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Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Birdwatching News, Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A peregrine falcon encounter at Mid Pines Rd. Raleigh, NC

Last month I found something truly special in the Triangle area of central North Carolina, a Peregrine Falcon!
I was pretty surprised to see it.
There is an adult who’s known to spend the winter here in the fields of Mid Pines Rd. but I’d never seen it so early in the autumn before.
So freak’n cool!



Peregrine’s are the fastest bird in the world, capable of reaching 150 to 200 mph in their stoop dives and their average cruising speed is 24 to 33 mph which can increase to an astonishing 67 mph when chasing prey.



They are year round residents of the mountains of western North Carolina but also are found wintering along the coast during the coldest months.
The species range stretches from the Arctic tundra to South America. The aptly named “peregrine” means wanderer, and the Peregrine Falcon has one of the longest migrations of any North American bird sometimes traveling up to 15,500 miles in a single year.


Happy birding!
-Sally

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

Birdwatching News

Peregrine falcon spotted in the Triangle

By: Sally Siko- Admin Birdwatching NC

This morning I got to see something truly special in the Triangle area of central North Carolina, a Peregrine Falcon!
I was pretty surprised to see it.
There is an adult who usually spends the winter here in the fields of Mid Pines Rd. but I’d never seen it so early in the autumn before.
So freak’n cool!

Peregrine Falcon- September 10th, 2020 Mid Pines Rd. Raleigh North Carolina

Peregrine’s are the fastest bird in the world, capable of reaching 150 to 200 mph in their stoop dives and their average cruising speed is 24 to 33 mph which can increase to an astonishing 67 mph when chasing prey.

They are year round residents of the mountains of western North Carolina but also are found wintering along the coast during the coldest months.
The species range stretches from the Arctic tundra to South America. The aptly named “peregrine” means wanderer, and the Peregrine Falcon has one of the longest migrations of any North American bird sometimes traveling up to 15,500 miles in a single year. Amazing!

If you’d like to go find this bird for yourself, check out the map below. I spotted him on the left side field, slightly northwest of the Pecan tree grove on Mid Pines Rd.

Happy birding!
-Sally

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

A Red tailed Hawk encounter at Mid Pines rd. Raleigh

While birding at the Mid Pines Rd. dog leg last week, I was lucky enough to get a nice close up look at a gorgeous Red-tailed Hawk.
I’d spotted it soaring in the sky and was thrilled when it swooped down and landed on a power pole just a few yards away.
It sat there for several minutes scanning the fields below before taking off again to a tree at the edge of the wood line.

  • Red tailed Hawk



Red-tailed hawks are a common sight in this area of central N.C., and in fact one of the most common hawk species found in the world.
As was the case here at Mid Pines Rd., they are usually seen soaring high over open fields or perched somewhere with a good view, like a telephone pole or fence post.

Red tailed Hawk


Red-tailed Hawks have even moved into cities where they have an unending supply of pigeons and sparrows to hunt and high building ledges to nest on.
Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty @canonusa #5ds