Tag Archives: pocosin lakes wintertime

Check out this sweet Ruby crowned Kinglet!
She was my trail companion on a recent birding trip to the Pungo Unit in eastern NC.
It was really neat to get a look at her up close as she followed me closely, fluttering from the bushes that lined the path.

These tiny birds have personalities that are similar to Chickadees in that they are both energetic and curious about people.
Although if experienced this type of behavior before with Kinglets, I’ve never had one follow me for more than a minute or two.
This one was different.
Over a period of 10 minutes, whenever I’d stop to try and photograph another bird in the distance, she would “stop” too (at least by Kinglet standards which means that she was sticking close by the entire time all while flying up and down the branches of wherever the nearest shrub was located along the way).

This flurry of activity comes at no surprise as these tiny birds are constantly on the move. A fellow bird loving friend Mike Kopack @mpkopack once described them as feathered ping-pong balls which I believe fits them nicely lol!
Happily, this Kinglet paused just long enough for me to grab a quick portrait which was pretty cool.

The Ruby crowned Kinglet requires a relatively large amount of food (for its size) to fuel their energy needs.
In fact, they need to consume around 10 calories a day to keep moving. While this may not sound like very much, this may be a more difficult requirement to meet during the wintertime for a bird that mainly eats small insects, spiders and insect eggs.
So, when the opportunities for six & eight legged meals become scarce, Ruby crowned Kinglets will also forage for berries and seeds in the winter. They may even be spotted dining at your suet feeders during the coldest months.
They will stick around the Tarheel State until late April along our coastal counties and until early May throughout the rest of North Carolina before migrating to their breeding grounds in the Rockies, Alaska and Canada.
Enjoy them while you can!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
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Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Winter birding at the Pungo Unit: Tundra Swan Migration

February 2, 2021 admin

One cannot write about a wintertime visit to the Pungo Unit at the Pocosin Lakes NWR in North Carolina without mentioning the vast numbers of Tundra Swans who spend the cooler months here.

During my birding trip last month, I was greeted by the sight of a huge flock of these large beautiful birds feeding in the wide open fields of the refuge.
It was neat to stand there listening to the swans calling out to one another on the cold December morning!

Arriving in N.C. in late autumn /early winter, Tundra swans, make their way to the the Pungo Unit of Pocosin Lakes NWR where the agricultural fields are filled with leftover grain which provides winter nourishment for the birds.
This crop management is the result of an agreement between the Wildlife Service and local farmers.

During the day, the swans move throughout the refuge flying from Pungo Lake to the farm fields in search of food.
In the the large shallow ponds created by flooded out fields, the birds graze on the submerged vegetation below the waters surface.
It’s in these fields that the birds are best observed up close vs. trying to view them paddling in the water over the vast expanse of Pungo Lake.
Aren’t they lovely?

Photos & video by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
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Birdwatching News, Field Notes, Out There with the Expert, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Wintertime Birding at Pungo Unit of Pocosin Lakes NWR

January 15, 2020 admin

One of the best places to go birding in the east coast of North Carolina is the Pocasin Lakes NWR.
Especially in the wintertime during the Tundra Swan migration.
Each November, these majestic birds arrive by the thousands. Their huge flocks congregate in the Pungo Lake area to feed on the spilled grain in the vast fields which surround the lake.

A flock of Tundra Swans in a canal near Pungo Lake

They are most easily viewed at close range paddling around in the flooded out corn fields and canals which dot the swampy areas surrounding the lake itself.
They will be here through mid February to early March before they head back up north to their breeding grounds in the Arctic.
If you’ve never witnessed this great migration, there is still plenty of time to go see them!

By the way, in addition to Tundra Swans, there are a ton of opportunities to view other wildlife too!
The Pungo lake area is well known as hosting a very large population of black bears. You can also see a wide variety of raptor species such as Northern Harriers, Bald Eagles, Red Tailed Hawks, American Kestrels and more.

On top of that, there are even families of river Otters swimming around in the canals.
Truly, the Pungo Unit of Pocosin Lakes NWR is the crown gem of refuges here in N.C.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc
Canon 5Ds