Trip Report

County Birding

Mecklenburg County

February 8, 2021

Guide: Simon Thompson

A frosty start to the day found us standing on the viewing platform at Cowan’s Ford Wildlife Refuge. It had been a lacklustre winter for waterfowl and the small lakes in front of us were quiet which seemed to prove that point. With some patience we did see a pair of Wood Duck slip in and out of the vegetation and a male Common Yellowthroat called, making some brief appearances in the nearby vegetation. Very conveniently there was a Bullock’s Oriole coming to a feeder very close to Cowan’s Ford. It appeared very nicely for us amidst the blizzard of Pine Siskins that seemed to dominate the feeding station. A quick trip back to Cowan’s Ford produced 3 Ring-necked Ducks, Brown Creeper and an elusive Pied-billed Grebe. A lunch stop at Reedy Creek Nature Preserve did not produce the stake-out Rufous Hummingbird, but we did get all 3 nuthatches and several Purple Finches at the feeders. A somewhat muddy walk at the new Clark’s Creek Nature Preserve was interesting, as this was obviously an old dairy farm. A small flock of Eastern Meadowlarks was in the upper field and both Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks had paired up and were calling loudly. A visit to a private property at the end of the day was sucessful for an over-wintering Rufous Hummingbird, as well as 2 Baltimore Orioles- our second oriole for the day! We finished with over 50 species for the day, plus a few excellent surprises. Thanks to the home-owners for opening up their properties to visiting birders.

County Birding: Mecklenburg County

February 8, 2021

Lincoln County: 56 Species Encountered

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Mourning Dove
Rufous Hummingbird
Pied-billed Grebe
Ring-billed Gull
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe

    Blue Jay
    American Crow     
    Carolina Chickadee
    Tufted Titmouse
    Red-breasted Nuthatch
    White-breasted Nuthatch
    Brown-headed Nuthatch
    Golden-crowned Kinglet
    Ruby-crowned Kinglet
    Brown Creeper
    Winter Wren (Heard)
    Carolina Wren
    Brown Thrasher
    Northern Mockingbird
    Hermit Thrush
    Eastern Bluebird
    American Robin
    Cedar Waxwing

    House Finch
    Purple Finch
    Pine Siskin
    American Goldfinch
    Field Sparrow
    Dark-eyed Junco
    Chipping Sparrow
    White-throated Sparrow
    Song Sparrow
    Swamp Sparrow
    Eastern Towhee
    Bullock’s Oriole
    Baltimore Oriole
    Eastern Meadowlark
    Common Grackle
    Common Yellowthroat
    Pine Warbler
    Yellow-rumped Warbler
    Northern Cardinal

 
 

County Birding: Cleveland County

February 10, 2021

Cleveland County: 36 Species Encountered

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
Mallard
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Wilson’s Snipe

    Ring-billed Gull
    Double-crested Cormorant
    Great Blue Heron
    Black Vulture
    Turkey Vulture
    Bald Eagle
    Red-headed Woodpecker
    Red-bellied Woodpecker
    Downy Woodpecker
    Loggerhead Shrike
    Blue Jay American Crow

    Carolina Chickadee
    Tufted Titmouse
    Carolina Wren
    European Starling
    Northern Mockingbird
    Eastern Bluebird
    Cedar Waxwing
    House Finch
    Eastern Towhee
    Eastern Meadowlark
    Pine Warbler
    Northern Cardinal