12/22/2011. 9:45 AM.
Start: GPS N 35, 55.952, W 78, 33.655
End: GPS N 35, 55.069, W 78, 33.601
The access path from Falls River Avenue to the Neuse River Trail is several hundred feet long. It passes between two rows of houses along the way. Several of these houses have bird feeders in their yards, so there is quite a lot of bird activity. I saw a Northern Mockingbird, several Dark Eyed Juncos, a House Finch, two Mourning Doves, and what I originally thought was a group of four Chipping Sparrows, but as far as I can tell, they aren't common winter residents in Raleigh, so I am probably wrong about that one.
Perhaps half a mile down the Neuse River Trail from the Falls River Avenue entrance listed above is another entrance with a decent-size parking lot. The intersection of this parking lot and the Neuse River Trail is at GPS N 35, 55.829, W 78, 33.529. If I had known, I might have made that entrance the end for last week's outing, and then started there this week. That would have shortened the length of the trail for today's outing. However, I saw quite a few birds along the access path from the Falls River Ave. entrance, whereas the area near the other parking lot was not very active, so I still might recommend starting at the 3500 block of Falls River Avenue to bird this section.
The weather was mostly cloudy and the temperature was around 65 degrees Fahrenheit at the start. Is there anything better than birding in a t-shirt on the first day of winter? Well, maybe a few things, but this was pretty nice. There was quite a lot of bird activity at the place where the access trail meets the woods just before the main trail, so I spent quite a bit of time there. Some parts of this trail were strangely quiet, while others were quite active.
Between Falls River Avenue Entrance and First Parking Lot at GPS N 35, 55.829, W 78, 33.529
Northern Mockingbird: GPS N 35, 55.802, W 78, 33.759
Dark Eyed Junco
Chipping Sparrow?: GPS N 35, 55.881, W 78, 33.736 - I was pretty sure this was a Chipping Sparrow, with drab winter markings, but according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology range maps, they shouldn't be in North Carolina in the winter. However, the BirdsEye App on my iPod Touch indicates there have been a number of recent sightings in the Raleigh area.
Turkey Vulture: In Flight.
House Finch: N 35, 55.898, W 78, 33.707
Mourning Dove
Red Headed Woodpecker: GPS N 35, 55.917, W 78, 33.685
Northern Cardinal
Eastern Bluebird
Red Bellied Woodpecker: GPS N 35, 55.941, W 78, 33.673
Tufted Titmouse
Black Vulture: In flight.
White Breasted Nuthatch
Yellow Bellied Sapsucker: GPS N 35, 55.941, W 78, 33.625
Carolina Chickadee
White Throated Sparrow: GPS N 35, 55.903, W 78, 33.573
Song Sparrow
American Robin
Downy Woodpecker
Between the Parking Lot and Bedfordtown Drive Entrance: New Birds Only
Yellow Rumped Warbler: GPS N 35, 55.633, W 35, 33.241
I identified 19 species on this outing, including four species of woodpecker - Red Headed, Red Bellied, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, and Downy. I'll have to check when I return home from the holidays, but I believe this trip added two new birds to my Capital Area Greenway bird count, for a total of 29 species. The Song Sparrow may be a new one for my lifelist as well.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Trail 3: Neuse River Trail (Part A)
12/16/2011. 10:45 AM.
Start: GPS N 35, 56.377, W 78, 34.760
End: GPS N 35, 55.952, W 78, 33.655
I had a little trouble finding the Neuse River Trailhead with the GPS unit in my car. Falls of Neuse road splits less than a mile before the Neuse River, into Old Falls of Neuse Road, and New Falls of Neuse Road. The entrance to the trailhead is on Old Falls of Neuse Road. So if you are driving up Falls of Neuse Road from I-540 to get there, you need to turn left onto Old Falls of Neuse Road after you pass a street called Waterwood Court. If you cross the river, you have gone too far.
The true beginning of the trail is directly off of Old Falls of Neuse road. There was some sort of guard rail next to the road where the paved trail begins, so it is a difficult place to park. A sign just off the road reads: "Falls of Neuse Canoe Launch - 12098 Falls of Neuse Road." Unfortunately, that address does not work on Google Maps. Just before the canoe launch sign along Old Falls of Neuse Road is a long driveway and a Capital Greenway sign reading "Neuse River Trail." If you drive down the driveway you will come to a fairly spacious parking lot, located at GPS N 35, 56.365, W 78, 34.541. From the parking lot, you can turn left to cover the short part of the trail from the canoe launch, or turn right to begin a long walk along the Neuse River. Both were productive birding areas, though I was surprised by the number I saw within sight of the parking lot itself. I think this part of the trail may be quite new.
