Start: GPS N 35, 45.597, W 78, 32.400
End: GPS N 35, 46.478, W 78, 32.555
Access to this part of the Neuse River Trail can be gained from the 1400 block of Riverview Road. The road parallels the trail for a few hundred feet here, and there is room for one or two cars to park right next to the trail at the north end of this short section of road. The southern entrance to Anderson Point Park is about a mile from this access point. The goal of this day's outing was to finish off the part of the Neuse River Trail south of Anderson Point Park that is within the Raleigh City limits and that I had not birded before.
The morning was cold, with temperatures in the upper 30s Fahrenheit at the start, and a high predicted in the 40s. This outing was a bit unusual, in that I saw my first 16 species all in one place. The first five to ten minutes on the trail produced no sightings, but then I rounded a corner, came to an area near a small pond (see photo below) and began to see bird activity. I probably never moved out of an area of maybe 20 feet by 20 feet for the next 40 minutes or so. The birds just kept coming. There were some bushes around with berries on them, so I don't know if this spot would be a good one at any other time of year, but I was really surprised at the diversity of bird species sighted in this one place. For example, I saw four species of woodpecker from that one spot! I also picked up a new bird for the Capital Area Greenway list here (Pine Siskin). I had only just added this bird to my lifelist last April (in Canada) and it was nice to get a chance to see it here in my home birding range.
I will divide this outing into two segments. The first segment includes birds seen before the 18.5 mile marker, and those seen after that marker all the way through Anderson Point Park.
Birds Sighted Between Riverview Road and Mile Marker 18.5
Northern Cardinal: GPS N 35, 45.667, W 78, 32.384. I only saw three of these on the day, which was fewer than I would have expected.
White Throated Sparrow: I only saw two of these, though there were probably more.
Yellow Bellied Sapsucker: My first of the season. I saw a male here, then later saw a female further down the trail.
Northern Mockingbird: I saw one here and another further down the trail.
Eastern Bluebird: There were a total of eight of these at several locations along the trail.
Red Bellied Woodpecker: This one was a male.
Downy Woodpecker: Also a male. In the same tree as the Red Bellied.
Northern Flicker: There were at least two of these in this area, and possibly three.
Golden Crowned Kinglet: Just saw one.
Eastern Phoebe: I ultimately saw two. The first was hawking for insects from a stump sticking up in the middle of a shallow pond by the trail.
Carolina Chickadee: Only saw one the whole day.
Tufted Titmouse: Managed to see three of these on the day.
Turkey Vulture: Saw two of them in flight. The photo on the left is of a turkey vulture (top). My first attempt at taking a photo through a spotting scope, though this was taken about a week before the outing.
Yellow Rumped Warbler: At least one, possibly two.
Dark Eyed Junco: My first of the season.
Pine Siskin: I saw five of these altogether. They are a new bird for the Raleigh Greenway list. This was also the last species sighted from that prime location near the shallow pond.
Ruby Crowned Kinglet: GPS N 35, 45.678, W 78, 32.381.
Chipping Sparrow: I saw at least six of these.
Brown Thrasher: GPS N35, 45.881, W 78, 32.404.
New Species Sighted Between Mile Marker 18.5 and Anderson Point Park
Cedar Waxwings: GPS N 35, 45.912, W 78, 32.411. It has been a good long while since I have seen any of these.
American Robin: Seven in total.
Carolina Wren: Just one.
Black Vulture: There were three of these flying over Anderson Point Park.
Song Sparrow: GPS N 35, 46.215, W 78, 32.588.
This outing turned out to be a very productive one, despite the very cold temperatures. Although I did not identify a single new species on the return trip, I counted a total of 24 species on the day, and one new species for the Capital Area Greenway list.
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