Freshest birds

Latest additions! After viewing these, you might want to click on one of the other categories I have listed in the menu above.

Wild Turkey

3/02/25, Cedar Lake Farm Road, Cleveland County

Red-shouldered Hawk

3/1/25, Rankin Lake Park

Red-headed Woodpecker

3/1/25, Rankin Lake Park

Bald Eagle

2/28/25, Rankin Lake Park

The eagles at Rankin have two chicks in the nest.

Pine Warbler

2/20/25, back yard

These guys seem to spend a lot of time squabbling.

Brown Pelican

2/18/25, Huntington Beach State Park

Bonaparte's Gull

2/18/25, Huntington Beach State Park

Green-winged Teal

2/18/25, Huntington Beach State Park

Forster's Tern

2/18/25, Huntington Beach State Park

Greater Yellowlegs

2/28/25, Huntington Beach State Park

Tree Swallow

2/18/25, Huntington Beach State Park

Common Loon

2/13/25, Lake Norman

American White Pelican

2/7/25, Lake Wateree, SC

Pine Warbler

2/5/25, back yard

Pine Warbler and White Breasted Nuthatch

2/5/25, back yard

Downy Woodpecker

2/5/25, back yard

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

2/1/25, Rankin Lake Park

Sharp-shinned Hawk

1/28/25, back yard

Downy Woodpecker

1/28/25, back yard

European Starling

1/28/25, Harper Park

White-breasted Nuthatch

1/28/25, back yard

White-throated Sparrow

1/23/25, back yard

Brown-headed Nuthatch

1/23/25, back yard

White-breasted Nuthatch

1/23/25, back yard

Eastern Bluebird

1/23/25, back yard

Red-shouldered Hawk

1/19/25, back yard

Northern Cardinal

1/19/25, back yard

Hooded Merganser

1/14/25, Rankin Lake Park

Brown Thrasher

1/11/25, back yard

Pine Warbler

1/11/25, back yard

Killdeer

1/11/25, back yard

Pine Warbler

1/11/25, back yard

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

1/10/25, back yard

Red-shouldered Hawk, in a rainstorm

12/29/24, back yard

Pied-billed Grebe

12/26/24, Rankin Lake Park

Rusty Blackbird

12/26/24, Rankin Lake Park

Pine Warbler

12/23/24, back yard

Bald Eagle

12/20/24, Lake Norman

American Kestrel

12/08/24, Cleveland County NC

White-throated Sparrow

12/08/24, Cleveland County NC

Pine Warbler

12/06/24, back yard

Ruddy Duck

12/06/24, Rankin Lake Park

Brown-headed Cowbird

12/06/24, back yard

Carolina Chickadee

12/04/24, back yard

Pine Warbler

12/03/24, back yard

Dark-eyed Junco

12/03/24, back yard

Turkey Vulture

12/03/24, back yard

Northern Mockingbird

12/03/24, back yard

Eastern Bluebird

12/03/24, back yard

Downy Woodpecker

11/28/24, back yard

House Finch

11/28/24, back yard

Bald Eagle

11/21/254, Rankin Lake Park

Red-headed Wookpecker (immature)