The weather was cloudy but it was somewhere near 60 degrees Fahrenheit when I arrived, though slightly breezy. I walked directly from my car to the Neuse River Trail asphalt path and began seeing birds right away. The first five birds were seen within about 300 feet of my car. I saw nine birds altogether between the parking lot and the canoe launch site.
From the Parking Lot to the Canoe Launch and Back. Species are listed in order of sighting. GPS coordinates are not repeated if species are sighted within a couple of hundred feet of each other.
Great Blue Heron: N 35, 56.375, W 78, 34.544. Perched on a tree next to the river.
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Chickadee
Ruby Crowned Kinglet: This one was a little tricky at first. It was one of the smaller birds I've seen here in Raleigh with what appeared to be oversized eyes and a shortish tail. I finally got a look at the back of the head and saw a little orange streak there that clinched it.
Northern Cardinal
Red Bellied Woodpecker: N 35, 56.402, W 78, 34.659. I saw these in at least two different areas along the trail.
Downy Woodpecker: N 35, 56.398, W 78, 34.659. I saw these in at least three places.
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (Male): Only saw one of these on this trip, but it brought the total to three species of woodpecker in under an hour. It is also a species I did not see on the Abbotts Creek Trail.
White-Throated Sparrow
I spent a good amount of time working on another sparrow species among the reeds beside the river. It was cryptic, only showing itself briefly before disappearing again among the reeds. It was also at a pretty good distance. I never got a good enough look to be sure, though I considered the Savannah Sparrow as one possibility.
From the Parking Lot South Along the Trail (new sightings only): ca. 12 PM
As you leave the parking lot, it doesn't take long until you approach an overpass with fairly heavy traffic. GPS N 35, 56.239, W 78, 34.589. This is New Falls of Neuse Road, and there is an access point on the south side to the trail. There were not many birds on either side of this overpass for several hundred feet, perhaps because of the traffic noise. Eventually, I came to a spot that was teeming with activity.
Blue Jay
American Robin: There were a number of these around, and much of their attention seemed focused on a small tree with what looked like old, dried up fruits on it.
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
Eastern Towhee (Female)
Yellow Rumped Warbler
Black Vulture: N 35, 56.028, W 78, 34.144. Saw four sitting together on a large electrical stanchion.
Red Headed Woodpecker: I saw and heard a number of these on this end of the trail, well beyond the overpass.
I also believe I heard a Northern Flicker twice. I'm not very good a birding by ear, but the sound reminded me of the red-shafted flickers we used to hear when I lived in Arizona. I saw one bird in flight that might have been a Northern Flicker as well, but it was hard to pick out any color against the cloudy sky.
Not counting the flicker, I identified four species of woodpecker on this trip - red bellied, downy, yellow bellied sapsucker, red headed. The best day so far for both woodpeckers and total species count (17). Five new species were added to my Capital Area Greenway count, for a total of 27 species.
I ended where the Neuse River Trail intersects with a long access pathway from the 3500 Block of Falls River Avenue. Birding on the way back was not terribly productive as there was very little movement.
Start: GPS N 35, 56.377, W 78, 34.760
End: GPS N 35, 55.952, W 78, 33.655
I had a little trouble finding the Neuse River Trailhead with the GPS unit in my car. Falls of Neuse road splits less than a mile before the Neuse River, into Old Falls of Neuse Road, and New Falls of Neuse Road. The entrance to the trailhead is on Old Falls of Neuse Road. So if you are driving up Falls of Neuse Road from I-540 to get there, you need to turn left onto Old Falls of Neuse Road after you pass a street called Waterwood Court. If you cross the river, you have gone too far.
The true beginning of the trail is directly off of Old Falls of Neuse road. There was some sort of guard rail next to the road where the paved trail begins, so it is a difficult place to park. A sign just off the road reads: "Falls of Neuse Canoe Launch - 12098 Falls of Neuse Road." Unfortunately, that address does not work on Google Maps. Just before the canoe launch sign along Old Falls of Neuse Road is a long driveway and a Capital Greenway sign reading "Neuse River Trail." If you drive down the driveway you will come to a fairly spacious parking lot, located at GPS N 35, 56.365, W 78, 34.541. From the parking lot, you can turn left to cover the short part of the trail from the canoe launch, or turn right to begin a long walk along the Neuse River. Both were productive birding areas, though I was surprised by the number I saw within sight of the parking lot itself. I think this part of the trail may be quite new.
