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ZO 501 Ornithology - Spring 2007
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[ Photos ] [ Archived News ] [Web Links ]Sightings
This aspect of the lab is designed to encourage students to become aware of the local avifauna outside of scheduled lab time. We want you to look for birds on your own. As an incentive, you can earn bonus points for additions to this list of bird sightings.
Rules for receiving bonus points
Each student can earn a maximum of two points per week, for a maximum total of 25 bonus points. A point will be awarded to the first person(s) who submits a sighting of a new species outside of lab time. All submissions for a new species received on the same day will be awarded points. Students are allowed only one submission per day, and the submission must be made within 24 hours of the observation. In addition, three points will be awarded for the first active nest (with eggs or chicks) found for each species. Use the form below to submit sightings.
Sighting Form
Species List
Species Location Date Comments Observer(s) 1 European Starling Cup a Joe 1/10 What a voice Ted 2 White-throated Sparrow Campus (behind Patterson) 1/11 tan and white-striped forms present Katie Gensel 3 Red-tailed Hawk Vet School (Blue Ridge Annex) 1/11 Holding a squirrel in the beak Kellett Babb 4 American Robin At home in Cary 1/12 In a holly bush Lexie Taylor 5 Northern Mockingbird Campus (Dabney Hall) 1/12 Liani Zabala 6 American Crow Burger King 1/12 Surprised it did not stop for a bite to eat Liz Shirley 7 Chipping Sparrow Greensboro, NC 1/13 Several individuals - scared by dogs Beth Folta 8 Red-bellied Woodpecker Home 1/13 At bird feeder Lexie Taylor
9 Carolina Wren Home in Cary 1/13 I love to watch them flick their tails! Cindy Carr 10 Pine Warbler Umstead S.P. 1/14 Aptly named - saw it in a pine tree! Kelsey Obernuefemann 11 White-eyed Vireo Durham 1/14 In the holly bush outside my house Liz Shirley 12 Song Sparrow Lake Johnson 1/14 Searching through pine straw,
scared by upcoming joggersJosé Roques 13 Common Raven Hanging Rock S.P. 1/13 Its strange call sounded like a big frog "brronk" James Wilson 14 Hooded Merganser Umstead S.P. 1/15 Lots of awesome birds at Umstead! Kelsey Obernuefemann 15 Blue Jay Raleigh 1/15 At home in Raleigh Laurina Sigmon 16 Northern Cardinal JC Raulston Arboretum 1/15 Chowin down at one of the feeders Lexie Taylor 17 Great Blue Heron Lake Johnson 1/15 Flew in and landed in the water Kellett Babb 18 Dark-eyed Junco Greensboro, NC 1/14 flock of about 5 scavenging for food between an open field and a wood block. Beth Folta 19 Downy Woodpecker In my front yard, Durham 1/16 He was eating suet. Nathan Tarr 20 Hairy Woodpecker Small Tulip Poplar in my Back Yard 1/15 "Hair" looked longer that that of a Downy, and it seemed Larger James Wilson 21 Black Vulture Design School 1/16 Was circling Liz Shirley 22 Rock Pigeon Cameron Village 1/15 Flew down right next to me at the loading dock at work Heather Campbell 23 Eastern Bluebird Neighbors mailbox 1/16 Beautiful color Cindy Carr 24 Tufted Titmouse At home 1/17 At my feeder Lexie Taylor 25 Eastern Towhee Office on Tryon Road, Cary 1/17 Drink your tea! Cindy Carr 26 Canada Goose Gorman Crossing 1/17 Flying overhead Heather Campbell 27 Common Grackle Duke street, Durham 1/18 A large flock landed in the street to forage and caused traffic to slow down. Maybe they chose the street because everything else was covered in snow. Nathan Tarr 28 American Coot Lake Johnson 1/17 Resting on the water José Roques 29 Mourning Dove Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education 1/17 Being attacked by a mockingbird Beth Folta 30 Carolina Chickadee Behind Patterson Hall 1/17 Beautiful coloration and was able to walk right under it Adam Hicks 31 Wood Duck Pond in Apex 1/18 Brilliant colors! Liani Zabala 32 Mallard Lake Johnson 1/20 Beautiful male! Being fed by a young girl. Kellett Babb 33 Cedar Waxwing Durham, NC 1/21 First I have heard this year Nathan Tarr 34 Ring-billed Gull Briar Creek 1/21 Gulls were flying over the parking lot and luckily I still had my binoculars in the car with me so I could tell what type