Tag Archives: nc birding

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

Eastern Towhees at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Preserve

By Sally Siko

When walking through the woods of the Weymouth Woods Sandhills Preserve in central North Carolina, the air is filled with sounds of bird song, most especially so via the Eastern Towhee.These handsome birds are quite vocal and are relatively easy to find by their familiar “drink your tea” calls emanating from the brush. Occasionally they’ll pop out from the tangled undergrowth to provide you with a good look and may even follow you on the trail.


She spent most of her time rummaging on the forest floor among the leaf litter under a stand of small saplings.
Happily, she did fly up to land on a branch at eye level which offered a brief opportunity to grab a couple of photos.
Isn’t she beautiful?
Eastern Towhees come in two different varieties, the white-eyed and the red-eyed seen here. Years ago, they were known as the Rufus-sided Towhee but today both white & red eyed birds are lumped together under the Eastern moniker.



Breeding season will soon be underway for these lovely birds.
Towhees are generally ground nesters and will usually build their nest in a clump of leaves or in the tall grass at the base of a tree. They’ll also occasionally build their nests in tangled briars about 2 to 4ft off of the ground.Both parents take care of the chicks who will leave the nest around 11 days after hatching.Interestingly the young will hang out with their parents after fledging for a few months before moving on to scout their own territories.



Eastern Towhees are a year round resident of NC and are one of a handful of species that nests from the coast all the way up to the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge Mountains.They are best found in areas where there is dense woods and scrub brush available for them to forage for a meal.I’ve had luck spotting them in thick bushy patches in the OBX, in dark Rhododendron thickets in the mountains and right here at Weymouth Woods.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

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

A Kentucky Warbler at Bynum Bridge, Pittsboro NC

By Sally Siko

With as many KY birds as I’ve been posting recently, how about this Kentucky Warbler that I found while birding here in NC with my freind Corie Latta @latta.ridge earlier this month?
Isn’t he gorgeous?!
We spotted this feathered gem while exploring the area around Bynum Bridge in Pittsboro.
The neat thing was that this particular bird was super accessible as it popped out of the underbrush frequently to sing offering us multiple opportunities to snag a good photo or two.
Big props to Corie for putting us on this bird!



This brightly colored warbler, (unlike so many other geographically named warblers lol), is actually well-named, as the center of its range lies squarely in the center of the state of Kentucky.
They are quintessential birds of the Eastern deciduous forest, breeding across nearly all of North Carolina from the mountains to the coast. Though they are considered a common bird west of the Appalachians, east of the Blue Ridge mountains there isn’t a particular region where Kentucky Warblers are found in great numbers so it’s always a treat to spot one here in the Triangle area.



Kentucky Warblers are usually best found in moist, rich forests, containing a thick underbrush zone near creeks and streams beneath a hardwood canopy.
Most breed in our floodplain habitats (particularly in brownwater ones) while avoiding blackwater regions such as the Lumber River area.
In our western mountains, where broad floodplains are scarce, Kentucky Warblers may be found nesting on slopes, but usually on lower ones or on others that are very rich and lush.
Look for these beauties from late April through early September here in the Tarheel state.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Birdwatching News

Rare bird alert NC- A pair of Scissor tailed Flycatchers have been spotted in Charlotte

By Sally Siko

Last month, I took a quick trip to try and find my first Scissor tailed Flycatcher at Ft. Fisher NC.
That lone fly catcher was a vagrant in the area and I certainly didn’t expect to lay eyes on another one until next year when I head out to Texas for my spring migration bird watching tour on High Island.

Scissor tailed Flycatchers in Charlotte, NC June 2nd, 2022



But as luck would have it, a pair of Scissor tailed Flycatchers have shown up in the Charlotte North Carolina area!
So on June 2nd, I met up with my friend Corie Latta to see if we could capture some better photos of this beautiful species.
This time I think I nailed it and am very pleased with how the photos turned out 🙂



The Scissor tailed Flycatcher’s normal range extends south from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, in areas of western Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana, all the way down into Mexico and Central America.
This species is a rare sight indeed east of the Mississippi and certainly not a common bird to spot in North Carolina!
That being said, there seems to be an increase in sightings of the aptly nicknamed ‘Texas Bird of Paradise here in the Tarheel state which I find absolutely fascinating.