The weather was cloudy but it was somewhere near 60 degrees Fahrenheit when I arrived, though slightly breezy. I walked directly from my car to the Neuse River Trail asphalt path and began seeing birds right away. The first five birds were seen within about 300 feet of my car. I saw nine birds altogether between the parking lot and the canoe launch site.
From the Parking Lot to the Canoe Launch and Back. Species are listed in order of sighting. GPS coordinates are not repeated if species are sighted within a couple of hundred feet of each other.
Great Blue Heron: N 35, 56.375, W 78, 34.544. Perched on a tree next to the river.
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Chickadee
Ruby Crowned Kinglet: This one was a little tricky at first. It was one of the smaller birds I've seen here in Raleigh with what appeared to be oversized eyes and a shortish tail. I finally got a look at the back of the head and saw a little orange streak there that clinched it.
Northern Cardinal
Red Bellied Woodpecker: N 35, 56.402, W 78, 34.659. I saw these in at least two different areas along the trail.
Downy Woodpecker: N 35, 56.398, W 78, 34.659. I saw these in at least three places.
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (Male): Only saw one of these on this trip, but it brought the total to three species of woodpecker in under an hour. It is also a species I did not see on the Abbotts Creek Trail.
White-Throated Sparrow
I spent a good amount of time working on another sparrow species among the reeds beside the river. It was cryptic, only showing itself briefly before disappearing again among the reeds. It was also at a pretty good distance. I never got a good enough look to be sure, though I considered the Savannah Sparrow as one possibility.
From the Parking Lot South Along the Trail (new sightings only): ca. 12 PM
As you leave the parking lot, it doesn't take long until you approach an overpass with fairly heavy traffic. GPS N 35, 56.239, W 78, 34.589. This is New Falls of Neuse Road, and there is an access point on the south side to the trail. There were not many birds on either side of this overpass for several hundred feet, perhaps because of the traffic noise. Eventually, I came to a spot that was teeming with activity.
Blue Jay
American Robin: There were a number of these around, and much of their attention seemed focused on a small tree with what looked like old, dried up fruits on it.
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
Eastern Towhee (Female)
Yellow Rumped Warbler
Black Vulture: N 35, 56.028, W 78, 34.144. Saw four sitting together on a large electrical stanchion.
Red Headed Woodpecker: I saw and heard a number of these on this end of the trail, well beyond the overpass.
I also believe I heard a Northern Flicker twice. I'm not very good a birding by ear, but the sound reminded me of the red-shafted flickers we used to hear when I lived in Arizona. I saw one bird in flight that might have been a Northern Flicker as well, but it was hard to pick out any color against the cloudy sky.
Not counting the flicker, I identified four species of woodpecker on this trip - red bellied, downy, yellow bellied sapsucker, red headed. The best day so far for both woodpeckers and total species count (17). Five new species were added to my Capital Area Greenway count, for a total of 27 species.
I ended where the Neuse River Trail intersects with a long access pathway from the 3500 Block of Falls River Avenue. Birding on the way back was not terribly productive as there was very little movement.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Trail 2: Abbotts Creek Trail (Eastern Part)
12/10/2011. 10:24 AM.
Start: GPS N 35, 54.938, W 78, 34.406
End: GPS N 35, 54.962, W 78, 33.624
There is an easy parking entrance at the 2400 Block of Dunn Road.GPS N 35, 54.915, W 78, 34.219. Follow a short unpaved trail from the end of the roadway, then turn left onto the asphalt path. The Falls River Avenue entrance is a few hundred feet to the right down the same path. I saw quite a few birds on the short stretch to Falls River Ave., so it might be worth a look. However, there is no good place to park near the Falls River Avenue entrance.
American Crow
Red-Tailed Hawk: I got a good look at this one as it flew almost directly overhead twice.
Dark Eyed Junco
Start: GPS N 35, 54.938, W 78, 34.406
End: GPS N 35, 54.962, W 78, 33.624
There is an easy parking entrance at the 2400 Block of Dunn Road.
It was sunny and probably about 45 degrees Fahrenheit when I started. This trail was much more wooded and had many more birds overall than the western part of Abbotts Creek Trail. Much of this area is swampy, with wooden walkways raised above the wet ground in several locations. It was a great place to see woodpeckers. There were several active places for birds, including right near the beginning of the trail at the Falls River Ave.