of gull it was Adam Hicks 35 Yellow-rumped ("Myrtle") Warbler Corner of Bedford and Brooks in Raleigh 1/22 The yellow rump, yellow side patch, and yellow crown were a give-away! Kelsey Obernuefemann CCCWE 1/22 The bird unfortunately hit one of our large glass doors. Luckily it was just stunned and eventually flew away. Beth Folta 36 American Goldfinch My Nyger feeder 1/22 More drab olive than illustrated in Eastern Sibley's James Wilson 37 Fox Sparrow Cary 1/22 3 fox sparrows feeding along ground, distinctive grey 'stripes' on back Cindy Carr 38 Brown-headed Nuthatch Bedford Ave, Raleigh 1/23 Climbing around high up in a white oak. Kelsey Obernuefemann 39 House Sparrow Tree in shopping center parking lot, Cary 1/23 Male was making what looked like 'courtship' maneuvers - fanning his tail and leaning forward while flipping it up for the female to see it. Cindy Carr 40 Snow Goose Lochmere Lake 1/23 Resting on the lake José Roques 41 Brown Thrasher Friend's Chicken Pen 1/23 Long beak, lived up to its name Liani Zabala 42 Mute Swan Pond in Apex 1/24 There were three swimming near the edge of a pond Liani Zabala 43 Bufflehead Lochmere Lake 1/24 In the middle of the pond, diving José Roques 44 Northern Pintail A lake in Durham 1/24 The male had the distinct long black tail feathers. A very cool looking duck. Lexie Taylor 45 White-breasted Nuthatch Raleigh 1/25 Scaling the corner of a brick building Lexie Taylor 46 Ruby-crowned Kinglet West Lot 1/29 In a tree with a chickadee. had the pretty red crown patch! Lexie Taylor 47 Yellow Warbler Cary 1/29 So yellow with red breast streaks. An annual winter visitor to my suet feeder. Cindy Carr 48 House Finch CCCWE 1/31 We saw it at our bird feeders when we were doing Project Feeder Watch with a group of homeschool students. Beth Folta 49 Ring-necked Duck Lochmere 1/30 2 males swimming José Roques 50 Northern Flicker My suet feeder 2/4 With a red malar stripe Cindy Carr 51 Turkey Vulture my backyard in Cary 1/26 A couple were eating at a deer bone in my yard but flew away when I peered out the window Liani Zabala I-40/440 interchange 2/6 Circling above the freeway with 4 other turkey vultures. Kelsey Obernuefemann 52 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Raleigh, Glascock Rd. 2/7 In a tree with a million little holes in lines around the trunk Laurina Sigmon 53 Common Loon Beaufort, NC 2/7 Saw it in the sound of the marina diving for food. Beth Folta 54 Blue-headed Vireo Outside the Design School 2/8 Kept inspecting tree branches Liz Shirley 55 American Kestrel Jones County 2/8 Sitting on powerline. I saw it driving back from the beach. Beth Folta 56 Eastern Pheobe Greensboro 2/11 In wooded lot behind my parent's house Heather Campbell 57 Cooper's Hawk Centennial Campus 2/14 flew across the road from the old beaver pond Beth Folta 58 Belted Kingfisher Yates Mill Pond 2/17 Gliding over the water "fishing", very distinct Liani Zabala 59 Hermit Thrush My front yard (Durham) 2/17 Bobbed its tail Nathan Tarr 60 Barred Owl Behind my house 2/17 Gravelly call, sounds like "who cooks your fooooood" Cindy Carr 61 Vesper Sparrow Cedar Creek, right outside of Fayettville at my husband's grandfather's farm 2/17 There were about 5 or 6 hopping around and foraging in an abandoned soybean field right near the house Heather Campbell 62 Eastern Meadowlark Reedy Creek Lab 2/20 I must've flushed up at least a dozen! Kelsey Obernuefemann 63 House Wren Raleigh 2/22 he was enjoying my feeder Lexie Taylor 64 Brown-headed Cowbird Raleigh 2/22 I thought they were grackles but their call sounds just like what we learned in lab Laurina Sigmon 65 Red-shouldered Hawk Apex, NC; parent's yard 2/22 Perched high up in a tree, then it flew away. Liani Zabala 66 Woodcock Howell Woods 2/24 Flushed José Roques James Wilson
