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Birdwatching News

Rare Bird alert: Lark Sparrow sighting in North Carolina

The neatest thing about birding is that ya never quite know for sure what you’re going to see when you step outside.
Sure, we’ve got our goals and general expectations on hand but each time we head out there is an opportunity to to be surprised and delighted with an unexpected find.
Case in point, this Lark Sparrow that I spotted while leading a trip to the Pea Island NWR this past Sunday.



Up until that point, tbh the birding was less then stellar that day lol. There had been a remarkable lack of bird activity going on so when I first put this bird into focus on my lens it was pretty exciting!
The reason why is because the Lark Sparrow’s range stretches from primarily the Great Plains and west to the California coast. Year-round populations also occur in Texas and northern Mexico.
That being said a very, very small population of Lark Sparrows spend the summer right here in North Carolina too!
Usually those birds are found in isolated spots the Sandhill region of the central part of the state so it was incredibly cool to find one here in the OBX at the beginning of migration.



When Lark Sparrows do show up in the eastern counties of NC during the autumn months, they prefer to forage in areas of wide sandy-scrub patches. The dry dunes and field habitats here on Pea Island are just perfect for them.
Unfortunately these beauties won’t be here for much longer as most will head south for the winter in a week or two but if you missed them this year, the Lark Sparrows will return to the Tarheel state next April.

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

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, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Snow geese at the Pea island NWR

One of my favorite moments during the Pea Island NWR birding trip was finding these Snow Geese on the shoreline of the South Pond.
After no sightings of these beauties throughout the morning, I’d just about given up hope that I’d find some which was kind of disappointing. Still, we all had seen some lovely birds that day so it wasn’t a major let down.
Later that day, I was enjoying the Northern Shovelers with my guests when in the distance, a large flock of birds caught my eye as they came in for a landing.
They appeared as tiny specks on the horizon but as soon as I put my 600mm lens on the flock, I instantly knew that finally the Greater Snow Geese had arrived!
I quickly gathered up the group and we drove a little further south to where I’d seen the birds touch down.



Wow! It was so worth it to drive a few minutes because when we pulled off of the road to get a better look, we found a couple hundred of the Geese foraging in the mudflats right next to the hyway.
It was absolutely thrilling to be so close to these gorgeous birds and better still, to see how happy the group was with this encounter!



The Greater Snow Goose is a wintertime visitor to the coastal regions of North Carolina and are often found in great numbers (by the thousands!) at the Pungo Unit, Lake Mattamuskeet and right here at the Pea Island NWR.
Interestingly, only one population of Greater Snow Geese exists in the world. In addition, the species movements as a whole is almost entirely confined to the Atlantic flyway of North America.
Greater Snow Geese breed in the Canadian High Arctic, and on the western coast of Greenland. This makes the Greater Snow Goose one of the most northerly breeding geese in the world.


They will only be here in N.C. through late March before they make the trip north again so it’s likely that you’ll have to wait until January too see them again 🙂

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Spending time with The American Avocet at the Pea Island NWR

About an hour into the trip at the Pea Island NWR, the wind picked up as a cold front pushed in from the north.
I mean in an instant, it really got crazy out there! Gusts of 50mph wind plus a driving cold rain that just cut right through ya. More than once, the wind was blowing so hard, it felt like it could rip the 600mm lens from my fingers at any moment (shout out to @canonusa for building a kick ass camera that can exceed performance expectations in weather like that).


There were actually white caps churning on the surface of the normally glass-smooth North Pond. It was nuts!
Despite the foul weather we still saw tons of great stuff including these beauties, the American Avocet.



This medium sized shorebird is indeed a lovely sight dressed in its winter plumage of grey and white, yet it’s most striking field mark is their delicate bill which is long with a distinct upward curving tip. The Avocets use their bills to skim along the water’s surface, in search of insects and small crustaceans.


As seen in the photo above, these sociable birds will often move through the water in flocks, feeding & roosting together with other waders like Godwits, Herons and Ibis.



The American Avocet is a relatively common sight here on Pea Island from late July through April but becomes more difficult to find May through June.
Look for them in slow moving, shallow bodies of fresh/brackish water marshes and ponds in our coastal impoundments throughout the OBX.
Aren’t they beautiful?