Birds Near Fall Creek Avenue Entrance (N 35, 54.938, W 78, 34.406). Species are listed in order of sighting. GPS coordinates are not repeated if species are sighted within a couple of hundred feet of each other.
Tufted Titmouse: These were very common along this entire trail.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker: I saw this one at least twice, near the beginning and end of the trail in the non-swampy areas.
Carolina
White-Breasted Nuthatch: I saw this toward the end of the trail again as well.
Yellow-Rumped Warbler (N 35, 54.814, W 78, 34.162)
Tufted Titmouse: These were very common along this entire trail.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker: I saw this one at least twice, near the beginning and end of the trail in the non-swampy areas.
White-Breasted Nuthatch: I saw this toward the end of the trail again as well.
Yellow-Rumped Warbler (N 35, 54.814, W 78, 34.162)
At Large Swamp Area: N 35, 54.775, W 78, 33.971
Northern Cardinal
Red-Headed Woodpecker: This woodpecker is listed as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This was only the second time I had seen them in the wild. They are very striking whether climbing on a tree or in flight. The red color of the head is much richer and less orange than many other woodpeckers with reddish heads (such as the red-bellied woodpecker seen earlier). I saw at least three different individuals and at several different locations along the trail. A good place to pick up this bird if you don't have it.
Carolina
Probable Song Sparrow: It was down low to the ground but I couldn't confirm the central dark spot on the chest. However, the Tekiela guide lists only four common sparrows in the Carolinas, and it definitely was not the other three. Might have been one of the less common ones, though.
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Cardinal
Red-Headed Woodpecker: This woodpecker is listed as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This was only the second time I had seen them in the wild. They are very striking whether climbing on a tree or in flight. The red color of the head is much richer and less orange than many other woodpeckers with reddish heads (such as the red-bellied woodpecker seen earlier). I saw at least three different individuals and at several different locations along the trail. A good place to pick up this bird if you don't have it.
Probable Song Sparrow: It was down low to the ground but I couldn't confirm the central dark spot on the chest. However, the Tekiela guide lists only four common sparrows in the Carolinas, and it definitely was not the other three. Might have been one of the less common ones, though.
Downy Woodpecker
At Swampside Benches Area (N 35, 54.789, W 78, 33.763): This area is actually a shallow pond thick with rushes. The sign says that Great Blue Herons nest in the nearby trees, and indeed, I could see a large nest in a tree across the pond.
Mourning Dove
Black Vulture (in flight and perched): The vulture was visible from the very end of the Abbotts Creek Trail where it meets the Neuse River Trail. It flew in from up the trail, then perched on a large power stanchion.
Back atFalls River Avenue
Mourning Dove
Black Vulture (in flight and perched): The vulture was visible from the very end of the Abbotts Creek Trail where it meets the Neuse River Trail. It flew in from up the trail, then perched on a large power stanchion.
Back at
American Crow
Red-Tailed Hawk: I got a good look at this one as it flew almost directly overhead twice.
Dark Eyed Junco
I finished around 12:30 PM. This time I identified 14 species (not counting the song sparrow) and saw six species that I did not see the previous week on the western part of Abbotts Creek trail. That is a total of 21 confirmed species seen so far. In total, I saw four different species of woodpeckers between the two parts of the Abbotts Creek Trail (Pileated, Red-Headed, Red-Bellied, and Downy).
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Trail 1: Abbotts Creek Trail (Western Part)
Entrance is at the 1200 Block of Walkertown Drive
It was sunny and somewhere in the 50s Fahrenheit when I arrived. The short section of Abbott's Creek trail before it crosses Falls River Ave. is behind a residential area, with only a thin screen of woods. The only active place for birds was right at the very beginning of the trail where the woods begin. Other than a Northern Mockingbird, I couldn’t identify the other small birds at this entrance. I was out of practice, and they were cryptic, disappearing quickly. Toward the end of this first part of the trail, I saw an American Robin.
It was sunny and somewhere in the 50s Fahrenheit when I arrived. The short section of Abbott's Creek trail before it crosses Falls River Ave. is behind a residential area, with only a thin screen of woods. The only active place for birds was right at the very beginning of the trail where the woods begin. Other than a Northern Mockingbird, I couldn’t identify the other small birds at this entrance. I was out of practice, and they were cryptic, disappearing quickly. Toward the end of this first part of the trail, I saw an American Robin.
