Tag Archives: obxbirding

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

Marbled Godwits in eastern NC

By Sally Siko

Pleased to spend time with a resting flock of Marbled Godwits last week while birding in eastern NC.
I’d been scouting the area for newly arrived migratory waterfowl when I discovered this sleepy group snoozing on the shore of a large pond.
I ended up just chilling on the sand next to them for about 30 minutes taking in the nice view and of course a few photos too.



Marbled Godwits are an autumn and wintertime resident of North Carolina and found mainly looking for a meal on the mudflats in the shallow water tidal marshes and impoundments of our coastal counties.
Their diets mainly consist of marine worms and small crustaceans but they’ll also eat insects and other invertebrates when the opportunity arises.

 When feeding, they’ll move slowly probing for food underneath the mud with their sensitive bill. If a Godwit finds prey deep down they’ll insert their entire bill into the mud, sometimes submerging their entire head if it means coming up with a snack.
Yes, muddy headed Godwits are a thing lol!



Standing at around 18 inches tall, these attractive cinnamon colored birds are relatively easy to ID in a mixed flock of smaller shorebirds such as sandpipers, Willets, Dowichers and plovers.
They’ll stick around the coastal counties of NC through late March so you’ve still got plenty of time to see one for yourself this year.
Aren’t they beautiful?

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

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Crow encounter in the OBX

Now here’s another bird I’ve seen about a zillion times yet have very few decent photographs of, a Crow.
As common as this species may be, they are wicked smart and often camera shy despite their boisterous and often inquisitive personalities.
That’s why I was stoked to be able to snap off a couple shots of this one from my car while driving through a campground last week on Cape Hatteras.
Sure, these are not the most epic of outdoor nature photos since the crow is chilling out on top of a picnic table but I sure was glad to be able to spend a few precious minutes photographing this handsome fellow at a relatively close range.

With their glossy black plumage and familiar croaking calls, even when at a great distance the American Crow is one of the easiest birds to ID in the field.
Or so you might think, lol!
In fact we’ve got another species of Crow here in North Carolina which can muddy up the waters of a definitive ID.
The second species is the Fish Crow and unfortunately they look nearly identical to the American Crow.
Other than the fact that Fish Crows are usually found near water (hence the name) it’s almost impossible to tell these two species apart other than by their call (fish crow- a horse sounding ca, caw ca caw vs. cawwww caawww of the American) and (sometimes!) upright or huddled posture while calling.

The truth is that despite the fact that I spotted this bird in the dunes near the ocean I’m not 100% certain weather this is a Fish or American Crow because it never vocalized.
Whichever the species I was glad to spend some time with him 🙂

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved 50MP beast, the @canonusa#5Ds

Instagram Birding

Spending time with Boat-tailed Grackles on Jennette’s pier in Nags Head NC

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

Spending time with a Common Eider on Jennettes Pier in Nags Head NC

By: Sally Siko

Last week, I returned to the OBX of North Carolina to lead a birding trip.
As always, I arrived a couple of days early to scout out the area to make sure all of the expected species were where they were supposed to be.

After spending the day on Pea Island, I headed up to Jennettes Pier to see if I could catch a glimpse of some sea birds hunting for a meal on the Atlantic.
There was plenty to see including Black Scoters, Common Loons, Gulls and Grebes but most of them were flying far offshore. Only the Brown Pelicans were swooping in at close range.



By 4:45, daylight fading fast I was about to leave when this lovely Common Eider hen flew in and landed alongside the pier.
Although I certainly wish I could have photographed this beautiful bird from a lower vantage point, the last few minutes of golden hour light was simply too good to pass up for catching these portraits.



Measuring 25-27 inches in length with a wingspan stretching 41 inches, Common Eiders are the largest species of duck in the northern hemisphere.
Their size non withstanding, Eiders are agile swimmers. They spend a great deal of their time at sea diving beneath the waves in search of mussels, clams, scallops, sea urchins, starfish, and crabs resting on the ocean floor or clinging to rocks and jetty’s.
Because their prey is often located in shallow water, they are more easily found then other sea duck species when birding on the shoreline.

Common Eiders are a wintertime visitor to the coastal areas of NC.
Interestingly, 95% of sightings of this species in the Tarheel State comprise of adult females and immature males while the bulk of adult males appear to spend the winter in New England and Newfoundland.



Look for Eiders in coves, near inlets and especially around bridges, piers and rock jetties. Basically anywhere along the oceans edge where mussels and crabs are present.
These beautiful ducks will stick around NC until early April so we’ve still got plenty of time to enjoy them.
Aren’t they wonderful?
🙂

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

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

Rare Bird Alert North Carolina- Snow Bunting at Oregon Inlet OBX

This past weekend, I led a birding trip to the OBX and was pleased to show my guests a rare wintertime visitor to NC, the Snow Bunting!
It was such a joy to see how happy this bird made the people on the tour, so many big smiles, what a great way to cap off the day.

