Tag Archives: north carolina birding tour

Bird watching trips in Maine, Birding Trips and Birdwatching Tours in SC, Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Birding trips at Cape May New Jersey, Gifts for Birders and Bird watchers

New birding tours and bird watching trips in Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina and South Carolina have been added to my 2023 and 2024 Calendar

Pack your bags, lets go birding!

Birders and bird loving photographers of all skill levels are invited to join me, Sally Siko as we explore the trails, woods, fields and shorelines of the United States in search of interesting birds. From North Carolina and beyond, there are plenty of great species to get out and enjoy throughout the year.

In addition to local trips here in the Triangle, new birding tour dates and locations in coastal Maine, coastal New Jersey, eastern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina have been added to my 2023 & 2024 calendar. Click on the dates marked in green in the box below for more information.

Book today as space is limited on these small group tours, Gift Cards are on sale too!

BIRDING TOURS CAPE MAY, NJ

BIRDING TOURS IN MAINE

BIRDING TOURS AT PINCKNEY ISLAND, SC

BIRDING TOURS AT CAPE FEAR SHINERS PARK, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT HUNTINGTON BEACH STATE PARK, SC

BIRDING TOURS THE OBX NORTH CAROLINA

BIRDING TOURS AT THE PEE DEE NWR, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT OLD BYNUM BRIDGE, NC

PAINTED BUNTING BIRDING TOURS AT FT.FISHER, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT WEYMOUTH WOODS, NC

Private birding tours in North & South Carolina are also available for reservation to best suit your needs and schedule!


For more information please contact sallysiko@birdwatchingnc.com or call/text (919) 449-7331 to book a private trip.

Shown below is the Best Life Birding Instagram feed featuring of some of the species I’ve found for my guests here in the United States.

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

A Black bellied Plover encounter at Oregon Inlet, NC

Here’s a familiar sight found on North Carolina’s beaches, the Black bellied Plover.
I spotted this one looking for a snack in the sand along the shoreline of a small cove near Oregon Inlet in the OBX.
It was quite amicable to my presence and walked up to me a couple times which allowed for some good close up photo opportunities.

The bird featured here is likely a juvenile or non breeding adult due to the streaky pattern on it’s breast and overall spotty appearance.
Adult male Black bellied Plovers display jet black plumage on their face, running down the front of their necks and down across their breast and belly. The adult females look similar to the males but showing less contrast in their appearance.

Black bellied Plovers are a wintertime visitor to coastal areas of the Tarheel State. That being said, a small population of non-breeding birds will spend the summer months here too. They are best found on our beaches but also in tidal mudflat areas and on short grass lawns searching for a meal.
They’ll stick around until April before heading north to their nesting grounds in the tundras of Alaska and Canada so we’ve got plenty of time to enjoy these sweet birds for the season ahead.

@sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my mighty 50 megapixel monster, the @canonusa#5Ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Birdwatching News

OBX Birding trips – 2021 & 2022 North Carolina winter Birdwatching Tour Schedule

Finally colder weather has arrived and with it, new birds are making their way to North Carolina to spend the winter.
I’m so excited because this means my favorite time of year is here, weird duck season lol!

These are some of my favorite birds from my trips to the OBX last year.
As you can see it’s mostly about waterfowl like Wigeons, Northern Shovelers, Redheads, Tundra Swans, Pintails, Eiders and Scaups but there’s also giant American White Pelicans, Coots, American Avocets and more to find too!
And oh yes, there are LOTS of them out there.
The barrier islands of the OBX in eastern NC offers superb habitat conditions for visiting migratory waterfowl with large, shallow freshwater ponds and brackish water marshes for the birds to feed in.
Every autumn, thousands of ducks, geese and swans arrive to settle in these areas which offers excellent viewing and photographic opportunities for birders and bird photographers alike to get up close to these gorgeous feathered gems.

This means that starting on November 28th, I’ll be making several trips to the coast to lead birding / photography tours in the OBX at Pea Island NWR and the Alligator River NWR from now through February 2022.
These trips are an opportunity for us to connect with like-minded bird loving photographers who enjoy the chase as much as we do.
On a personal level, I mean where else can I hang out with groups of people who actually want to hear more random bird facts along with chatter about F stops and shutter speeds?
Do you know how hard it is to find people like you IRL off of the net?
Talk about a “rarity”!
Lol!
At the end of the day, it’s just nice not to feel alone in this pursuit and incredibly rewarding to know that I can help others move forward on the journey with me.
Yeah it’s corny to say out loud but it’s how it is haha 😉
Anyway…if you’d like to join us out there check the calendar below for the Birdwatching NC tour schedule.
Book your date today before space is gone.

I’m looking forward to meeting you to go birding this winter!!!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my mighty 50 megapixel monster the @canonusa#5Ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Winter North Carolina birdwatching tours coming soon

Can you feel it?
The cool breeze seeping in under the still warm sun and crisp blue skies.
The leaves starting to lose those vibrant greens in the west, fading ever so gently into muted tones soon to blaze red & gold into brown.
Yes.
Autumn is here in the Carolinas and following on its heels, the most wonderful time of year…
Weird duck season!!!