11/21/24, Rankin Lake Park

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

11/21/24, Rankin Lake Park

Belted Kingfisher

11/21/24, Rankin Lake Park

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

11/19/24, Mountain Island Park

Winter Wren

11/17/24, Mountain Island Park

Hermit Thrush

11/17/24, Mountain Island Park

Purple Finch

11/13/24, Prairie Trail, McDowell Park

White-throated Sparrow

11/13/24, back yard

House Sparrow

11/13/24, Harper Park, Stanley NC

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

11/09/24, back yard

Golden-crowned Kinglet

11/09/24, back yard

Eastern Bluebird

11/09/24, back yard

American Crow

11/09/24, back yard

American Kestrel

10/31/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail

Red-headed Woodpecker

10/31/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail

American Goldfinch

10/31/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail

House Wren

10/31/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail

Brown Creeper

10/30/24, Harper Park, Stanley NC

Song Sparrow

10/26/24, Mountain Island Park

Eastern Bluebird

10/26/24, Mountain Island Park

Eastern Phoebe

10/26/24, Mountain Island Park

Blue-headed Vireo

10/20/24, back yard

Golden-crowned Kinglet

10/20/24, back yard

Northern Flicker

10/20/24, back yard

Cape May Warbler

10/13/24, back yard

Tennessee Warbler

10/8/24, back yard

Black-throated Green Warbler

10/8/24, back yard

Bay-breasted Warbler

10/8/24, back yard

American Redstart

10/4/24, back yard

Magnolia Warbler

10/5/24, back yard

Northern Parula

10/4/24, back yard

Blackburnian Warbler

10/4/24, back yard

American Redstart

10/4/24, back yard

Blue Jay

10/3/24, back yard

Baltimore Oriole

10/2/24, back yard

Bay-breasted Warbler

10/2/24, back yard

Rose-breasted Grossbeak

10/1/24, back yard

Tufted Titmouse

10/1/24, back yard

Red-bellied Woodpecker

9/29/24, Clover SC

Carolina Wren

10/1/24, Clover SC

Northern Cardinal

9/26/24, back yard, in the rain

Carolina Chickadee

9/26/24, back yard

Bay-breasted Warbler

9/22/24, back yard

Brown Thrasher

9/22/24, back yard

Tennessee Warbler

9/21/24, back yard

Northern Mockingbird

9/22/24, back yard

American Redstart

9/13/24, back yard

Black-throated Green Warbler

9/10/24, back yard

Tennessee Warbler

9/10/24, back yard

Black-throated Blue Warbler

9/7 (male) and 9/8 (female)

male was on BRP, and female in my back yard!

Chestnut-sided Warbler

9/7/24, Blue Ridge Parkway

Swainson's Thrush

9/7/24, Back yard

Tennessee Warbler

9/7/24, Blue Ridge Parkway

Black and White Warbler

9/8/24, back yard

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

9/3/24, back yard

Red-eyed Vireo

8/27/24, back yard

Wild Turkey

8/27/24, back yard

Northern Parula

8/27/24, back yard

American Goldfinch

8/27/24, back yard

The first one still has his nice summer color, but the second one is beginning to molt, and looking prettty ragged.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

8/27/24, back yard

Swainson's Warbler

8/26/24, Heffner Gap, Blue Ridge Parkway

Black-throated Green Warbler

8/26/24, Heffner Gap, Blue Ridge Parkway

Northern Parula

8/26/24, Mt. Mitchell Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway

Cape May Warbler

8/26/24, Black Mountain Gap, Blue Ridge Parkway

Red-breasted Nuthatch

8/26/24, Mt. Mitchell State Park

Eastern Wood Pewee

8/26/24, Heffner Gap, Blue Ridge Parkway

Chestnut-sided Warbler

8/26/24, Heffner Gap, Blue Ridge Parkway

Yellow-throated Vireo

8/26/24, Heffner Gap, Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

8/19/24, back yard

Eastern Bluebird

8/20/24, Clarkesville GA

Blue Grosbeak

8/21/24, Clarkesville GA

Cedar Waxwing

8/21/24, Brasstown Bald, GA

Great Crested Flycatcher

8/22/24, Clarkesville GA

Song Sparrow

8/20/24, Clarkesville GA

Swallow-tail Kite

8/17/24, Old Fort

Mississippi Kite (immature)

8/17/24, Old Fort

Black-capped Chickadee

8/12/24, Waterrock Knob, BRP (elev. 5820')

Dark-eyed Junco

8/12/24, Waterrock Knob, BRP (elev. 5820')

Cedar Waxwing

8/5/24, Mt. Mitchell State Park

Blackburnian Warbler (female/immature)

8/5/24, Heffner Gap, BRP

Scarlet Tanager

8/5/24, Heffner Gap, BRP

Hermit Thrush

8/5/24, Mt. Mitchell Overlook, BRP

Broad-winged Hawk

8/5/24, Mt. Mitchell Overlook, BRP

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

8/4/24, back yard

Wild Turkey

8/3/24, back yard

Young turkeys taking over the bird feeder

American Goldfinch

8/2/24, back yard

Cooper's Hawk

8/2/24, River Hawk Greenway

Red-headed Woodpecker

7/28/24, McDowell Prairie

Northern Mockingbird (kind of ugly, either molting or a young one)

7/28/24, McDowell Prairie

Field Sparrow

7/28/24, McDowell Prairie

American Goldfinch, squabble that sent feathers flying

7/28/24, back yard

Eastern Bluebird

7/23/24, back yard

Whitetail Deer

7/21/24, back yard

Striped Skunk (or Hooded Skunk?)