Scissor tailed Flycatchers North Carolina



The flycatchers appeared to be a bonded male & female pair which makes me wonder if they’ve got a nest in the area.
I’d learned that they prefer to nest in trees or tall shrubs, usually on horizontal limbs about 7 to 30ft above the ground so I did spend some time checking the trees in the area to see if I could locate a nest but to no avail.
I plan to revisit the spot in a couple weeks so perhaps I might get lucky and confirm a nest site then.
We’ll see I guess 🙂

Btw, if you’d like to see these birds for yourself, I’ve included a Google Maps pin drop of their exact location below.
Be respectful of the property owners though as the land the birds are on is actually an Amazon distribution center!
Best advice is to stay on the side of the road where the drainage pond is.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Bobolink encounter in Pittsboro NC

By: Sally Siko

Each spring, flocks of migrating Bobolinks return to central NC to stop off for a few days to rest & recharge on their journey to their breeding grounds in the northern US and Canada.
The best spot to see them in the Triangle is in the fields along Mid Pines Rd in Raleigh.
That being said, these flocks are usually spotted far out in the fields making them a little tough to see without a scope, a long lens or bins.
That’s why I was so excited to get a close up encounter with one near Bynum Bridge in Pittsboro about 3 weeks ago!
It was so cool to actually be able to get a proper look at one of these beauties as it hopped around the brush on it’s never ending search for insects hidden in the leaves.



Bobolinks are about the size of a house sparrow, approximately 6.3–7.1 in long from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail.
Perched on a grass stem or displaying in flight over a field, breeding male Bobolinks are striking! No other North American bird has a white back and black underparts (some have described this look as wearing a tuxedo backwards lol!). Added to this is the male’s rich, straw-colored patch on the head and his bubbling, virtuosic song. Once summer ends, he’ll molt into a buff and brown plumage.



As mentioned above, Bobolinks are mostly a migratory visitor to the Tarheel state showing up for just a few days in the spring and autumn.
Yet, in recent decades this species has been observed nesting in the grassy meadows of western NC in increasing numbers which is pretty neat!
Elsewhere throughout the state, look for them in dry grass lands from late April-early May and in wetter fields/marshes again in late August through early October.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

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

An Ovenbird encounter at the Pee Dee NWR

When the summer heat rolls in, it’s nice to get out of the sunny fields and into the woods to cool off.
We aren’t the only ones who appreciate the cool shade that the trees provide, Ovenbirds are masters of the shadows and remain active throughout the day even during the hottest hours.
I found this one recently at the Pee Dee NWR while hiking along Wildlife Dr. in Wadesboro NC. It’s a quiet stretch of gravel road that provides a nice pathway through the thick deciduous forest which is the perfect habitat for spotting all kinds of birds and other wildlife.

Marveling at the lush green palette before me, I didn’t have to walk very far before hearing the Ovenbird’s loud call echoing in the woods and was stoked to be able to find it perched on a low branch just a few steps off of the road.
So cool!

Ovenbirds favor mixed deciduous and coniferous forest areas which are semi open under the canopy yet still contain scrubby thickets and moderate brush.
Though they look like Thrushes, they’re actually a species of warbler and like others in that family they are voracious eaters of insects.
However like Thrushes, (and unlike most other warblers) Ovenbirds are usually spotted hunting for a meal on the ground scratching up under the leaf litter in search of beetles, worms and grubs.

Ovenbirds are a spring and summertime resident of North Carolina and are found across the state from the mountains to the coast from April to October. That being said, a few Ovenbirds have been found to spend the winter in Buxton Woods on Cape Hatteras Island in recent years. This is an interesting trend to watch as more people get out to go bird watching during the winter in the OBX.
Pretty cool, huh?

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

Bird watching Videos, Field Notes

Purple Finch or House Finch ID help

Last week, a small flock of Purple House Finches and a lone male House Finch visited my feeder in Fuquay Varina North Carolina.

Since I often receive questions on how to tell the difference between House Finches and Purple Finches, I took the opportunity to put together a short video highlighting the two species.