Today we’re all concentrating on the fall migrational movements of Warblers and other songbirds but in my opinion, winter will bring my favorite feathered gems to North Carolina.
Redheads, American Wigeons, Green winged Teal, Blue winged Teal, Snow Geese, Tundra Swans, Canvasbacks, Eiders, Pintails, Northern Shovelers and more waiting to delight us once the weather turns cold.



I’ve made the decision to spend as much time as I can this winter traveling to our coastal counties this winter to photograph and share as many duck species as I can from November to February.
Although I’ve got a pretty good idea of what I can expect to find out there, there’s always the potential to be surprised and delighted by something new floating out there in the water (or something furry hiding in a cornfield, lol!).

Wanna join me?
After all, birding & bird photography is better with friends!
Birders / Photographers of all skill levels are welcome and I’ll be sharing plenty of tips along the way.
Check out the link below for my winter tour schedule to book your date.

https://birdwatchingnc.com/birdwatching-n-c-trips-birding-in-north-carolina/


If you have any questions about the details of my trips shoot me an email anytime.
See ya out there!
-Sally

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty @canonusa
#5ds

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Birdwatching News

Rare Bird Alert North Carolina: Roseate Spoonbills spotted in Raleigh at Lake Lynn

By: Sally Siko- Admin Birdwatching NC

Yesterday I received a rare bird notification from @eBird that a pair of Roseate Spoonbills had been spotted at Lake Lynn in Raleigh NC so I decided to go see if I could get a look at them with my friend Corie @calatta
We met up an hour later in the southern parking lot and walked to the north end of the lake where we were happy to find these beautiful birds hunting for a snack in the shallows with a Little Blue Heron
Nice to get a win so easily!


Roseate Spoonbills are normally found in southern Florida and along the coast of Texas during the summer which is why it was so unusual to find these two at Lake Lynn.
That being said, sightings of Spoonbills here in North Carolina have been on the increase in recent years though most of those have occurred in our southern coastal regions.



These lovely birds are best spotted in marshy areas foraging for a meal in the water or mudflats.
Sweeping their namesake spoon-shaped bill side to side in the shallow water, the Spoonbills mouth is partially open as their bill probes into the mud. When they stir up a fish or invertebrate, they’ll clamp that bill shut to capture their prey.
Their diet mainly consists of minnows, but they’ll also eat shrimp, crayfish, crabs, aquatic insects, mollusks, and slugs. Spoonbills will also snack on plants including the roots and stems of sedges.

I have no idea how long these two will stick around the Triangle for so if you can get out within the next day or two you might be able to find them as well.
For reference, I’ve included a Google Map pin drop showing the exact location of these birds at the north end of Lake Lynn (as of yesterday & today) to the end of this post.
Hope you are able to see them too!
Happy birding!
-Sally

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

By the way, check out the video of the Roseate Spoonbills in the Instagram version of this post below!

Bird watching trips in Maine, Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Birding trips at Cape May New Jersey, Birding Trips in New Jersey, Birdwatching News, Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

80 New Bird Watching Trips / Group Birding Tours in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maine and New Jersey have been added for 2024

By: Sally Siko -Admin Best Life Birding

Pack your bags, let’s go birding!!!!

Birders and bird loving photographers of all skill levels are invited to join me, Sally Siko as we explore the trails, woods, fields and shorelines of the United States in search of interesting birds. From North Carolina and beyond, there are plenty of great species to get out and enjoy throughout the year.

Private birding tours in North & South Carolina are also available for reservation to best suit your needs and schedule!

For more information please contact sallysiko@birdwatchingnc.com or call/text (919) 449-7331 to book a private trip.

In addition to local trips here in the Triangle, 80+ new birding tour dates and locations in eastern North Carolina and South Carolina have been added to my 2024 calendar. Click on the dates marked in green in the box below for more information.

Book today as space is limited on these small group tours, Gift Cards are on sale too 🙂

BIRDING TOURS CAPE MAY, NJ

BIRDING TOURS IN MAINE

BIRDING TOURS AT PINCKNEY ISLAND, SC

BIRDING TOURS AT CAPE FEAR SHINERS PARK, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT HUNTINGTON BEACH STATE PARK, SC

BIRDING TOURS THE OBX NORTH CAROLINA

BIRDING TOURS AT THE PEE DEE NWR, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT OLD BYNUM BRIDGE, NC

PAINTED BUNTING BIRDING TOURS AT FT.FISHER, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT WEYMOUTH WOODS, NC


Shown below is the Best Life Birding Instagram feed featuring of some of the species I’ve found for my guests here in the United States.

The year isn’t over yet though. I can’t wait to help you add more birds to your list too!