7/21/24, back yard

American Goldfinch

7/18/24, back yard

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

7/17/24, back yard

American Goldfinch

7/13/24, back yard

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

7/13/24, back yard

Northern Cardinal

7/13/24, back yard

Wild Turkey

7/5/24, back yard

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

7/2/24, back yard

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

6/27/24, York County airport

Black and White Warbler

6/24/24, Trout Lake near Blowing Rock

Northern Parula

6/24/24, Price Lake near Blowing Rock

Hooded Warbler

6/24/24, Blue Ridge Parkway

Chestnut-sided Warbler

6/24/24, Trout Lake near Boone

Veery

6/24/24, Trout Lake near Blowing Rock

Prothonotary Warbler

6/23/24, Mosquito Den Swamp

Common Grackle

2/23/24, Mosquito Den Swamp

Black-throated Green Warbler

6/19/24, Mt. Mitchell State Park

Chestnut-sided Warbler

6/19/24, Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue-headed Vireo

6/19/24, Blue Ridge Parkway

Indigo Bunting

6/14/24, Blue Ridge Parkway

Canada Warbler

6/14/24, Trout Lake, Blowing Rock NC

Hooded Warbler

6/14/24, Trout Lake, Blowing Rock NC

Blackburnian Warbler

6/14/24, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC

Chestnut-sided Warbler

6/14/24, Trout Lake, Blowing Rock NC

Black-throated Blue Warbler

6/14/24, Trout Lake, Blowing Rock NC

Summer Tanager

6/13/24, back yard (last 2 are immature males)

American Goldfinch

6/13/24, back yard

Northern Mockingbird

6/13/24, back yard

Yellow-breasted Chat

6/12/24, Cowans Ford Wildlife Refuge

Blue Grosbeak (female)

6/12/24, Cowans Ford Wildlife Refuge

Eastern Phoebe

6/12/24, Cowans Ford Wildlife Refuge

Common Yellowthroat

6/12/24/, Cowans Ford Wildlife Refuge

American Crow

6/12/24/, Harper Park, Stanley NC

Mimosa

6/12/24/, Harper Park, Stanley NC

Wild Turkey

6/2/24, back yard

More chicks, and a pretty vigorous dust bath

Wild Turkey

5/21/24, back yard

Indigo Bunting

5/17/24, Harper Park, Stanley NC

Common Yellowthroat

5/17/24, Harper Park, Stanley NC

Northern Mockingbird

5/17/24, Harper Park, Stanley NC

Prairie Warbler

5/16/24, Cowans Ford Wildlife Refuge

Red-headed Woodpecker

5/13/24, McDowell Prairie

Yellow-breasted Chat

5/13/24, McDowell Prairie

Turkey Vulture

5/13/24, McDowell Prairie

Chimney Swift

5/12/24, back yard

Great Crested Flycatcher

5/12/24, back yard

Northern Parula

5/10/24, Cowens Ford Wildlife Refuge

Indigo Bunting

5/10/24, Cowens Ford Wildlife Refuge

Prothonotary Warbler

5/10/24, Cowens Ford Wildlife Refuge

House Finch

5/11/24, back yard

White-eyed Vireo

5/10/24, Cowens Ford Wildlife Refuge

Orchard Oriole

5/10/24, Cowens Ford Wildlife Refuge

Blue Grosbeak

5/11/24, back yard

Yellow-throated Vireo

5/4/24, back yard

Great Egret

5/2/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Orchard Oriole

5/1/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Painted Bunting (female)

5/1/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Anole

5/1/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Painted Bunting

4/30/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Prothonotary Warbler

4/30/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Prairie Warbler

4/23/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail, McDowell Park

Indigo Bunting

4/23/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail, McDowell Park

Summer Tanager

4/23/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail, McDowell Park

Blue Grosbeak

4/23/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail, McDowell Park

Yellow-throated Warbler

4/19/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly

Common Yellowthroat

4/18/24, Harper Park, Stanley

Blue Grosbeak

4/18/24, Alexis NC

Killdeer (faking an injury to draw me away from her nest, apparently)

4/18/24, Alexis NC

Red-eyed Vireo

4/16/24, back yard

European Starling

4/16/24, back yard

Common Yellowthroat

4/12/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly

White-eyed Vireo

4/12/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly

It's strange how quickly the size of this bird's pupils change.

