Start: GPS N 35, 47.636, W 78, 41.097
End: GPS N 35, 48.956, W 78, 41.240
The southern entrance to the Reedy Creek Trail is at the corner of Hillsborough and Gorman Street. Perhaps the best place to park if you want to access this southern entrance is either the Burger King, or the Applebee's across the street. The Reedy Creek Trail follows along the southern edge of the Meredith College campus almost to I-440, then turns north and follows the western edge of campus, paralleling I-440, until it crosses under Wade Ave.
A short distance north of Wade Ave., the trail diverges. The Reedy Creek Trail continues west toward Umstead Park, while a new trail turns north. This northern branch is called the House Creek Trail. For this outing, I followed the Reedy Creek Trail to the branch point just before the large pedestrian bridge over I-440, then took the House Creek Trail north from there. The House Creek trail appears to connect up with the Crabtree Creek Trail after perhaps 3 miles, though I only went about a mile down the trail on this outing.
It was sunny and warm, with temperatures in the mid-70s Fahrenheit as I began my outing. Much of the first half of the trail is unshaded, so it can get pretty hot out there in the direct sunlight. I will divide the trail into two sections - The Reedy Creek Trail portion, and the House Creek Trail portion, each of which was probably about a mile long.
Birds Sighted Along the Reedy Creek Trail
There were two primary habitat zones on this part of the trail - open grassy areas with dispersed trees along the trail's edge for about the first half, along the southern edge of the Meredith campus, and then a thicker screen of trees later on. There was one stretch of trees that were almost all cone-bearing rather than deciduous. At one or two places along the trail, stagnant-looking ponds could also be seen.
American Crow: GPS N 35, 47.636, W 78, 41.097. Saw a total of three on the day.
Northern Mockingbird: Also from the beginning of the trail. Later I would see what appeared to be two juveniles and one adult.
American Robin: GPS N 35, 47.646, W 78, 41.129. Saw just one fly overhead early on, but would later see three more on the House Creek Trail.
Eastern Bluebird: In the same spot as the first American Robin. I would later see one juvenile and one adult on the House Creek Trail.
Red Winged Blackbird: A lone female standing on a lightpost.
Blue Jay: GPS N 35, 47.671, W 78, 41.272. Saw these in two different places along the trail.
Northern Cardinal: GPS N 35, 47.747, W 78, 41.560.
Great Crested Flycatcher: GPS N 35, 47.890, W 78, 41.603. I wasn't sure what this was at first because its back was to me. It was in a little cluster of just two or three deciduous trees amid two long parallel rows of cone-bearing trees. There may have been two others lower down in the trees but I could never get a look at them. I finally settled on Great Crested Flycatcher and then verified by call using my iBird Pro app.
Gray Catbird: GPS N 35, 48.141, W 78, 41.496.
Mourning Dove: GPS N 35, 48.245, W 78, 41.521. Three up on wires.
Common Grackle: GPS 35, 48.314, W 78, 41.521. Perched on a electric cable stanchion.
Birds Sighted Along House Creek Trail
This trail branches from the Reedy Creek Trail just before the pedestrian bridge across I-440. A short distance down the trail is a parking lot on Horton Street located at GPS N 35, 48.695, W 78, 41.466.
Carolina Wren: GPS N 35, 48.341, W 78, 41.541.
Field Sparrow: I was fooled briefly by this one, as it had a rusty crown but no black line behind the eye like a Chipping Sparrow would.
Pine Warbler: GPS N 35, 48.821, W 78, 41.438.
Chipping Sparrow: In the same area as the Pine Warbler. There is a small cement path that bridges the creek in this area, and allows observation of an open field that may be swampy when it rains. This turned out to be a good place to spot birds (see photo at left).
Northern Flicker: A young one, as the color on the back of the neck was muted.
New Species Sighted on the Return Trip
Carolina Chickadee: GPS N 35, 48.816, W 78, 41.432.
Indigo Bunting: GPS N 35, 48.535, W 78, 41.556. This is my first firm sighting of this bird along the Capital Area Greenways. I had a probable sighting once before, but couldn't be absolutely certain.
Downy Woodpecker: GPS N 35, 47.899, W 78, 41.607.
This was not among the more interesting trails I have surveyed, but I did end up identifying 19 species, two of which were somewhat unusual for the Raleigh Greenways - Great Crested Flycatcher and Indigo Bunting. I would probably not visit this part of the trail again for birding, but it did seem to be very popular with both runners and cyclists.
Mourning Dove: GPS N 35, 48.245, W 78, 41.521. Three up on wires.
Common Grackle: GPS 35, 48.314, W 78, 41.521. Perched on a electric cable stanchion.
This trail branches from the Reedy Creek Trail just before the pedestrian bridge across I-440. A short distance down the trail is a parking lot on Horton Street located at GPS N 35, 48.695, W 78, 41.466.
Carolina Wren: GPS N 35, 48.341, W 78, 41.541.
Field Sparrow: I was fooled briefly by this one, as it had a rusty crown but no black line behind the eye like a Chipping Sparrow would.
Pine Warbler: GPS N 35, 48.821, W 78, 41.438.
Northern Flicker: A young one, as the color on the back of the neck was muted.
New Species Sighted on the Return Trip
Carolina Chickadee: GPS N 35, 48.816, W 78, 41.432.
Indigo Bunting: GPS N 35, 48.535, W 78, 41.556. This is my first firm sighting of this bird along the Capital Area Greenways. I had a probable sighting once before, but couldn't be absolutely certain.
Downy Woodpecker: GPS N 35, 47.899, W 78, 41.607.
This was not among the more interesting trails I have surveyed, but I did end up identifying 19 species, two of which were somewhat unusual for the Raleigh Greenways - Great Crested Flycatcher and Indigo Bunting. I would probably not visit this part of the trail again for birding, but it did seem to be very popular with both runners and cyclists.