Hope that it’s useful to ya!
Thanks for watching & happy birding.
-Sally

Photos & video by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
on the magnificent full frame DSLR beast, the @canon#5Ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Yellow rumped Warbler-Winter birding Tour at Yates Mill Park

I had a wonderful time yesterday morning leading a birding trip at Yates Mill Park in Raleigh N.C.
We found 30 species of birds including the unexpected sighting of a Northern Harrier. (photos coming soon!)
It was absolutely awesome to connect with my fellow bird lovers who adore these feathered gems as much as I do 🙂



One of the highlights of the day was an encounter with this handsome Yellow-rumped Warbler. He put on quite a show, flying in very close to land on a sapling about 4-5 feet away from our vantage point.


At times he would gulp down a dried berry or two and pick at the leaves for a six legged meal, others he simply sat there in the warm sun calmly watching us.



Yellow-rumped Warblers are one of my favorite wintertime birds. They are curious little creatures who are likely to come say hello to ya if you softly pish at them.



Soon the leaves will have fallen from the trees and the landscape will become a study of varying shades of grey and brown.
This means these little birds will have to blend in perfectly with their habitats so during the cooler months, they’re dressed in “drab” winter plumage of soft greys, charcoal, white and yellow.
Their muted color palette aids in camouflaging the birds from predators in the woods and brush. Nevertheless, if you swipe to the last photo in this post, you’ll see why the nickname of “butter butt” fits them nicely all year round lol!
😉

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

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

A Swamp Sparrow encounter at Lake Betz N.C.

While birding at Lake Betz in Morrisville NC a few days ago, I was happy to spot this lovely little Swamp Sparrow by one of the the small ponds.


These pretty little ones are a small, dark sparrow which are often hard to get a good look at because of their habit of hiding in dense vegetation.


That being said, usually just a glimpse is enough to ID this bird. In particular, look for the grey face, upper breast, and nape, the very richly brown colored back and black striped back and wings.



Here in North Carolina they may be found foraging in freshwater & brackish wetland areas with dense vegetation, such as cattails and sedges, and often where woody vegetation such as alder or willow thickets are present along the waters edge.

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

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A White eyed Vireo at Yates Mill Park- Raleigh, NC

This past Monday, I made a quick birding trip to Yates Mill Park in Raleigh NC to see what was flying around in one of my favorite spots along the wetlands trail.



Happily, one of the first birds I saw was this handsome White eyed Vireo!
I was sitting on one of the benches on the bridge making very quiet whistling noises and he flew in and landed about 4 ft away at the top of a bush.
I slowly raised the camera up to put a focus on him as he sat there and watched me. At the sound of the first shutter click, he cocked his head at me and flew in even closer, just a couple feet away or less!
I froze because he was now too close for me to take his photo so I just sat there and smiled.
We stared at one another for a minute and then he took off again and landed a bit further away in another bush. Still, he was watching me with those lovely pale eyes which allowed me to grab a few more portraits before he finally took off across the marsh.
So cool!



White eyed Vireos are typically spotted in open areas containing dense brushy patches near water which exact describes the habitat where I was sitting with this one. They are quite noisy and are best found by listening for their distinctive calls of “cheeeek-of-the-village” emanating from the bushes.

They’ll be heading out of North Carolina shortly to their wintering grounds in the southern US as well as Mexico & the Caribbean.
Get out and see them while you can soon because they won’t return to the Tarheel state until March!

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

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

A Tennessee warbler at craggy Gardens

This is a Tennessee Warbler that I spotted sitting on a fir bough at Bearpen Gap along the Blue Ridge Parkway last month.


It’s genus name (Leiothlypis peregrina) means the “ plain-unknown-bird wanderer” and travel they do!
Each spring, they pass briefly through North Carolina on their way to their nesting grounds in the far reaches of northern New England and Canada.
Now that autumn has arrived, Tennessee Warblers are making an appearance here in the Tarheel state once again. Look for these beautiful little Warblers in open areas that contain grasses, dense shrubs, and scattered clumps of young deciduous and coniferous trees.
You can find them throughout September and early October before they continue their hurried journey south towards Central and South America.
Such neat little birds!

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