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

North Carolina Rare Bird alert- Dickcissle in Carrboro NC

By Sally Siko

Stoked to finally lay eyes on my first Dickcissle a couple of hours ago in Carrboro, NC!
Luckily this lifer wasn’t too difficult to spot as he was singing loudly in an open field of Blue Cornflowers across the highway from the Maple View Farm Ice Cream shop between the creamery and the farm pond.
It only took about 30 minutes to locate the bird once I was able to pick out his unique song of sharp sounds followed by a buzzy, almost hissed cisssssselll.
What a beauty!



The breeding range of the Dickcissle typically stretches across the great plains region of the United States. Strangely enough though, quite a few of them also breed east of the Appalachian mountains, including right here in North Carolina.
Though a certain number of Dickcissels call the East Coast home during the summer they are still considered a rare sighting here in the Tar Heel state from May through July.



The Dickcissel is the only living member of the “Spiza” genus, inside the family of Cardinals and were named for the male’s song.
As with other members of Cardinal family, during the breeding season, Dickcissels eat both insects and seeds. Insects include grasshoppers, caterpillars, termites, flies, wasps, beetles; they also eat spiders. During migration and in the winter months, they eat almost exclusively seeds including grasses, willows, and buckwheat as well as crops including rice and sorghum.

These handsome birds are best spotted singing from the tops of scrubby branches in open fields, grasslands and in agricultural areas throughout the midwestern states of the US from Texas to the Dakotas.
But as seen here, you never quite know where a pair of Dickcissles will show up so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for them throughout the summer months.

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

PS. 10/10 recommend getting some ice cream at the nearby Maple View Farm Ice Cream ❤️

Birdwatching News

NC Rare Bird Alert: Update on the Pacific-slope Flycatcher at the Buckhorn Resivour

By Sally Siko

A couple days ago I shared some photos of what I thought was a Pacific-slope Flycatcher.
I’d mentioned in that post that this bird is very very similar genetically to the Cordilleran Flycatcher.
In fact the two species are so closely related and easily mistaken for one another that I told ya that I’d provide an correction if my species assessment was proven incorrect.
Well here’s an update on this finding!

I’ve been keeping an eye on the N.C. eBird rare bird report all week and have noticed that the big brains over at Cornell had not verified ANYONES submission of the bird in question being a Pacific-slope Flycatcher!
That includes a huge amount of listings with observation details & great photos too.
I thought this was a bit weird so I reached out to some of my fellow birders (far smarter than I) and learned the following…

One- Unfortunately the only way to definitively ID this bird is either by measuring in hand or by DNA sample.
Photos and playback call response are meaningless.

Two- Luckily fecal samples from this Flycatcher at the Buckhorn Reservoir, were collected (thank you to whomever was smart enough to collect the bird’s poop!) earlier this week and taken to the N.C. Museum of Science for assessment.

Three- It is best (IMO) to list this bird as a Pacific-slope/Cordilleran Flycatcher (Western Flycatcher) on eBird at this time until the results of the DNA test come back.
Since I can’t say for certain what kind of bird that Flycatcher is, I have changed my tick from Pacific-slope to the more ambiguous description of Western.
Time will tell how that shakes out 😉

Four- North Carolina birder Andrew Thornton is a good dude.
As demonstrated in the conversation which I’ve shared here, he is supremely helpful when it comes to assisting others to bird with integrity.
I think that’s pretty cool 🙂



Going forward, I’ll keep ya posted on what this bird turns out to be either way.
Thanks to everyone out there who’s been following along on this journey.
Happy birding my friends!
-Sally



Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty 50MP monster, the @canonusa #5Ds

Location to see this Flycatcher shown below 🙂

Birdwatching News

NC Rare Bird Alert – A Western Kingbird in Cedar Grove

By Sally Siko

After being sad about barely missing out on seeing a Western Kingbird (literally was 5 seconds late to see that bird!) which had shown up in Raleigh North Carolina last month, today I finally laid eyes on this lifer!
I’ve seen reports that the Kingbird had been spotted yesterday in Cedar Grove NC and figured I’d try to catch a glimpse of the bird since it was less than a 2 hour drive from home.

Luckily when I arrived at the spot of it’s last reported location I did not have to wait too long before I spotted along with a fellow birder perched on a fence wire across a wide pasture.
Although the Western Kingbird stayed far outta the reach of getting a great photo (even on my 600mm lens) I was stoked to finally see this feathered gem for the first time!



The range of the Western Kingbird normally stretches from south central and western Canada, throughout the entire western United States and all the way down into south Central America. To have one show up as far east here in central North Carolina is pretty special!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Kingbird/maps-range#



As it goes with every Kingbird I’ve ever seen, the Western wasn’t too difficult to locate despite it being a super rare find.
The reason is that the behavior of most Kingbirds is predictable in that they always seem to prefer perching on power lines, fence posts, rails and wire fences.
Knowing this trait made spotting this bird relatively easy although there were quite a few fence lines at this spot to keep an eye on for a bit before the bird finally showed up.
So glad this little guy cooperated so nicely in the end 😉



By the way, I noticed that this Western Kingbird seems to have a piece of fly tape stuck to one of his legs.
Luckily, he did not seem to be encumbered by the tape. Hopefully he will be able to free himself of it soon!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty 50MP monster, the @canonusa #5Ds

Google Map pin drop to the Kingbird’s exact location below

Birdwatching News

NC Rare Bird Alert: Black-legged Kittiwake on Wrightsville Beach, NC

By Sally Siko

Just got home after spending the day birding on Wrightsville Beach NC.
I’d set out early this morning with my friend Corie to see if we could lay eyes on a reported Black-legged Kittiwake which had been spotted on Johnnie Mercers Pier.



Normally I don’t chase gulls, terns or pelagic species (because the ocean is freak’n huge lol!) and since I live several hours away from the coast, the odds of anyone bird still being in the same spot, are generally slim to none by the time I arrive.
This time was different because the Kittiwake had been observed actually sitting on the pier over the last few days so against my better judgement I said screw it, I’m going lol!

Now I really had my doubts that the bird would still be there so I was really happy to spot this feathered gem swimming right offshore (at very close range!) within 30 seconds onto stepping onto the pier!
Oh my goodness what a relief haha 🙂
I quickly snapped off a bunch of photos of the Kittiwake paddling in the water below and thought that this was the best view I’d get of the bird.
But then, the Kittiwake took off, circled overhead and landed right next to us on the pier railing (bullying off a Laughing Gull in the process lol).
So freak’n cool I can’t even 😁



So why has this bird been enchanting onlookers in North Carolina over the past week?
To most folks it looks like any regular Gull that you’d see begging for a snack at the beach.
This guy is different though!
The reason why this is such a nice bird to spot on Wrightsville Beach is that Kittiwakes are true pelagic seabirds, spending virtually their entire lives on the open ocean, only touching down on solid grounds in the far North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Arctic regions during their nesting season.


To actually see one up close, perched on a pier in North Carolina was truly a remarkable moment.
Oh and yessss it was a lifer to boot!
Wooohoo!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty 50MP monster, the @canonusa #5Ds

Birdwatching News

NC Rare Bird alert: Snow Buntings at The Alligator River NWR

By Sally Siko

Every so often a new bird pops up on the North Carolina rare bird alert which gets my attention.
Even though I’ve seen Snow Buntings before, it’s always a joy to try and go find one year after year when they make their appearance in the Outer Banks.
That’s why I was so excited to spot a pair of these gorgeous birds at the Alligator River NWR this past weekend!
Laying in the grass next to the road, it was thrilling to get a bunch of good portraits of them at such a close range.

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.
It’s a good thing that the females are picky about choosing their mates as their life depends on him caring for at that time.



Often seen with flocks of Longspurs and sparrows, Snow Buntings are using spotted feeding 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 pair spent most of their time either picking at spilled seed along a gravel rd or on the shoulder area hunting for insects in the grass.

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 of course right here in eastern North Carolina too which is pretty neat!Look for them hiding on the low dunes, short grass/ sand flats, and on rock jetty’s and along gravel roads throughout the OBX from now through mid February.

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

Google Maps pin drop to the Buntings exact location at the Alligator River NWR below…

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

A rare bird encounter: Gray Kingbirds at Ft.Fisher North Carolina

By Sally Siko

Last month I took a trip to Ft.Fisher NC to try and find a pair of Gray Kingbirds which had recently been spotted in the area.
These handsome birds normally range from Florida south through the Caribbean down to South America so spotting one of them here in North Carolina would be a win on my yearly list!



As it so often goes when looking for a rare bird, it can take some time to narrow down a location of where the species in question will most likely be seen.
In this case I used my general knowledge of Kingbirds to help find this one in relatively short order.
In my experience photographing the Eastern Kingbird (a locally common species here in the eastern US), I know that I’ve always had the best luck by looking for them on power lines and fence rails overlooking open fields.
Since the property around the museum at Ft.Fisher does have a power line going over a field I figured that would be the most fruitful place to look for the Grays.
As luck would have it, there it was perched on an overhead line peering down at me while I took as many photos as I could before he flew away.
So cool!

Like many others in the Kingbird family, Grays have a reputation for being fearless and are known for their territorial behavior and displays of aggression towards other other birds.
Even those much larger than themselves, such as hawks, owls and crows can’t escape the ire of a territorial Gray Kingbird.
Heck, in Florida (where they spend their breeding season) they’ve even been observed harassing mammals, such as cats, dogs or humans that dare to venture too close to their nests.
Crazy huh?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers in Charlotte NC

By: Sally Siko

This past spring, I took a quick trip to try and find my first Scissor tailed Flycatcher at Ft. Fisher NC.
That lone fly catcher was a vagrant in the area and I certainly didn’t expect to lay eyes on another one until next year when I head out to Texas for my spring migration tour on High Island.

But as luck would have it, a pair of Scissor tailed Flycatchers have shown up in the Charlotte North Carolina area in June!
So I met up with my friend Corie to see if we could capture some better photos of this beautiful species.
This time I think I nailed it and am very pleased with how the photos turned out 🙂



The Scissor tailed Flycatcher’s normal range extends south from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, in areas of western Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana, all the way down into Mexico and Central America.
This species is a rare sight indeed east of the Mississippi and certainly not a common bird to spot in North Carolina!
That being said, there seems to be an increase in sightings of the aptly nicknamed ‘Texas Bird of Paradise here in the Tarheel state which I find absolutely fascinating.

The flycatchers appeared to be a bonded male & female pair which makes me wonder if they’ve got a nest in the area.
I’d learned that they prefer to nest in trees or tall shrubs, usually on horizontal limbs about 7 to 30ft above the ground so I did spend some time checking the trees in the area to see if I could locate a nest but to no avail.
I plan to revisit the spot in a couple weeks so perhaps I might get lucky and confirm a nest site then.
We’ll see I guess 🙂



Btw, if you’d like to see these birds for yourself, I’ve included a Google Maps screenshot of their exact location in the last photo of this post.
*drawn purple lines show where the birds mainly hang out near the pin drop.
Be respectful of the property owners though as the land the birds are on is actually an Amazon distribution center!
Best advice is to stay on the side of the road where the drainage pond is.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Birdwatching News, Out There with the Expert

North Carolina Rare Bird Alert: A mountain Bluebird at Wrightsville Beach, NC

Are these the prettiest pics of a Mountain Bluebird you’ve ever seen?
Lol, nope!
Yet, these are the photographs of the first Mountain Bluebird I’ve ever laid eyes on so they are beautiful in my eyes.
Better still, since my mighty megapixel beast the 5Ds is out of commission and I’ve loaned out my R5 and 600mm lens, I took these photos with my old warhorse team, the Canon 5Dmkii & a Canon 200mm lens.



Due to the distance limitations of the 200mm, I had to crop the photos but could only do so much.
Yet, it surprising how well my aged gear holds up against my contemporary equipment in regards to image quality.
Goes to show ya that the best camera for the job is the one you’re carrying at the time.
On this day, it is the capturing of the memory which counts most and I could not be happier with the results 🙂



Mountain Bluebirds are typically found in the Rocky Mountains and in other areas of the western United States and Canada.
That’s why I was so excited to have an opportunity to photograph this one close to home in Wrightsville Beach North Carolina!
What this little blue feathered gem was doing all the way out here is anyones best guess.
Happily though, this Mountain Bluebird displays similar behavior to our friendly native Eastern species so it was quite amicable to having its photo taken at a relatively close range.

Special thanks to @wrightsvillesup for their hospitality in allowing me to photograph this bird on their property 🙌

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the the (alive and still kicking!) @canonusa #5Dmkii

Birdwatching News, Out There with the Expert

North Carolina Rare Bird Alert: A Snowy Owl encounter in the Outer Banks

Each winter, a very special sort of tourist shows up in OBX of North Carolina, the Snowy Owl!


I’d seen reports two weeks ago that the bird was back in the Nags Head & Ocracoke areas so I hit the road to see if I could find this shy high Arctic visitor.
On our first trip I spent 4 days looking but came up empty.
I’ve had this bird on my target list for years but never seem to be in the right place at the right time to see it.
Once again I’d come up a day late and a dollar short on the Snowy Owl hunt.
Sigh…

Disappointed (but not unhappy because birding in the OBX during the winter is awesome owl or no owl haha!) I figured that I’d try again to find it whenever it popped up again in NC.
I kinda assumed that would be next year but as it turned out, I didn’t have to wait that long!
In fact, I was only home for about 24 hours when another alert was shared that the owl had been spotted near Pea Island again.
So, I repacked the bags (which had just been unpacked, lol!) and headed straight back out to Nags Head to try once more.
Day after day, I searched but with no luck.
Until the very last hour before heading home that is…

Finally, after a couple hundred miles of driving over two weeks, dozens of miles on foot hiking on sand, through snow, rain, wind and biting cold temperatures, my persistence paid off as my sweeping searching of the dune trail south off of Ramp 4 at Oregon Inlet yielded our first look at this elusive owl.


It was a real rush to be able to snap off a few photos of a bird I’ve been hoping to see for years. Although the encounter was brief, I’ll never forget twisting the barrel of my lens to zoom in on the birds white head poking up from behind a tuft of grass. That moment of realization that the search was over once the owls head was in focus was exhilarating.
It was also a tremendous relief to be able to exclaim out loud “I got it”!
Woohooo!



Special thanks to @apexbirdluver for the heads up 😉

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved 50MP beast, 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