Birding in North Carolina

North Carolina Outdoors

Tundra swan, Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge
January 1999.
Birding in North Carolina Photo Tour

Birding Links Birding Books

According to some estimates, birding is second only to gardening as America's most popular pastime. Almost eveyone is at least a casual birder, myself included. Unfortunately, casual birding doesn't lend itself to good birding photography, as the birding tour on these pages indicates. But perhaps my mediocre birding pictures will at least provide a good feel for what birding with the naked eye is like.

From a distance, even big birds like tundra swans (when on the water) are difficult to see clearly. The tundra swan pictured above is the exception. This bird inexplicably allowed me to approach it within about 10 feet (perhaps it was ill).

Don't expect to get such a close-up shot without a telescopic lens. A tripod-mounted camera with a long telephoto is essential. Better yet, get a spotting scope with a camera adapter. Neither of which I own yet, but they are on my wish list.

As a very casual birder, I'll leave the expert advice to the experts. I particularly recommend the essay by Joshua S. Rose, Will Cook's birding and nature website, and John Fussel's Birding Guide. Happy birding!!

Birding Links

Birding Resources

Important Birding Areas (IBA's) - Learn about North Carolina Audubon's 92 designated Important Birding Areas.

Map of IBA's - View a map of North Carolina's IBA's

Carolina Nature - Need to ID a bird or plant? Visit this site. The best NC-oriented nature site I've come across. Excellent photos.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Perhaps the premiere birding site on the web.

BirdSource - Participate in a number of research-oriented birding projects.

Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter - Photos and sound clips to help you ID a bird.

North Carolina Birding - Fatbirding's Guide to NC Birding. Excellent introductory essay by a Duke University ornithologist and an extensive collection of links.

Birding.com's North Carolina Page

Birding Scopes - A primer on birding scopes.

Birding Scopes - A scope buying guide.

Spotting Scopes - Browse a selection of spotting scopes from Amazon.com.

Local Birding Clubs

Audubon North Carolina - Established 1902.

Carolina Bird Club - Founded 1937.

Chapel Hill Bird Club - Founded in the 1930's.

Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society - Asheville area chapter of the Audubon Society.

Foothills Bird Club - Serving the Hickory area.

Highlands Plateau Audubon Society - Serving the Highlands and Cashiers region.

Mecklenburg Audubon - Serving the Mecklenburg County metro area.

New Hope Audubon Society - Serving Chatham, Durham, and Orange counties.

Piedmont Bird Club - Founded 1938. Serving Greensboro and the triad region.

Wake Audubon - Serving Raleigh and Wake County.

Birding Books

Birding North Carolina - by Carolina Bird Club

A Birder's Guide to Coastal North Carolina - by John O. Fussell. I keep this guide in my car anytime I travel downeast. Thorough and clearly written. Maps and directions included.

Sibley's Birding Basics

The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America

A Field Guide to the Birds (Peterson Field Guides)

Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guides(R))

The American Bird Conservancy Guide to the 500 Most Important Bird Areas in theUnited States : Key Sites for Birds and Birding in All 50 States

North Carolina Hiking Trails - by Allen de Hart. Comprehensive. Covers 968 trails. My favorite.

Hiking North Carolina (Falcon Guide) - by Randy Johnson. Covers fewer trails than de Hart's book, but covers them in more detail; maps and photos included.

50 Hikes in the Mountains of North Carolina - by Robert L. Williams. Describes 50 hikes in detail.

Hiking North Carolina's Mountains-To-Sea Trail - by Allen de Hart.

Trails of the Triad : Over 140 Hikes in the Winston-Salem/Greensboro/High Point Area - by Allen de Hart. A detailed look at trails in the triad. Maps and photos included.

Trails of the Triangle : 170 Hikes in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill Area - by Allen de Hart. A detailed look at trails in the triangle. Maps and photos included.

The Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest - by C. Franklin, others. Rated 5 stars by Amazon reviewers.

Exploring North Carolina's Natural Areas: Parks, Nature Preserves, and Hiking Trails - edited by Dirk Frankenberger. New. According to Amazon, #1 in Charlotte and # 4 in Chapel Hill (Aug. 2000.)