67 Sharp-shinned Hawk Holly Springs 2/24 Flying around Liani Zabala 68 Red-headed Woodpecker Howell Woods 2/24 Stark contrast between Black and White, real Colorful Red, thought we saw two in one area. José Roques James Wilson 69 Golden-crowned Kinglet Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve 2/26 They couldn't sit still in the tops of the trees. Beth Folta 70 Brown Pelican Myrtle Beach, SC 2/26 Two of them flying over the water Lexie Taylor 71 Herring Gull Myrtle Beach, SC 2/27 Hanging out in a large group on the shore Lexie Taylor 72 Bald Eagle Tryon Rd. 2/27 Almost wrecked my car trying to catch a glimspe. Was in a tree near PuttPutt Kellett Babb 73 American Bittern Ocracoke Island, South Point 2/27 About 3:30 pm. Was hiding in the marsh grasses when first sighted, later was wading in shallow ditch with mallards. Cindy Carr 74 Great Egret Ocracoke Island, Lagoon Pond 2/27 Wading along shore of lagoon/pond by NPS campgrounds. Cindy Carr 75 European Starling Library Fire Escape (corner against wall) 2/28 One outside singing the other inside the corner nest area James Wilson 76 Brown Creeper Lake Raleigh 3/3 Laurina Sigmon, Lexie Taylor, Katie Gensel, Nathan Tarr 77 Bachman's Sparrow Moore County, sandhills 3/5 We were looking for herps and the dog ran around flushing some sparrows out, beautiful brown-red coloring contrasts with the wiregrass Liani Zabala 78 Wild Turkey Vale, NC 3/10 6! In a field across from my in-laws. Laurina Sigmon 79 House Sparrow Lowe's hardware store 3/10 male and female, entered and exited hole in rafters, picked at nest material, male had material in bill Katie Gensel 80 Black Duck Harris Lake 3/10 A few of them swimming around near some reeds Liani Zabala 81 Wood Thrush Schenck Forest 3/11 Adam and I heard it during our surveys for the lab project then I later saw it setting up the next plot site. Beth Folta
Adam Hicks82 Cactus Wren Phoenix, AZ 3/9 A lot bigger than our Carolina Wrens! Kelsey Obernuefemann 83 Wilson's Snipe Alligator River Wildlife Refuge 3/10 Foraging in a flooded field with Greater Yellowlegs Nathan Tarr 84 Eastern Kingbird Raleigh 3/11 On a tree close to the road in our neighborhood. Doing lots of calling... Laurina Sigmon 85 Field Sparrow Holly Springs 3/12 On top of a tree singing near the edge of a field and some water Liani Zabala 86 Red-tailed Hawk Centennial Campus 3/13 The nest is located in a pine tree in the wood block between Capability, Avent Ferry, and Varsity. This is the same area that we found two juveniles hanging out in last year. The happy couple has been seen carrying sticks over to that area. Beth Folta 87 Laughing Gull Ocracoke-Hatteras Ferry 3/14 Breeding plumage: black head, black wing tips. Was laughing (what else!) Cindy Carr 88 Red-winged Blackbird Ocracoke, South Point Road 3/15 Several were sitting on top of marsh grasses, cattails and calling to each other Cindy Carr 89 Carolina Wren my backyard 3/18 Put up a bird box last weekend and now have a nest in it this weekend. Beth Folta 90 Northern Mockingbird RDU Observation Park 3/18 I saw the pair collecting material for their nest Lexie Taylor 91 American Robin Behind my apartment 3/19 Flew down, picked up pine straw from the ground and then back up a tree to where the start of a nest was. Didn't even mind my dog! Kellett Babb 92 Great Horned Owl Behind My Apartment 3/21 I heard him when I let my dog out around 10, and I looked up and could barely see him in the dim light! Kellett Babb 93 Pileated Woodpecker Quay Woods 3/22 Flying from tree to tree José Roques 94 Mallard Duke Gardens 3/22 The female was sitting on her nest in some reeds next to the japanese pagoda Lexie Taylor 95 Canada Goose Crowder Park 3/22 I saw a female sitting on a nest, when she got up (we got too close) there were eggs! Oval & off-white. Nest wasnt as big as I expected either. Liani Zabala 96 Carolina Chickadee Bird box on Centennial Campus 3/23 One egg in the nest. It is on centennial campus in one of the bird boxes beside the Wildlife Commission building Laurina Sigmon 97 Eastern Bluebird Bird box on Centennial Campus 3/24 Another box on Centennial Campus in the same area. Laurina Sigmon 98 Purple Finch Back yard 3/24 Mixed with flock of house finches and goldfinches eating blackoil sunflower seeds off the deck rail. Was able to compare with the male house finches -much more dark red over the back, neck, head, and chest areas. Cindy Carr 99 House Finch Outside food court at Talley
Vet School
3/27
3/28
Several were sitting on their nests in the rafters
There's a couple of them in the trees along the main road.