Snow Bunting at Oregon Inlet on Pea Island in the OBX, North Carolina



Dedicated cold weather birds, Snow Buntings breed in the high Arctic. They nest in the crevices and deep cracks of rocks which provide protection from the Arctic winds.
Though their nests are thickly lined with grass, feathers and tufts of fur, due to the extreme cold temperatures the female is unable to leave the nest so her mate is wholly responsible for feeding her while she is incubating the eggs.



Often seen with flocks of Longspurs and sparrows, Snow Buntings feed on the ground, foraging for a variety of seeds and buds as well as insects and other small invertebrates, including small marine crustaceans when spending time in coastal areas.
This particular bird spent most of its time either on the rocks overlooking the water or on the ground eating grass seed under the bridge along Oregon Inlet.



The Snow Buntings normal wintertime range extends from southern Canada down to Pennsylvania on the east coast, across the upper Midwest over to western Oregon.
They are also an infrequent visitor to the coastal areas of Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.
Look for them hiding on the low dunes, short grass/ sand flats, and on rock jetty’s in the OBX from November through February.

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Common Eiders at Jennettes Pier in Nags Head NC

Once we wrapped up our visit to the Pea Island NWR, the group and I headed out to Jennettes Pier in Nags Head, NC to see I could provide some good views of any pelagic species hunting on the ocean for my guests.
A few minutes after walking to the end of the pier, we were delighted to see these four Common Eiders floating on the waves!
It was an incredible experience to be able to share these ducks with the group as they were life birds for everyone.



The plumage of the Common Eider varies in several stages while the bird is growing into an adult.
During their three years, males will molt their feathers eight times, changing their color from a juvenile blackish brown to an adult chocolate brown plumage mottled with white in winter (as seen in these photos).
When breeding season arrives, they’ll morph into a handsome black and white plumage combination with a small area of light emerald green on their back and sides of their heads.
Changes in female plumage are less dramatic: from a juvenile blackish brown, the hen then becomes a warm reddish brown as an adult.



Common Eiders nest in large colonies along much of the coast of northern North America, south to Maine in the east and south to the Alaska Peninsula in the west.
During the wintertime they migrate south to spend the cooler months in warmer waters. Here in the east, they’ll winter from Greenland to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and south along the Atlantic Coast into Virginia and North Carolina. In the west, they’ll spend the in winter southern Alaska.
Although they are not a common sight in the waters off of North Carolina’s Atlantic coast, they may be spotted from early November through April.
Look for them paddling near jetty’s & piers and even under bridges hunting for a meal.

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Wintertime birding in the OBX

Recently, I made the trip out to eastern NC to the Pea Island NWR, Pocosin Lakes NWR & the Alligator River NWR to see what kind of wintering birds I could find.

I was not disappointed!
From Tundra Swans, American Bitterns, White Pelicans, Bald Eagles and a nice variety of gorgeous ducks, it was a great time all around.

Here’s a video I made from the trip. Funny thing is that I didn’t even come close to including all of the birds that I saw. I’ll likely publish more on those birds in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned!
Thanks for watching & happy birding!
Sally Adams Siko

PS. I still have spots available for guests to come along on with me my return tour to the Pocosin Lakes NWR, Pea Island in 2021!
Check out the trip from the list below and book today before it’s gone.

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

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

Birding tour coming up in the Outer banks of North Carolina

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A couple weeks ago, I went birding in the OBX at the Pea Island NWR, the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, the Black Pelican Beach at Ramp 34 and the Cape Point Campground at the Cape Hattaress National Seashore. I also got in a little solo birding at the Bodie Island Visitors Center. From Black bellied Plovers and Caspian Terns, to Marbled Godwits and Yellow crowned Night Herons, it was awesome to get out there to the coast to see some crazy cool looking birds. I’ll be headed back to the Pea Island NWR to lead another trip to catch some great views of migrating waterfowl in November. Wanna join me? Birders and photographers of all skill levels are welcome! Bring your cameras (long lens attached) binoculars or a scope and lets go see some great birds together. Shoot me a DM and I’ll send you a link to the tour page with details & booking info 🙂 Photos & video by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa #5Ds . . . . #birdnerd #birdsofinsta #birdsofinstagram #ncwildlife #birding #birdwatching #birdwatchers #bird #birds #ncbirding #ncbirdwatching #canon #canon5ds #ncnature #northcarolinabirding #audubon #birdwatchingnc #birdersofinstagram #audubonsociety #birdwatchingtour #audubonnc #lovebirdsluvsbirds #lovebirdslovesbirds #obxbirding #peaisland #capehatteress

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

A Killdeer encounter in the OBX

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This Killdeer was quite curious about my presence during my trip last month to the Pea Island NWR in Rodanthe N.C.
She come right up close, gave me the once over and went off about her business of finding a meal without concern.
Killdeers are the largest species of ringed plover in the United States. Their breeding range spans the entire country and from Pacific coast, to across all of the southern U.S., Killdeer are considered year-round residents.

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As a ground-dwelling bird, the Killdeer prefers open space with minimal vegetation, which may include lawns, driveways, parking lots, golf courses, and open fields.
Like other species of plovers, they will employ a false broken wing behavior to lure potential predators away from their nest sites so watch your step and back away from any Killdeer that you see displaying this behavior to avoid stressing out their family.

Bears & Birding Tours

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