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

Northern Shovelers at the Pea Island NWR

For sure one of the most unique looking ducks we’ve got here in N.C. during the wintertime is the Northern Shoveler.


The group and I spotted several of these handsome birds during the trip to the Pea Island NWR last month and could not have been more pleased to see them!
We even had a chance to view this pair from under 10 feet away which allowed for some excellent photo opportunities as they happily swam right in front of us on the South Pond.



Northern Shovelers are uniquely adapted for a life spent foraging for a meal underwater. They feed by drawing water into its large spoon shaped bill and then pump it out through the sides with their tongue.
Their bill is lined with a long comb-like lamellae which filters out floating food particles such as tiny crustaceans, molluscs, insects, larvae as well as seeds and pieces of leaves and stems of aquatic plants.
In addition to the food particles they’ll also dine on water beetles, small minnows, and snails when available.



As is the case with other members of the dabbling duck family, Northern Shovelers may be found foraging for meal along the shorelines of the shallow, still or slow moving waters of marshes, ponds, flooded out fields and in our coastal impoundments.
These guys will hang out in North Carolina until
mid April before departing to their northern breeding grounds so there is still time for you to get out there and see them if you can!

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

A Sanderling encounter on Oregon Inlet at the Pea Island NWR

After visiting the North Pond at the Pea Island NWR with my guests, we headed north up Rt.12 to the Pea Island Life Saving Station to see what we could find along the shores of the Oregon Inlet.
Along with Pelicans, Gulls and Ruddy Turnstones, a couple Sanderlings flew in and began foraging in the sand.



A familiar shorebird to many here in North Carolina, Sanderlings are usually seen scurrying after waves as they roll back out to sea always in the hunt for tiny crustaceans and mollusks exposed by the retreating water.
These tiny birds are quite entertaining to watch! With legs that seem to move a ‘mile a minute, these pint sized dynamos make quick work in their efforts to find a meal on the beach.


What’s the secret to their speed?
As seen in the photo below, Sanderlings are the only sandpiper which lacks a hind toe!
Propelling their weight forward with every step into the sand, this unique foot adaptation allows them to be strong runners with less resistance.



Sanderlings are one of the most common species of Sandpiper in the world. Indeed, during the wintertime they may be found along every coastline in the United States including Alaska and Hawaii too.
Here in N.C. they are a year round resident but during the summer, they are slightly less common because the ones who spend the warmer months here on our beaches are non breeding birds.
Whatever the season, it’s always nice to see one 🙂

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Field Notes

Savannah Sparrow at the Pea Island NWR

Check out this sweet Savannah Sparrow! My guests and I spotted this one while on a recent birding trip to the Pea Island NWR in eastern North Carolina.
Although they do breed in the Appalachian Mountains, Savannah Sparrows are a far more common sight during the winter throughout the rest of the state.
I think I saw at least 40 of them during my visit to the OBX which was pretty cool!

These little guys look similar to other sparrows with brown striping on their breasts so they can be difficult to ID at a distance. The thing to look for is that distinctive yellowish spot on the lore in front of and on top of their eye.
They were first named for Savannah, Georgia, (the city in which they were originally identified) yet they boast a wide range stretching from the northern shores of the Arctic Ocean, Canada, the United States and down into the southernmost regions of Mexico.

Like many sparrow species, Savannahs are voracious insect eaters and prefer to forage in habitats of open short grass fields containing piles of scrubby brush.
As is the case with this sweet little bird featured in these photos, they also inhabit our tidal salt marshes, ponds and estuaries during the winter where the likely-hood of finding a six or eight legged snack near the water is greatly increased.


Look for them in central and eastern North Carolina from September through May and June-August in the mountains of western part of the state.

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

White Ibis at the Pea island NWR in eastern North Carolina

One of the first birds to greet my guests on the third day of the trip to the Pea Island NWR were these lovely White Ibises.
We stood on the bank of the North Pond for quite a while watching their antics as they squabbled with one another while foraging on the shoreline.



