Road Trip Reports

North Carolina Trip
By Jimmy Woodard 

Over Memorial Day I birded the coast on the east end and the mountains on the west end of North Carolina.  I had a trip list of around 150. 

The pelagic on Memorial Day was okay. The boat was full of birders, and it was tough to move around much. The waves were small but the swells were really rocking us around at times. We had great looks at all the common stuff, but didn't see anything unusual. 

I did have four lifers--Cory's and Greater Shearwaters, Black-capped Petrel and Band-rumped Storm Petrel. And I saw a possible 5th lifer, Manx Shearwater with my eyes only, but by the time I got on it with binocs, it disappeared behind a wave only to reappear -- way out there where you couldn't tell what it was for sure.  If I'd have seen it in time, I would have 700 birds. I didn’t count it so am at 699. 

The Carolina coast is beautiful and birdy, but crowded on a holiday. I stopped at Pea Island NWR and Alligator River NWR.  Pea Island was best with lots of trails and a great gift shop!  I was attacked by an irate Willet and enjoyed the company of a Gray Catbird following a few feet in front of me on the trail, catching bugs I flushed up. I got within 3 feet of it a few times. It stayed with me for maybe a hundred yards along the trail.  

In the Appalachians, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, there were lots of birds singing, especially warblers.  I saw a lot of Black-throated Blues, Hooded, Redstart, Chestnut-sided, Ovenbird, Black & White, Kentucky, Blackburnian, Prothonotary, Parula, Prairie, Pine, and Louisiana Waterthrush.  I heard a couple of Ceruleans, but never saw one.  The flowers and butterflies may have been even more impressive and beautiful. I would highly recommend a drive on the Parkway in spring or summer.  

Anyway, I had a great time and saw and heard many birds. 

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