The second and longer part of the trail, after crossing Falls River Ave., was much better for birding. The trail begins at GPS N 35, 54.746, W 78, 35.152, and skirts Wake Landfill Park , GPS N 35, 54.655, W 78, 34.580) which was greatly appreciated! I saw a number of birds, particularly after about 10:30 AM on this part of Abbott’s Creek trail, and most particularly on the return route. The creek is very small here, maybe two or three feet wide and only follows part of the trail. The trail does continue after the endpoint listed above, but you must walk along Falls River Ave. for maybe a quarter of a mile to reach the continuation. The longer, eastern part of the Abbott's Creek trail begins at GPS N 35, 54.969, W 78, 34.469. The street address is 2120 Falls River Avenue
There are a couple of side entrances that lead into this trail from surrounding neighborhoods as well. One is at 10016 Smith Basin Lane Farmington Grove Drive Farmington Grove Drive
Birds Sighted (First Part of Trail): Species are listed in order of sighting. GPS coordinates are not repeated if species are sighted within a couple of hundred feet of each other.
American Robin: GPS N 35, 54.736, W 78, 35.210
Birds Sighted (Second Part of Trail):
Turkey Vulture (in flight): GPS N 35, 54.969, W 78, 34.469
Brown Thrasher: GPS N 35, 54.773, W 78, 34.535
Northern Cardinal: GPS N 35, 54.869, W 78, 34.534
Pileated Woodpecker (Male): GPS N 35, 54.661, W 78, 34.650. This was the most exciting sighting of the day for me. I have seen pileated woodpeckers in other parts of North Carolina and in Virginia, but never in Raleigh. I watched it for about 10 minutes. It was on the ground about 30 feet away working on a rotted log. It would peck several times, breaking off pieces of rotted wood, then would cock its head and listen for the sound of insects moving. It did some pretty good damage to a large branch in a short period of time. Impressive!
Tufted Titmouse: GPS N 35, 54.754, W 78, 35.148. These were very common.
Hermit Thrush: Bobbing of the tail helped with identification of this one. This is a new species for the lifelist.
I returned to my car sometime around noon. I ended up with 15 species in total and one new species for the life list.
Introduction: Birding the Capital Area Greenway in Raleigh
This blog was inspired by two things. First, I saw the movie The Big Year, about three birders who set out to identify as many species of North American birds as they can in a year’s time. The movie got me wondering about the possibility of doing a Big Year of my own – maybe one a little closer to home. One idea was to do a Big Year within my own county (Wake) here in North Carolina Raleigh
But I knew that my job would often keep me from birding on the weekends, and in the summer, I’m likely to be out of the country for eight weeks or more. I needed a goal that was not time dependent, but which had a definite endpoint.
But I knew that my job would often keep me from birding on the weekends, and in the summer, I’m likely to be out of the country for eight weeks or more. I needed a goal that was not time dependent, but which had a definite endpoint.
The second inspiration came when I “discovered” the Capital Area Greenway here in Raleigh
It turns out the Capital Area Greenway has been around since the 1970s, and is still growing. According to the City of Raleigh
Once I saw a map for the Greenway, and realized it passes through many different parts of the city, and often along the banks of creeks or rivers, I realized that the Greenway might be a way to do some birding without having to travel far to do it. Birding the entire Greenway might also be a way of setting a definite endpoint to my endeavor without having to worry about a time limit. Once I’ve walked every trail on the Greenway, whether it takes a year or three years, I’m done…..unless I want to start over again!
So I decided to make it my aim to spend some time birding the Greenway. I will keep track of the birds I see, and then blog about my sightings so that others can use them to find good places to go birding in the city, or to view a specific bird that they might like to see. I should note that I am not a seasoned birder. Over the past decade or so, I’ve probably been birding only two or three times a year, on average, and at least half of those experiences have been overseas (Thailand, Japan, Denmark) or in other states. At the start of this project, my life list is only 300 birds long. You might say I have just enough knowledge to be dangerous. Perhaps having this blog will encourage me to get out there and bird more often.
I currently use a pair of Nikon Action 8x40 binoculars, a Garmin GPSmap60CSx for longitude and latitude, and three field guides. I carry Stan Tekiela’s easy-to-use Birds of the Carolinas Field Guide and Roger Tory Peterson’s Eastern Birds, and I leave a copy of Fred J. Alsop III ’s Birds of North America – Eastern Region in the car as an extra reference. My favorite category of birds is woodpeckers, so I suspect my posts will be particularly focused on woodpecker sightings.
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