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Swamp Sparrows in central NC

By Sally Siko

Happy to spend time with this cute little Swamp Sparrow earlier this month while birding at Cape Fear Shiners Park in Lillington, NC.
I’d located him in a scrubby area near one of the ponds by listening to his calls emanating from the brush.
That’s not surprising given that these little puffballs are known for their melodious and complex songs, which consist of a series of trills, buzzes, and whistles. Each individual even has its own unique variation of the song which I find fascinating.

True omnivores, Swamp Sparrows primarily feed on insects, seeds, and small invertebrates. During the breeding season, they may also consume berries and other fruits for an added boost of nutrition needed for reproduction.
You’ll usually see them picking off insects from the undergrowth or snacking on the various seeds scattered on the ground. This is nice because usually one can catch a good look at one from eye level vs. having to look high up in a tree to spot ‘em.



These little guys are a common find during the winter months across North Carolina. That being said, they tend to be a bit shy and as their name implies, they’re best found in muddy swamps and wet fields which can be difficult to access at times.
Still it’s nice to sit and enjoy watching them as they flit around cheerfully on a quest to fill that round bird belly so it’s worth the effort and the muddy boots.
They’ll stick around the Tarheel state from now through late April so if you haven’t seen one this year, there’s still plenty of time for you to find one too!


By the way, I’ve added more than 80 new birding tour dates to my Best Life Birding trip schedule including destinations in Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina and even several trips right here in central NC at Cape Fear Shiners Park.

Check out the link below or shoot me an email and book your next birding adventure with me today!

https://birdwatchingnc.com/birdwatching-n-c-trips-birding-in-north-carolina/

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

A Swamp Sparrow encounter in eastern NC

By Sally Siko

Pleased to get a nice look at a Swamp Sparrow last month while birding in eastern NC.
I’d been cruising the gravel roads at a refuge, slow rolling with my windows down listening for birds hiding in the woods which lined the roadside.
It didn’t take long before I heard the familiar calls of Swamp Sparrows so I pulled over and walked over to the scrubby trees to get a better look.
Happily one popped out from the tangled brush which gave me the perfect opportunity to grab a few pics.



Although Swamp Sparrows are a relatively common find during the winter in North Carolina, they are a bit shy and tend to forage in muddy/ marsh areas which can be difficult to access at times.
Indeed as their name implies they can be found in swamps, bogs, wet fields and near ponds with brushy shorelines.
 Their diet consists of seeds, small berries, and aquatic invertebrates.
They’ve got unusually long legs (for a sparrow) which allows them to hunt for insects in shallow water.



Swamp Sparrows breed in eastern Canada and throughout the north/ north eastern regions of the United States.
Each autumn, they flock together moving south into the mid Atlantic and southeastern United States including right here in North Carolina to spend the winter in warmer locals.
With a local range stretching from the mountains to the coast, they are generally found more frequently in the eastern half of the Tarheel State from now through late April or early May.
This means there’s still plenty of time for you to see one this year 😉

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

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A Swamp Sparrow encounter at Mid Pines Rd in Raleigh

Now that cold weather is right around the corner, it’s time to be on the lookout for our wintertime birds like this Swamp Sparrow.
These lovely little ones arrive in North Carolina in early October and although they mostly hang out in our eastern counties their found in varying numbers throughout the state.



Though their name would suggest otherwise, Swamp Sparrows inhabit many types of different habitats including marshes, wetland thickets, bogs and damp fields. The main thing is that they tend to avoid dry forests so look for them in open areas near a water source with tall grass and dense scrub.



As it goes with most species of sparrows, these guys eat a ton of insects during the spring and summer. Unlike others though Swamp Sparrows have extra long legs which they use to wade into shallow water to hunt for aquatic insects.
Once autumn arrives and insects become scarce, they’ll switch to eating weed and grass seeds which makes them a little easier to find in accessible field areas vs. their wetland summer habitats.
In fact, during the winter Swamp Sparrows will congregate with flocks of Song Sparrows to venture to the edges of agricultural fields and suburban parks to find a snack.
They’ll stick around until early May so we’ve still got plenty of time to enjoy these feathered gems in the season ahead.

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

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

A swamp Sparrow at the Pungo Unit

While looking for birds along the banks of a flooded out field at the Pungo Unit last month, I spotted a tiny Swamp Sparrow watching me from a sapling.
It’s not often that I catch a glimpse of one not on the ground behind a tangle of brush so I snapped a couple photos quickly before it flew down into the leaf litter below.
It was nice to have a chance to photograph this one on a rainy day.
With no harsh shadows or highlights to contend with, the soft lighting made for some excellent photography conditions.
Plus that silver glow of cloud diffused lighting really allows those colors to naturally pop!


Although Swamp Sparrows are a relatively common find during the winter in North Carolina they are a bit shy and tend to forage in muddy/ marsh areas that can difficult to access at times.
Indeed as their name implies they can be found in swamps, bogs, wet fields and near ponds with brushy shorelines.
Their diet consists of seeds, small berries, and aquatic invertebrates.
They’ve got unusually long legs (for a sparrow) which allows them to hunt for insects in shallow water.

Swamp Sparrows breed in eastern Canada and throughout the north/ north eastern regions of the United States.
Each autumn, they flock together moving south into the mid Atlantic and southeastern United States including right here in North Carolina to spend the winter in warmer locals.

With a local range stretching from the mountains to the coast, they are generally found more frequently in the eastern half of the Tarheel State from late April or early May.
There’s still plenty of time for you to see one this season so get out there is you can 😉

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

Swamp Sparrows at Harris Lake Park, New Hill N.C.

I can’t resist sharing a couple more Swamp Sparrow shots of this little dude all floofed out and looking fancy haha!
With that gorgeous mix of rust, steel and black plumage, these sharp looking birds are fast becoming my favorite wintertime sparrow species to photograph.



I spotted this one yesterday morning while birding at Harris Lake Park in New Hill N.C.
He popped out of the brush next to the lake to check me out as I was walking along the waters edge next to an open field.


From what I can tell, Swamp Sparrows are curious and dare I say friendly birds lol! This particular one was very curious about my presence in his domain and landed within just a few feet of my position to check me out.
After a few minutes he flew off to find a bite to eat on the leaf covered path next to the water.



Most often found in wetland areas, swamps and along the shorelines of ponds and streams, the Swamp Sparrow has longer legs than other members of the sparrow family. This unique adaptation allows it to wade in shallow water to hunt for a meal where other species of sparrows can not. Aquatic insects are definitely on it’s menu as well as the more typical sparrow fare of the seeds of grasses, weeds, and sedges.


Listen for their calls of “weeeet, weeet” near bodies of water, especially in the early morning. They will stick around NC until early May so there’s plenty of time for you to see one too!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds

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

A Swamp Sparrow encounter at Lake Betz N.C.

While birding at Lake Betz in Morrisville NC a few days ago, I was happy to spot this lovely little Swamp Sparrow by one of the the small ponds.


These pretty little ones are a small, dark sparrow which are often hard to get a good look at because of their habit of hiding in dense vegetation.


That being said, usually just a glimpse is enough to ID this bird. In particular, look for the grey face, upper breast, and nape, the very richly brown colored back and black striped back and wings.



Here in North Carolina they may be found foraging in freshwater & brackish wetland areas with dense vegetation, such as cattails and sedges, and often where woody vegetation such as alder or willow thickets are present along the waters edge.

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