As seen here in this series of photos below, the juveniles are dressed in a brown, grey and white plumage while the adult Ibis sport that classic white and black color palate on their feathers.
Also if you look very closely at them you’ll notice that White Ibises have beautiful blue eyes.



Ibis nest in large colonies along the southern North Carolina coast between April and July. Their nests are made of sticks, grass and leaves, and can be found up in the tops of trees. Once their eggs have been laid, incubation can last up to 22 days with both parents sharing the responsibility in time spent on the nest. 
After hatching it will take up to 40 days or so for the chicks to gain their independence and are able to join the flock at large.

Pea Island NWR



It was neat to spend time with this small group of adult and juvenile Ibises. The younger ones seemed to pay attention to the behavior of the adults following them closely like shadows.
Wherever the adult Ibis would probe for a meal in the grass, the juvenile would do the same.
As the group and moved on to another spot, I thought to myself that the next generation of White Ibises appeared to be in good hands indeed.

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 Brown Pelican encounter at the Pea Island NWR

As the end of my second day in the OBX, I made a quick stop at the Oregon Inlet on Pea Island NWR to see if I could tick off any new birds for the tour ahead.
Unfortunately I didn’t find anything unexpected but as I walked alone along the jetty, I knew there was no place I’d rather be.
Give me a cold ocean breeze, the sound of waves on rocks, mix in some gull cries on the wind and I’m happy 🙂
At first I thought that I’d be unable to get any usable photos before darkness set in, yet the waning light yielded the perfect conditions for capturing some portraits of the Brown Pelicans cruising over the water.



These birds are a neat creature to see up close, especially while in flight!
Although they’ve got a wingspan of 7ft, they’re actually the smallest member of the 8 members of Pelican species. They are also the only species of Pelican to occur exclusively in salt and brackish water marine habitats. This means you’re likely to see them hunting for fish over the ocean, along the beach, over sandbars, bridges, jettys, and docks.


Brown Pelicans are a permanent resident of North Carolina and are known to nest in at least 10 different sites along our coast.
That was always the case though.
Just a few decades ago, the numbers of Brown Pelican were locked in a steep decline due to a string of brutal winters causing many of the birds to starve.


Today, thanks to warmer winter temperatures and the continued success of wildlife management programs implemented in our estuarine islands, populations of Brown Pelicans are growing every year making them a familiar sight along our beaches once again.
Truly something to be thankful for while on a winter evening’s stroll along the Atlantic 🙂

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

Birding at the Pea Island NWR: The Pied-billed Grebe

Here’s an interesting bird that I enjoyed seeing at the Pea Island NWR, the Pied billed Grebe.
These guys were everywhere! It was neat to watch these spunky little birds harass the Coots for a meal when they’d come up from a dive.



Pied billed Grebes are perfectly built for a life spent under water in pursuit of a meal.
Like many species of ducks, Grebes are able to waterproof their feathers by preening them with secretions from an oil gland located at the base of the tail. This means that they can dive consecutively without becoming waterlogged.
They’ve also got solid bones which adds to their weight enabling them to dive deeper and remain underwater longer.
Grebes have short, narrow wings somewhat reminiscent of that of a Penguin in appearance and and are able compress their feathers by pulling them in close to their bodies which aids their maneuverability when swimming.
They are a bit awkward looking on land and aren’t very good at just strolling through a marsh. This is because a Grebe’s legs are located father back on their body to help with propulsion underwater.

Although Pied billed Grebes seem to possess a lot of similarities with ducks they are a part of a larger family of diving birds called Podicipedidae. Their binomial name of Colymbus podiceps is derived from the Latin word Podilymbus, a contraction of podicipes which means “feet at the buttocks or arsefoot” and a Greek words kolymbos, meaning “diver”, and podiceps, meaning “rump-headed”.
This makes a lot of sense when you consider their leg placement on their body. Plus it’s amusing to think about a birds name basically meaning “ass footed-rump headed diver” lol!


Pied billed Grebes are a year round resident of North Carolina but are best found in the wintertime when they gather in large numbers in our eastern coastal counties.
Look for them in quiet freshwater marshes, near the shorelines of small to medium sized ponds, shallow lakes, or bays with reedy banks and swimming slow moving streams with a brushy shoreline containing cattails.

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