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Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Green-winged Teal at Umstead Park

My favorite thing about November is the arrival of various migrating waterfowl to North Carolina (or weird Duck season as I call it, haha!).
I took a quick birding trip to Big Lake at Umstead Park in Raleigh to see what might have flown in with the recent cold front.
Although there wasn’t a huge amount of action on the water, I did spot this small flock of Green-winged Teal flying along the far shoreline on the northern side of the lake.


I wasn’t able to get very close to them to get some good shots but anticipate returning here next month when greater numbers of waterfowl should offer me better chances for good photo opportunities.

These little ones are among the smallest of the dabbling duck family. Male Green-winged Ducks have a green stripe going across their faces which is absolutely gorgeous when the sunlight reflects off of it! Both sexes have bright aqua green wing patches (called specula) with white borders which are best viewed when they’re in flight.
*Swipe to the second photo in this post to see an example of this birds name sake feathers.

Green-winged Teals are a familiar wintertime resident of North Carolina as they arrive in droves from their breeding grounds in Canada and the northern parts of the United States.
Mainly found in central and eastern regions of the state, look for them in fresh & brackish water areas, marshes, ponds and lakes.
They’ll stick around until March and occasionally early April so there’s plenty of time for you to see them 🙂

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the incomparably awesome @canonusa
#5Ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Great blue Heron at Umstead Park in Raleigh, NC

During a quick visit to Umstead Park in Raleigh this week, I happened to catch a quick photo of this Great Blue Heron gliding across the water.
The morning sun set the lake aglow with colors as the light reflected off of the trees along the shoreline into the water below.
It was neat to stand there in this moment taking it all in 🙂



Great Blue Herons are a familiar bird to most folks here in North Carolina. From marshes, swamps, lakes, ponds and rivers, pretty much anywhere you find water, the odds are good you’ll likely spot a Great Blue Heron hunting there.
Although they are a year round resident of the Tarheel state, there are populations of these beauties that migrate south to warmer climates during the winter.
We usually see them flying short distances between the stumps and trees, yet these birds are impressive long distance travelers too!
Last year, researchers tracked a Geo-tagged female Heron (named Harper) from Canada to Florida between October 4th and October 6th. Her epic flight path (flying non-stop!) over the Atlantic coastline took just 38 hours to complete.
Just incredible 🙂

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

Field Notes, Instagram Birding, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

An Ovenbird encounter at the Jordan Lake State Park recreation Area

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While exploring the woods near the Audubon Observation Deck near Apex, N.C., I heard a familiar melody echoing through the trees. I followed the song to a small clearing and was rewarded with the sight of a beautiful little Ovenbird perched on a low lying branch. This warbler can be found foraging for insects and grubs on the floor of North Carolina’s mature forests–those that are usually dry with deciduous trees, but you can also find them in wet areas or in northern coniferous forests. They prefer to hang out in areas with little or no underbrush making them relatively easy to find in the dark woods. By the way, did you know that the term "oven" bird comes from the shape of their ground nests which look like a little oven? Neat! 🙂 Photo by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc Canon 5Ds . . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #birdwatchers #bird #birds #ncbirding #ncbirds #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #ncoutdoors #ncnature #canonwildlife #ncwildlifephotographer #northcarolinabirding #birdwatchingnc #northcarolinabirds #audubonsociety #birdoftheday #audubonnc #ovenbird #bestbirds #bestbirdshots #birds #birdwatcher #jordanlakenc

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

Hooded mergansers have returned to Umstead Park

By: Sally Siko, Admin Birdwatching N.C.

Absolutely thrilled to see Hooded Mergansers during a recent trip Umstead Park!
Such a cool looking bird 🙂
These diving ducks sport a distinctive fan-like hood on the back of their heads. An unmistakable sight when picking them out in a mixed flock.
A year round resident of North Carolina, Hooded Mergansers are found on freshwater lakes, wooded wetlands and tidal shallows throughout the Tarheel State.

Mergansers take off by running across the water’s surface while flapping its wings. In flight, they hold their bill, head, body and tail straight. I photographed these lovely ducks on the wing as they raced to the northern end of Umstead Park Lake.
They moved fast on rapid wingbeats and were gone in a blink of an eye.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatchingnc
Canon 5Ds