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Birding tour summery from Ft.Fisher North Carolina

I had an excellent weekend birding with my guests during our recent trip to the Ft.Fisher SRA in southeastern NC.
We saw a nice variety of species and although the Painted Buntings proved to be somewhat elusive to find, we finally spotted a few both at Ft.Fisher & Carolina Beach which was a win in my book ; )

It was a lot of fun to spend time with people who love this birding/photography life as much as I do. I mean where else can I relate to folks better when I say, “hey let’s go try for one more pic” or “do you mind if we travel to another spot to see if we can get just one more bird” and the answer is always a resounding YES!

One of the best moments from the trip was trying to see the Clapper Rails at the Rocks at Ft.Fisher.
When I’d call out to them those darn birds would answer me loudly in unison like a crowd of drunk hecklers at a stand up show.
Yet, they stayed hidden and we only saw one once when it briefly flew out of the tall grass before landing again.
So frustrating lol!
I wish I could have got a photo of those guys (there were several of the Clapper Rails hiding in the marsh) but gosh it was such a funny thing for us to hear them laughing at us that I can’t help but think that’s a moment I’ll never forget. Truly a colorful happy memory as good as any photo I could have caught.

I can’t wait to return here next week! If you’d like to join me out there check out the link below for booking information!

BIRDING TOURS AT FT.FISHER

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

Field Notes, Out There with the Expert

Indigo Buntings at Yates Mill Park in Raleigh, NC

Check out this handsome fellow singing his heart out at Yates Mill Park in Raleigh, NC.
It’s an Indigo Bunting!
This species is one of the most vibrantly colored birds we’ve got here in North Carolina.
They are normally spotted from April to October and can be found in wide open fields which contain a few tall trees with scrub brush mixed into the grass.



Indigo Buntings are named for their deep blue color that makes them look like they’ve been dipped in indigo dye, yet they are actually dressed in black plumage.
Though they may look colorful, it’s a trick of the light which gives them this boldly hued appearance.
How can this be?

The secret to their incredible colors lies in their unique feather structure which diffracts sunlight to show only a visible blue wave length.
And because the blue is a light show rather than true pigmentation, depending on the angle or quality of the sunlight the Buntings can appear to have several shades of the blue color ranging from aqua to cobalt showing in it’s feathers.
Pretty neat huh?
🙂

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

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

An encounter with a Greater Yellowlegs at the Alligator River NWR

While driving through the Alligator River NWR in eastern North Carolina recently, I spotted what I believe to be a pair of Greater Yellowlegs hunting for a meal in a flooded out field on Miltail Rd.



Slowing my truck to a stop, I grabbed my camera, got out and quietly shut the door.
Boots crunching on the gravel road, I tried to move as quietly as possible, every footstep was like walking on semi wet potato chips lol!
Finally I made it onto the grass where I could edge a little closer to see these birds while moving in silence. Happily, I was able to spend about 5 mins watching and photographing these elegant creatures before they moved on across the field.



Moving their heads in a side-to-side sweeping motion, the Greater Yellowlegs probes the mud below its feet searching for a meal of insect larvae, worms, snails, shrimp, minnows and even frogs. When successful they’ll swallow their prey whole, headfirst.
It was neat to watch these two birds in action at a relatively close range.



Greater Yellowlegs look nearly identical to another bird, the Lesser Yellowlegs. Though the Greater is larger then the Lesser, ( GY=15in vs. LY=10in) unless you’ve seen the two species in person (to judge scale of size) it’s hard to tell which is which.
The easiest (well kinda lol) way to tell them apart is to look at the overall length of its bill.

*The Lesser Yellowlegs has a straight bill that is equally the same length as its head front to back.
*The bill of the Greater Yellowlegs has a slightly upturned bill which is longer in length than its head.



Wether it be a Greater or Lesser, seeing a Yellowlegs is really neat and it can be a fun exercise in memory to test out an ID assessment when encountering them in the field.
Well fun, if your into that kind of thing lol!

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

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

A rare Black billed Cuckoo encounter at Yates Mill Park, Raleigh NC

I had an excellent morning of birding last month leading a personal birding tour with Marilyn of @embrblissphotography !
We ticked 20 different species at Yates Mill Park in Raleigh during the tripwith the highlight of the day being this lovely Black- billed Cuckoo! I first spotted him in a willow tree along the Creekside Trail and was super excited to share this bird with Marilyn and other birder/photographers as we snapped about a zillion photos trying to catch this Cuckoo in good light.



Black-billed Cuckoos are caterpillar eating fiends! They have an uncanny knack for finding the juiciest caterpillars in the leaves which this case with the one featured in this series of photos. He gobbled up a huge white fluffy caterpillar in just a few seconds before finding one a few minutes later. If you look closely at the second pic in this post you can see the caterpillars green guts shooting out of it as it succumbed to the squeeze of the Cuckoos bill.
Lol, gross but kinda cool!



During the summer, these handsome birds are typically found throughout the upper midwestern and northeastern United States, south in the Appalachian Mountains from Virginia to Tennessee.

We were lucky to catch some great views of this one who was likely making it’s way through North Carolina along its southern migratory route towards the Yucatán Peninsula and other wintertime destinations in South America.
The Black-billed Cuckoos will pass through the Tarheel State during migration in late April and early May month so get out there and see them this spring!

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