Brown-headed Cowbird

4/10/24, back yard

Wild Turkey

4/8/24, back yard

Eastern Towhee

4/5/24, back yard

Northern Cardinal

4/3/24, back yard

Cedar Waxwing

4/3/24, back yard

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

3/28/24, back yard. First one this spring! Catching insects and posing in the crabapple tree.

Red-winged Blackbird

3/20/24, Rankin Lake Park

Carolina Chickadee

33/20/24, Rankin Lake Park

Wood Duck (They roost in trees!)

33/20/24, Rankin Lake Park

Yellow-rumped Warbler

33/20/24, Rankin Lake Park

Wood Duck

3/12/24, Rankin Lake, Gastonia NC

Thanks to my friend Sam Cranston for his help in photographing these birds.

Red-wing Blackbird

3/12/24, Rankin Lake, Gastonia NC

American Kestrel

3/8/24, Eastern Cleveland County

Eastern Meadowlark

3/8/24, River Hawk Greenway

Barred Owl

3/3/24, Hector Henry Greenway, Concord NC

Northern Shoveler

3/3/24, Hector Henry Greenway, Concord NC

Eastern Bluebird

2/24/24, back yard

River Otter

2/21/24, Catawba River at Tuckaseegee Park, Mt. Holly NC

Red-bellied Woodpecker

2/25/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly

Hairy Woodpecker

2/25/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly

Northern Cardinal

2/24/24, back yard

Pine Warbler

2/18/24, back yard

A lot of photos of this bird to follow. They love the upside-down suet feeder, and I take too many photos of them, but they are irresistible.

Red-headed Woodpecker

2/13/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly

Golden-crowned Kinglet

2/8/24, back yard

Pine Warbler

2/8/24, back yard

Northern Cardinal

2/8/24, back yard

Red-shouldered Hawk

2/7/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly NC

Red-headed Woodpecker

2/7/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly, NC

Bald Eagle

2/6/24, Rankin Lake Park

Red-bellied Woodpecker

2/6/24, Rankin Lake Park

Pied-billed Grebe

2/2/24, Rankin Lake Park

Bald Eagle

2/2/24, Rankin Lake Park

Ruddy Duck

2/2/24, Rankin Lake Park

Mallard

2/2/24, Rankin Lake Park

Orange-crowned Warbler

2/1/24, Cherryville NC

Loggerhead Shrike

2/1/24, Eastern Cleveland Co., NC

Loggerheads in love?

White-breasted Nuthatch

2/1/24, Cherryville NC

Horned Grebe

2/1/24, Moss Lake, NC

Downy Woodpecker

1/30/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly, NC

Great Blue Heron

1/30/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly, NC

Eastern Towhee

1/30/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly, NC

Song Sparrow

1/30/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly, NC

Double-crested Cormorant

1/30/24, Rankin Lake Park, Gastonia NC

Killdeer

1/22/24, Northeastern Gaston County

Black and White Warbler

1/23/24, Tuckaseegee Park, Mt. Holly NC

Swamp Sparrow

1/23/24, Tuckaseegee Park, Mt. Holly NC

Golden-crowned Kinglet

1/11/24, Eastern Cleveland County

Loggerhead Shrike

1/11/24, Eastern Cleveland County

Canada Goose

1/11/24, Eastern Cleveland County

American Kestrel

1/11/24, Eastern Cleveland County

Pileated Woodpecker

1/7/24, Hector Henry Greenway, Concord NC

Northern Shoveler

1/7/24, Hector Henry Greenway, Concord NC

Rusty Blackbird

1/7/24, Hector Henry Greenway, Concord NC

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

1/4/24, Mt. Holly NC

Red-headed Woodpecker

1/4/24, Mt. Holly NC

In this photo I accidentally captured the bird in the act of relieving himself in mid-air. Not a beautiful sight, but probably (hopefully?) a one-of-a-kind image.

Blue Jay

1/3/24, back yard

Pine Warbler

1/2/24, back yard

Red-bellied Woodpecker

12/31/23, back yard

Winter Wren

12/28/23, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly

Cedar Waxwing

12/23/23, back yard

European Starling

12/23/23, back yard

American Kestrel

12/20/23, eastern Cleveland County

One of my favorite birds, and the smallest raptor in North America

Pine Warbler

12/19/23, back yard

American Robin

12/19/23, back yard

Eastern Bluebird

12/19/23, back yard

Brown-headed Nuthatch

12/19/23, back yard