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Latest Update: December 11, 2008
Pine Siskins seem to be everywhere this winter. Photo from State Parks
The best birds in the past couple of weeks have been persistent reports of Golden Eagles from Ashe, Watauga, Alleghany, and Grayson Counties. Look for them in the area around Rich Mountain to Elk Knob, Big Springs, pond Mountain and other large grassy expanses. An early paper in the 90's followed birds from their fledging in Canada all the way to western NC, so these birds are probably from that neck of the woods. They are carrion feeders a lot in the winter so check out deer carcasses if a big bird flies up. It may not be a turkey vulture.
Not many other calls and reports although Pine Siskins keep putting on a show around with a leucistic (partially white) one in Valle Crucis and another in Blowing Rock as well.
The recent warm spell has Eastern Phoebes back in the yard, and I spent a good amount of time yesterday watching a still largely intact family of Pileated Woodpecker's (4 birds) eating Virginia Creeper berries at my house. The daddy bird was starting to get annoyed and chasing the first year males around a bit so they will probably be breaking up the family soon.
This is also owl time and Cathy Cole at Tweetsie sent in a cute picture of a gray phase Screech Owl that has taken up roosting in the water tank at Tweetsie Railroad. Great Horned Owls are still calling almost every clear night and egg laying for them will commence around New Year's, making them our first nesting species of the new year.
The local Audubon chapter just had a great trip to the Outer Banks and Lake Mattamuskeet with over 100 species in the three days. If you haven't been down there in winter, you really should go. I visited with a new group of birders from the Lenoir area on Tuesday night. They are affiliated with the Foothills Bird Club from over at Hickory and are planning some good field trips for the upcoming year. If you are in the Lenoir or Wilkes area and would like more information on this group, give me a call or email, and I will get you in touch with the group.
For more information on birds in the High Country call the Watauga Birding Hotline at 828-265-0198. Also visit www.ncaudubon.org, www.carolinabirdclub.org, and the new High Country Chapter website at www.geocities.com/hcaudubon/.
Be on the lookout for Purple Finches as several are being seen in the area. Photo from State Parks.
House Finches like this one are often confused with Purple Finches (above). Photo from State Parks.
