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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

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

An Eastern Kingbird at Mid Pines Rd. Raleigh, NC

Eastern Kingbird

While birding at Mid Pines Rd. in Raleigh N.C. a few days ago, I spotted this handsome Eastern Kingbird perched on a fence wire.
He sat there squawking at every bird that flew past and eventually flew out of sight, giving chase to a large Red-tailed Hawk.

These sharp looking members of the Flycatcher family exhibit a rather aggressive behavior toward larger birds and predators that enter their territories.
Their Latin moniker is “Tyrannus tyrannus”. An apt name because Tyrannus means “tyrant, despot, or king” which refers to their fearless aggression!
As was the case this morning, Eastern Kingbirds are well known to attack much larger birds such as raptors, crows and even ravens. If their nesting area is threatened, they might even have a go at a squirrel or other small mammal.
Feisty little ones aren’t they?!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds