By: Sally Siko – Admin Birdwatching NC

Yesterday I headed out to go birding on the Pungo Unit at the Pocosin Lakes NWR and Lake Mattamuskeet.
Originally I’d intended to see if I could find another Painted Bunting but that was not to be.
Yet as it goes with birding, often disappointing losses actually turn into interesting opportunities to see new birds that one never expected to find.
Well, that’s exactly what happened 4 times yesterday!

GREATER YELLOWLEGS

The first unexpected encounter was with a Greater Yellowlegs that I found looking for food in what may be (generously lol) described as a big puddle at the Pungo Unit.
Although they are known to spend the winter here, these handsome birds normally aren’t found in NC during the summer.

As seen in this photograph, during the breeding season, the Greater Yellowlegs sports plumage patterns of dense, nearly black lines speckled on their pale grey breast and necks. It’s quite a change from what we normally see of them in the wintertime which is a muted brown buff color.

Check out the map below for the location of where I found this bird.

BOBOLINK

The second unexpected bird I found was a male Bobolink at Lake Landing on Lake Mattamuskeet. This was the place I’d expected to find a Painted Bunting and I was so focused on listening for their familiar call that I nearly missed the Bobolink.
I first heard him calling out from the talk rushes sticking up from the mud flats of the drained pond. Initially I thought it was a Red-winged Blackbird call so I ignored it.
After hearing it call out over and over again, I focused my camera on it because the calls began to sound different than usual to me.
It was pretty far away but as soon as I saw that pale patch of feathers on his nape, I knew that this was no blackbird! I tried my best to get some clear photos but the bird remained far away at the limits of my focal ranges, thus the photos I took aren’t the prettiest.
Still, I’m very happy to have documented the moments I first saw a Bobolink in the summertime at Lake Mattamuskeet!

The Bobolinks northern breeding range extends from Maine to Washington State which is why it seems unusual to see one on the middle of July. That being said, their spring and fall migration does bring them down here to NC. Perhaps this one arrived in March and is just getting a head start on the autumn journey ahead by sticking around here for the summer.

Check out the map below for the location of where I found this bird.

TUNDRA SWAN

The third surprise bird was this gorgeous Tundra Swan at the Pungo Unit. I found the bird swimming around in a flooded out field with a flock of Canada Geese.
I have had the pleasure of witnessing the great flocks of Tundra Swans during their winter migration here at the Pungo Unit in the past. It’s pretty weird to think that just six months ago there may have been more than 300k Swans filling the waters and fields here but now, there’s just this one.

I met up with another N.C. wildlife photographer, Robert Mullen while I was out on this day who photographs birds here several times a week all year round.
He indicated that the belief of the wildlife officials is that this bird may have been injured over the winter and was unable to migrate this past spring.
I felt bad for this elegant one, all alone in the refuge. But, if he can survive the next few months, he’ll have plenty of company to spend time with this winter as the rest of the flock makes the southward journey from the Arctic to the Pungo Unit.

Check out the map below for the location of where I found this bird.

MAGNOLIA WARBLER

Last but definitely not least, I got very lucky when I spotted a female Magnolia Warbler while driving on Canal D Rd. in the Pungo Unit.
I was headed out to the soybean fields to look for bears in the late afternoon when a flash of small yellowish bird flew in front of my truck and into a tree next to the dirt road.

I pulled over, grabbed my camera and got out of the truck to see if I could find and ID the bird before it disappeared deeper into the woods. Let me tell you, this was a difficult little bird to photograph!
The sun was very bright and the shadows very dark when peering into the viewfinder of my camera.
I’d lower my lens to look up at the tree to try and spot the movements of this tiny bird, locate it, then bring the camera back up to my face to try and snap a photo.
The problem was that Magnolia Warblers are fast movers! As soon as I’d get a clear shot (and good exposure) it would move behind a leaf. I must have taken 15 photos and still only came up with two, half blurry shots lol!
At least they are good enough for ID purposes so I’m chalking that experience up as a win in my book 😉

Their typical breeding range extends from the mountains of WV, western VA, central PA, NY, MN, MI and up into New England and Canada.
Although it is uncommon, Magnolia Warblers also breed in the mountains of northwestern NC. That’s why I was surprised to see this sweet female in July.
I’m hoping that she will find a mate (or at least some friends) when the rest of the Magnolia Warblers make their way down here in September during fall migration.

Check out the map below for the location of where I found this bird.

Though I never found the Painted Bunting I’d planned for, I’m very happy with how the trip went yesterday. Like searching for gold, then coming up empty only to find diamonds instead, it’s days like this that renew my love for the adventure of birding.

Oh by the way, I did find some other birds yesterday at the Pungo Unit and Lake Mattamuskeet that aren’t rare but still are pretty cool too! Check out the photos below!

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I’m now looking forward to the next trip I’ve got planned to the Pungo Unit at the Pocosin Lakes NWR in December more then ever! Heck, I may have to plan another trip for this autumn too because I don’t think I can wait for snowflakes to fall before I go back 🙂

Happy birding!
-Sally