relatively easy to find in the dark woods. By the way, did you know that the term "oven" bird comes from the shape of their ground nests which look like a little oven? Neat! 🙂 Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc Canon 5Ds . . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #birdwatchers #bird #birds #ncbirding #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #ncoutdoors #ncnature #canonwildlife #ncwildlifephotographer #northcarolinabirding #birdwatchingnc #northcarolinabirds #audubonsociety #birdoftheday #audubonnc #ovenbird #bestbirds #bestbirdshots #birds #birdwatcher #jordanlakenc

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

A Hooded Warbler at Jordan Lake

Hooded Warbler

Got my first sighting of a handsome male Hooded Warbler a few days ago at the Jordan Lake State Recreation area near the Audubon Observation Deck!

These gorgeous birds breed here in central North Carolina as well as across eastern North America. They are likely to be found in mature hardwood forests within close proximity to water sources. Look for them in the lower and mid canopy’s of trees and even in shrubs and thickets.

Hooded Warblers prefer deeply shaded habitats. This one was no different!
It was very difficult to photograph this bird as he was well hidden in the dense dark brush. Unfortunately, I had to over expose this photo just to be able to capture his colors.
Still, I’m just glad that I got to see him!
They have such unique faces, remarkably beautiful with those deep black eyes set in a cheerful yellow plumage.
In fact, their preference for foraging in dim environments may be the reason why they have larger eyes than most other warblers in the United States.
Such a cool adaptation!

I’m so happy to have finally seen one of these feathered gems and can’t wait to head back out again to try and get a better photograph of another soon 🙂 Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A black Vulture at Jordan lake Park

Spotted a couple Black Vultures scavenging for food along the shore of Jordan Lake last week.
It’s not often that a meal is so easy to come by as the catfish the first one found was huge!
But as the old saying goes, easy come, easy go!


Did you know that unlike the Turkey Vulture, Black Vultures have no sense of smell?
This is why they are often spotted following Turkey Vultures around in order to find food. They let their red faced cousins locate the carrion and then will swoop in to steal the scraps of whatever the Turkey Vultures leave in their wake.
Also, have you ever seen a vulture run? It’s like a jerky trotting motion that’s absolutely adorable when their trying to get somewhere in a hurry, lol!
watch the video below to see what I mean 🙂

Photos & video by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds

Bird watching Videos, Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Birding at the Audubon Observation deck : Video Bird watching Adventures

By: Sally Siko – Admin Birdwatching N.C.

A cople of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of making a quick trip up to the Audubon Observation Deck at the Jordan Lake State Recreation Area to see what I could find.

Upon arriving, I was rewarded with a couple of Bald Eagle sightings right off the bat. It was absolutely awesome to see these majestic birds soaring right above my head!

After spending a few minutes on the dock, I headed up the coastline to check out the action in the cove area. The coolest things I found were a pair of Black Vultures dining on a catfish and a huge Red-tailed Hawk!

My only regret when making this video was that the wind was blowing really hard so the audio quality isn’t me best. That being said, I think you’ll enjoy the clips above anyway 🙂

Here are a couple of my favorite photos from the morning…

Red-tailed Hawk
Juvenile Bald Eagle

One of the nice things about the Audubon Observation Deck is that there is no gate restricting access to the dock or shoreline of Jordan Lake. With all of the recent park closures going on, it’s nice to find a spot we can go to get some perfectly legal exercise (social distancing -while wearing bins, carrying a scope or camera of course).

Here is a map below of how to get to the Audubon Observation Deck…

Happy birding!

-Sally

PS. For more places you can go birding without fear of being locked out, check out this post of my no-gates, no problem location list!

No gates, no problem! Where to go find birds when everywhere else is closed in N.C.

All photos and video were captured with my mighty Canon 5DS. If you are interested in getting shots like these with this 50 MP beast of a camera, please check out the link below to Canon USA.

Birdwatching NC is sponsored by Canon USA and I am proud to be a Canon shooter. After 13 years of trusting my professional photography business to Canon’s line of products, I cannot recommend this company strongly enough. If you have have any questions about my gear, shoot me a message!