Liz Shirley
Kellet Babb
100 American Redstart Raleigh - off Sheffield Rd 3/28 male - black and orange Laurina Sigmon 101 Fish Crow Top of Building next to Dan Allen Parking Deck 3/28 Argued with me when I called it an American Crow (nah-ah!) José R. Roques 102 Northern Rough-winged swallow Yates Mill Park 3/29 Flying above the lake and perched under bridge José R. Roques 103 Killdeer Apex - Parents Neighborhood 3/30 A few feet from a large pond, feeding on some grass near a seepage. My sister scared it and it made its very distinct call! Liani Zabala 104 American Oystercatcher Just East of Morehead City on the Intercoastal Waterway 3/31 Saw Four flying and they landed and began to feed. They made a good deal of noise James Wilson 105 Northern Gannet Offshore of Shackelford Banks, about 3 Miles out. 3/31 Yellow head and big bill James Wilson 106 Boat-tailed Grackle Duke Marine Labratories, Beaufort, NC 4/1 Less wing flapping noises than I normally hear James Wilson 107 Pied Billed Grebe Lake in Virginia 4/1 The stripe on its bill was still very faint. Kellett Babb 108 Double-crested Cormorant Lake Park Condons - Across from Lake Johnson 4/5 Flying above me over the parking lot. José R. Roques 109 Red-cockaded Woodpecker NC Sandhills 4/5 Flying around near cavity tree while we were herping Liani Zabala 110 Black-crowned Night Heron Bald Head Island, NC 4/6 Over a dozen roosting in trees with other heron species Kelsey Obernuefemann 111 Mourning Dove Southport, NC 4/6 Have pictures, will send later James Wilson 112 Osprey Lake Wheeler 4/8 Flying overhead as my fiance and I were fishing; such a beautiful bird! Liani Zabala 113 Purple Martin Mother in-law's 4/9 Flying overhead making a very musical call. Liani Zabala 114 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Durham 4/10 Nathan Tarr 115 Ruby-throated Hummingbird Walnut Creek Apartments 4/13 Neighbor has a bunch of hanging flowers and he zipped right by m while walking my dog! Kellett Babb 116 Mourning Dove My apartment 4/14 For a couple of days they have been bringing materials to the porch above mine. Liz Shirley 117 Snowy Egret Lake Mattamuskeet 4/14 Heather Campbell 118 Tree Swallow In-laws 4/15 Took over a purple martin's house; we looked inside to find a nesting female Liani Zabala 119 Green Heron New Bern 4/15 Flushed up out of a drainage ditch along an ag field Kelsey Obernuefemann 120 Tundra Swan Lake Mattamuskeet 4/14 I saw 5, of which 4 were dead (I believe it was raptors by the look of it). It was at a nesting site which lacked adequate cover Heather Campbell 121 Little Blue Heron
Roanoke River and Roanoke Rapids Lake 4/15 Brian Lee 122 Acadian Flycatcher Stream in Columbus Co. 4/18 sighting On the edge of a stream as I was walking past. Liani Zabala 123 Gray Catbird Yates Mill pond 4/19 Sighting along trail José R. Roques 124 Tricolored Heron Yates Mill pond 4/19 Posing in the pond José R. Roques 125 Gray Catbird Brighton Rd, Raleigh 4/21 What an obnoxious call! The nest is in a tree branch that hangs right over a road. Laurina Sigmon 126 Prothonotary Warbler Moore County, Sandhills Gamelands 4/21 Don't see why the goldfinch even bothers James Wilson 127 Northern Parula Moore Co. Sandhills Game Lands 4/21 Very cool call, end note sound neat James Wilson 128 Chimney Swift Fred Oldes Elementary School 4/21 Saw a dozen twittering and swirling in the air, just before they all zoomed down into the giant chimney on the school at dusk. Kelsey Obernuefemann 129 Barn Swallow Haw River/ Saxapahaw 4/23 Nesting under a bridge Nathan Tarr 130 Northern Flicker Cary, NC near my house 4/24 I have been watching a pair for a few weeks now and noticed them high in a cavity bringing nesting material in to the hole today. They are quiet vocal in their process as well Cindy Carr 131 Common Yellowthroat Behind Tompkins Hall 4/27 I was leaving class with my friend Jon and we saw one fly over with the bright yellow throat and belly, then as we were walking there was a dead on on the sidewalk. Not sure if it flew into the window or what... :( Adam Hicks 132 Wood Stork Columbus Co./Whiteville 4/25 seen flying overhead near a swamp Liani Zabala 133 Northern Cardinal Walnut Creek Apartments 4/27 No chicks seen, but the female was definately hunkered down in that nest! Kellett Babb 134 Whip-poor-will Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge 4/29 Red eye shine at night, very distinct call Liani Zabala 135 Indigo Bunting My backyard, Cary 4/30 First one sighted at my house this year. Very blue with dark wing bars. Cindy Carr 136 Prarie Warbler Roanoke Rapids 4/30 Great call Brian Lee 137 Rose-breasted Grosbeak Durham 5/2 Calling at the top of a tree across the street from my house Nathan Tarr 138 139 140 141 142 143 144
