It’s always neat to encounter White eyed Vireos when out looking for birds here in central NC. A constant trail companion, their familiar songs calling out from unseen tangles of brush remind me that I’m never truly alone when walking in the woods. As is the case with this pair of Vireos I photographed (with a zoom lens as not to disturb the parents) earlier this week, these birds are quite active during this time of year as they hunt for a six or eight legged meal to feed their growing families.
A White eyed Vireos nest is a marvel of the delicacy of bird brained engineering. They collect soft strips of bark and grass which is woven into a sturdy hanging basket, fastened to a branch with spiderwebs. It’s actually quite deep relative to the size of its occupants and the mother bird can disappear into the triangular shaped cup simply by ducking her head down.
Incubation of the eggs takes around 15 days and the young will typically stay in the nest for 11 days before fledging. The work is not over for the parents though since the little ones will still be taken care of up to 20 days after fledging before becoming independent. Interestingly, fledgeling male White-eyed Vireos learn their father’s song very early in life, and may begin mimicking his call as early as one month after leaving the nest. Young White-eyed Vireos may also develop some elements of their songs by sampling the song tracks of their avian neighbors. Pretty cool, huh?
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!
Last week I had the opportunity to go check out the North Carolina Museum of Art to see what kinds of birds I could find there. From Indigo Buntings, Goldfinches and Orchard Orioles to Red tailed Hawks and Nuthatches, I was in heaven.
With the sunflowers blooming in the back field, this was the place to be to catch some beautiful photos and nice clear sightings of all sorts of different species of birds.
Check out the video below to see what I found and click on the map link at the bottom of this post so that you can visit this amazing location for yourself.
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
A few days ago, I headed out to go bird watching at a park in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina which does not have a gate restricting trail access. I like the fact that it’s possible to get out here early before a few of the joggers and dog walkers arrive which would give me the best opportunity to see the birds.
Here is a video below of my highlight birds which included my first sighting of 2020 of Barred Owls!
Here is my eBird list which included 11 species 🙂
One of the things I liked about this park is that there are two distinct habitats for birders to explore. Deep woods and a narrow open field with a small creek winding through it all. In the late spring and summer months it’s a haven for breeding songbirds and a real gem of a birding spot when other parks get busy (or get shut down).
Below is are a few of my favorite photos from the trip which are featured in the video above. Although I did not net a whole lot of different species, I had a great time just being outdoors in the woods. I’m really looking forward to returning here in a couple of weeks to see what is flying around once spring migration gets underway.
Barred OwlYellow-rumped WarblerAnother Barred Owl just because they are awesome 🙂Black and white Warbler
If you’d like to visit the Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park for yourself, here is a map of the location below…
Be on the lookout for videos and photos from my next trip back to this nice little birding spot next month. Hopefully I’ll have a longer species list to share with you then 🙂
Until next time, Happy Birding!
-Sally Siko
Photos and video captured with my mighty Canon 5DS. If you are
interested in getting shots like these with this 50 MP beast of a
camera, please check out the link below to Canon USA.
Birdwatching NC is sponsored by Canon USA and I am proud to be a
Canon shooter. After 13 years of trusting my professional photography
business to Canon’s line of products, I cannot recommend this company
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message!
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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
A few days ago, I took a short trip to Bass Lake Park in Holly Springs N.C. I was pleased to run across a small flock of American Goldfinches there feeding in the brush along the shoreline. They are still dressed in their full winter plumage, however you can now see a bit of that familiar yellow peeking through in their feathers.
Thistles are a favorite Goldfinch food source and nesting material, yet Sunflower seeds are another top meal choice too. You’ve have probably noticed this too if you offer these popular seeds in your feeder. Aside from our feeder fare, Goldfinches also eat seeds from grasses, weeds, teasel, mullein, and ragweed, along with birch and alder buds, maple sap, and berries. Often seen hanging upside down while feeding, their uncommon agility allows them to extract seeds from any position. Their short, pointed, bills are well-suited to crack open hulls and other tough packaging.
My
favorite photos from my visit to Yates Mill Park in Raleigh N.C. this
morning are of this charming little Ruby-crowned Kinglet. He was quite inquisitive about my presence in the woods and stopped moving just long enough for me to catch these few shots.
Kinglets aren’t quite as small as hummingbirds, but they’re smaller than most other birds you’ll find here in North Carolina. Don’t let their diminutive size fool you! This is a little bird with a great big appetite. These energetic little ones have super high metabolisms which require them to eat every 15 minutes or they risk losing needed fat reserves in a hurry.
A wintertime resident in the Triangle, Ruby-crowned Kinglets will stick around until early spring. Then, they’ll depart for their breeding grounds in the northern United States and Canada.
Such a cool little bird to see on a rainy winter morning here on the N.C . Birding Trail 🙂 Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc Canon 5DS
Come birding with me! I’ve got a few tours scheduled for Yates Mill Park in 2020. Check out the link below for trip details and available dates.
Last week I had the opportunity to go birding with Matt @birdingwithmatt & Heather @ncbirdnerd at Lake Benson in Garner, N.C. We saw Coots, Eagles, Ruddy Ducks and more, including a pair of dueling Hermit Thrushes. Both of these birds displayed rather odd behavior given the time of year. One of them appeared to be begging for food from the other until the second bird had enough of the persistent antics of the first and started acting aggressively by puffing out its feathers and taking jabs at the other.
Then all of a sudden, both birds took to the air dive bombing one another over and over again until they both hit the ground rolling around in an angry bird ball. Then they stopped, looked up and realized that they had fallen very nearly at my feet. Both took off running through the leaves straight at Heather and I and blew past us in a full bird-sprint off into the woods! Lol, crazy!
Sometimes confused with the Wood Thrush, Hermit Thrushes are buff toned brown bird with a smattering of dark spots on its breast. They are distinguished from other brownish thrushes by their reddish colored tails & wings and distinctive white eye rings. These sweet birds are a whole lot easier to spot in the woods once the cold weather arrives and the leaves fall from the trees. A relatively common sight here in the woodlands of central North Carolina, the is the only species of thrush which spends the winter in North America. Truly a happy sight to see on a cold morning walk 🙂
Carolina Chickadees are my constant companion in the woods. Chirping their familiar calls, they always seem to make an appearance along every trail I’ve hiked here in North Carolina. Often
traveling with a Titmouse entourage, these energetic little birds have
adapted well to a human’s presence and are commonly found dining at
feeders in suburban backyards and parks.
Carolina Chickadees feed
on insects, fruits, berries, seeds, and nuts. During the summer, their
diet consists mostly of insects, while in the winter they switch to
eating mostly berries and seeds. These small birds forage by moving
quickly in and out of the foliage of trees, making quick flights as they
search for insects and other food items. They’ll even try to capture
insects in mid-air, by hovering as they glean insects from the mid to
upper canopy.
The Carolina Chickadee is a year round resident of North Carolina U.S. They
are similar looking to their northern cousin, the Black-capped
Chickadee. The main visual difference in the species is that the
Carolina species lacks white coloring in their wings and tends to have a
shorter tail. Another clue is the region in where your seeing them.
The Carolina Chickadee may be found throughout most of the southeastern
United States, while the Black-capped Chickadee is found further north.
