Tag Archives: biridng nc

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

A Common Yellowthroat warbler at Old Bynum Bridge

One of the sweetest little birds we’ve got flying around here in central NC is the Common Yellowthroat. This tiny species of warbler is certainly a cheerful sight whenever I encounter one singing in the field.
I spotted this male last week near the Old Bynum Bridge in Pittsboro while birding with Corie of @lattaridge
He was quite active, flying from branch to bush stopping only for a few seconds at a time to sing a quick tune.



Common Yellowthroats prefer brushy wet habitats located near marshes, ponds and streams. I’ve had the best luck finding them between 2-6ft off of the ground hiding in the undergrowth and hedges along the shoreline.
These spunky birds are one of the most prolific breeding species of warbler in the United States. Their common moniker suits them well as they occur all across the US and up into Canada.



Here in North Carolina, they may be found all year round (although they are more often seen in the summertime) in our coastal eastern counties.
In the Piedmont and mountain regions they are best sighted between March and October.
This means that you still have plenty of time to get outside and enjoy these feathered gems for yourself before the year is done.

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A White breasted Nuthatch encounter at the Prairie ridge Ecostation in raleigh, NC

Check out the White breasted Nuthatch I found at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation in Raleigh N.C. last week! These cool little birds are normally seen scurrying upside down along tree trunks so it’s a rare thing for me to catch one right-side-up.



The one thing that you’ll probably notice here in the first shot is this birds unique side profile. His lower beak is ever so slightly upturned, a characteristic of all 3 species of nuthatches found in North Carolina (White breasted, Brown headed & Red breasted).
This specialized bill shape helps the Nuthatch to pick out insects buried inside crevices of bark or branches.



A familiar visitor to our backyard feeders, the White breasted Nuthatch also dines on seeds, suet and nuts. They’re even known to store food in caches for later, especially in during the wintertime. Once again, that specialized bill comes in handy as they will stuff seeds back into the crevasses of tree bark that they had previously used for rooting out insects during the summer months.
Pretty neat huh?
🙂

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

Spending time with American Goldfinches at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh

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Is there any more cheerful sight on a late summer morning then an American Goldfinch snacking on flower seeds? I captured a few portraits of these little ones at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh a couple of weeks ago and couldn’t believe my luck in getting these pretty images. Did you know that this gorgeous bird is known to be the only member of the finch family that sheds off all its feathers twice in a single year? You can distinguish the male American Goldfinch from the female because he is the one having the canary yellow plumage and jet black cap. (Pics 1,2,&3) The female is olive yellow on her neck and breast during summer. (Pics 4&5) Both the male and female Goldfinches change to an almost identical color pattern after a complete molting during the fall. Interestingly, one of the males I found here was missing his distinctive black cap. Where the black is supposed to be, it’s that yellow color that’s covering the rest of his body. (Pic 6) The odds are that this because he’s a juvenile in molt, however his overall bright yellow color leads me to think that there is some sort of other thing going on here with his unusual plumage pattern. There are several different forms of plumage abnormality centred on altered amounts of pigment. These include the following… Leucism and albinism -where there is loss of the pigment melanin. Melanism -which the amount and/or distribution of dark-colored melanin pigment is often elevated. Erythrism -where a chestnut-red pigment replaces certain other pigments. Flavism -where there is an excess of yellow pigment. Perhaps this male is affected by a touch of flavism given the bright yellow feathers on his crown have replaced the black plumage typically observed with this species. Tbh though, I’m not sure. What do you think about his missing black cap? Please share your thoughts on this bird below 🙂 Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa #5Ds

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Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

Why are Cardinals Red?

Why are Northern Cardinals red?

The state bird of N.C. is the Northern Cardinal, a familiar backyard feathered gem boldly colored with a cheerful song.
Have you ever wondered what gives their plumage that bright red color?

The coloration in these birds comes from three naturally occurring chemical compounds: melanin, porphyrins, and carotenoids.
Melanin is present in humans, giving us our skin, hair and eye colors — and it’s what gives cardinals black, brown, and buff hues.
Porphyrin is responsible for reddish and brownish shades.
But it’s the carotenoids, which create yellow, orange, and red colors, that are perhaps the most important to the male cardinal’s striking red coloring.



These carotenoids are found in plants. Cardinals that are especially bright red, are most likely dining on a healthy diet of carotenoid-rich fruits and berries.
You can aid these gorgeous birds in their development of rich coloration by planting native berry bushes like raspberries and mulberries in your yard. Another excellent food source is the Dogwood tree as their berries are particularly favored by Cardinals.
In addition to offering black oil sunflower seeds, you can also mix in some safflower seeds into your feeder which will add a bit of extra carotenoids into their high protein diets.
Such a gorgeous bird!

Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds

Birdwatching News, Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

A yellow-rumped warbler encounter at Bass Lake Park, Holly Springs North Carolina

The Yellow-rumped Warbler is one of my favorite wintertime birds to see here in the Raleigh area of North Carolina.


They are a common sight around the lakes, ponds and bogs, flying from branch to limb searching for berries.
Yellow-rumps are one of a handful of bird species that can digest the berries of the Wax Myrtle. This is why they are often spotted in these quintessential North Carolina trees.
A small flock of hungry Yellow-rumps can strip the tree of it’s fruit within a matter of days.


They are not a flashy winter bird, often under appreciated by casual viewers.
Their winter plumage shows shades of gray from whitish to darker streaking on the flanks and breast. The lone splash of color is found on two yellow patches on the sides of the upper breast and a patch of yellow on the rump.
By mid-April the muted hues will change to a beautiful plumage of blue-gray, black and white colors. The yellows will deepen and contrast sharply against the gray and black feathers. Add a yellow patch right on top of the head and the transformation is complete from a understated winter feeder, to a stunning, spring breeder!



And then…. they leave, lol!
The destinations are their breeding ground in the western forests of the higher elevations of the Appalachians, on up into New England, and even Canada.
Then we will have to wait until October to see them again here in central N.C.
Enjoy them while you can!
🙂 Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds