Tag Archives: birdwatching

Moral of the story, be nice to crows

American Crows at Jordan Lake

Crows are intelligent and curious birds. One might even say mischievous at times.
While a crow’s brain may seem small compared to a human brain, what matters is the size of the brain in relation to the size of the animal. Relative to its body, the crow’s brain and a primate brain are comparable. According to Professor John Marzluff at the University of Washington’s Aviation Conservation Lab, a crow is essentially a flying monkey.
Whether it’s a friendly monkey or more like a fiend from “The Wizard of Oz” depends a lot on what you’ve done to the crow (or any of its friends).
Moral of the story, be nice to crows!
Photo by @sally_siko .

Barn swallows at Bass Lake Park, in Holly Springs N.C.

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A great place to go birdwatching in the Triangle is Bass Lake Park, in Holly Springs N.C. There’s plenty of wildlife here and tons of different bird species to be found in a small area. One of my favorites is the Barn Swallow which builds its cup shaped mud nests in the eves of the visitors center at the lake. I photographed this little one sitting on the railing overlooking the water. Barn Swallows are a common sight here in N.C. swooping over fields and water on the never ending hunt for insects. They will stick around here until late September or early October when they’ll form a flock and then migrate south for the winter. Canon 5DS Photo by @sally_siko . . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #barnswallows #bird #birds #basslakepark #ncbirding #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #barnswallow #birdsofeasternunitedstates #eastcoastbirds #eastcoastbirding #hiking #nchiking #ncoutdoors #ncnature #silvercordeventphotography #silvercordphotodaily #ncwildlifephotographer #naturelovers #birdwatchingnc #northcarolinabirds

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welcome to bird watching nc

Welcome to North Carolina’s home for birding in the Tarheel state! Click on the menu above to explore all of the cool resources found here on this website site such as news, touring information, North Carolina bird watching clubs, species ID and more.

Bird watching in North Carolina
We are dedicated to sharing our experiences, photos, and knowledge gained from spending time out in the field with the birds of North Carolina. A great place to hang out and connect with your fellow birdnerds here in the Tarheel state.

Bird watching in North Carolina, we are the place for birders to get together and learn more about our feathered freinds..

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a carolina wren at the carroll howard johnson enviromental park in fuquay varina, n.c.

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Went on a walk through Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Park yesterday morning in Fuquay-Varina N.C. and found a noisy Carolina Wren along the path. I’ve never seen one with the black and white feathers displayed on their rump before. Quite striking! A little bird with a big personality, Carolina Wrens are one of the loudest birds you’ll encounter in this state. They are very common and will build their nests in just about anything ranging from garden planters, car radiators and old shoes. Photo by @sally_siko . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #Birdbehavior #bird #birds #carrollhowardjohnsonenvironmentalpark #ncbirding #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #carolinawren #birdsofeasternunitedstates #eastcoastbirds #eastcoastbirding #hiking #nchiking #ncoutdoors #ncnature #silvercordeventphotography #silvercordphotodaily #fuquayvarina #ncwildlifephotographer #naturelovers #birdwatchingnc #northcarolinabirds

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how to attract summer tanagers to your yard in north carolina

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The bright red of the male Summer Tanager makes them one of the easiest birds to spot in the forests here in N.C. That and their distinctive chirping which echoes through the trees on most of the hikes that I take around the Triangle. Summer Tanagers will visit feeders that offer a peanut butter and cornmeal mix, fruit or different types of suet. Bird-friendly landscaping should include oak trees, berry bushes, and a water source, and birders should avoid trapping or spraying for the bees and wasps these birds eat. Photo by @sally_siko . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #Birdbehavior #bird #birds #ncbirding #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #purplemartins #birdsofeasternunitedstates #eastcoastbirds #eastcoastbirding #hiking #nchiking #ncoutdoors #ncnature #silvercordeventphotography #silvercordphotodaily #ncwildlifephotographer #naturelovers #birdwatchingnc #birdsofnorthcarolina #northcarolinabirds

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A female summer tanager in fuquay varina

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A female Summer Tanager in Fuquay-Varina N.C 🙂 These beautiful little birds are just as lovely as their male counterparts which sport bright red plumage. Tanagers are found on the edges of woods, riparian woodlands, and brushy roadsides. These birds can be attracted to backyards containing red mulberry trees. They’re also fond of eating ripe bananas, jelly and other fruits in addition to insects. Photo by @sally_siko . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #Birdbehavior #bird #birds #carrolhowardjohnsonpark #ncbirding #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #summertanager #birdsofeasternunitedstates #eastcoastbirds #eastcoastbirding #hiking #nchiking #ncoutdoors #ncnature #silvercordeventphotography #silvercordphotodaily #ncwildlifephotographer #naturelovers

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north Carolina’s red bird, the northern cardinal

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Cardinals are gorgeous birds! There are no less then 7 states in the United States that count them as their state birds. North Carolina is one of them 🙂 Cardinals, also called “redbirds,” do not migrate and have traditionally been more common in warmer climes such as the U.S. southeast. However, in recent decades they have expanded their common range north through the United States and even into Canada. This population growth may be due to an increase in winter birdfeeders and to the bird's ability to adapt to parks and suburban human habitats. Photo by @sally_siko . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #Birdbehavior #bird #birds #redbird #backyardbirds #ncbirding #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #cardinal #birdsofeasternunitedstates #eastcoastbirds #eastcoastbirding #hiking #nchiking #ncoutdoors #ncnature #silvercordeventphotography #silvercordphotodaily #ncwildlifephotographer #naturelovers

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Birding at Carroll Howard Johnson environmental park – Fuquay Varina NC

Today I went birding at the Carroll Howard Johnson environmental park in Fuquay Varina. This local patch has been reaching hot spot birding status lately so I thought I’d make the trip to check it out for myself.

I arrived at about 7:15 am and set out on the trail. My goal was to reach the open field in the middle of the park. Upon reaching the clearing, I was greeted by the sounds of birds singing and the fluttering of wings. The first bird I observed was a cheerful Carolina Wren preening himself on a branch. After watching him for a few minutes, I headed down the trail into the woods. Here I found an Oven-bird and a black-and-white Warbler.

Continuing on the path I also found a summer Tanager sneaking through the leaves of the canopy above. What a handsome bird! I was pleased to also catch a glimpse of his mate too.

Once the fog lifted and the sun came out, the heat became a little bit too much so, I decided to head back up to the parking lot. As I was leaving, I caught a glimpse of a eastern-wood- Peewee high up in a tree overlooking the field.

Driving home, I decided that that would not be my last trip to this interesting little park. Going forward, I plan to post more pictures from future trips so stay tuned for more!