This aspect of the lab is designed to encourage students to become aware of the local avifauna outside of scheduled lab time. We want you to look for birds on your own. As an incentive, you can earn bonus points for additions to this list of bird sightings.
A point will be awarded to the first person(s) who submits a sighting of a new, free ranging, nondomestic, native or naturalized species outside of lab time (hearing a new species also counts). All submissions for a new species received before the sighting is posted will recieve credit. Students are allowed only one submission per day, and the submission must be made within 24 hours of the observation. If your sighting is a "rare" species or a species not normally seen at that time of year, you must also submit a photograph or have your sighting confirmed by a second independent observer. Each student can earn a maximum of two points per week (weeks restart on Monday) for sightings.
In addition, three points will be awarded to the first person to find the first active nest for each species (identified by eggs, chicks, prolonged incubation on nest, or by observing adults bringing food to nest).
A maximum of 25 points total can be accumulated for Sightings and Question of the Week answers for each student.
Email the following information to Jin Bai to submit a sighting.
Species | Location | Date | Sighting or nest | Comments | Observer(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | European Starling | Cup a Joe | 1/10 | sighting | What a voice | Ted Simons |
2 | Eastern Towhee | Williams Hall | 1/11 | sighting | On the ground. | Alivia Cramer |
3 | American Crow | Dan Allen Parking Deck | 1/11 | sighting | Flew to nearby apartment building. | Emma Litra |
4 | House Finch | Lake Johnson Park | 1/11 | sighting | Searching for food near the parking lot. | Bradley Scholten |
5 | Double-crested Cormorant | Lake Johnson | 1/12 | sighting | Group of 9 swimming on the surface of Lake Johnson, occasionally diving for small fish. | Jenna Donkle |
6 | American Robin | 611 Crimson Cross Ct | 1/12 | sighting | Was in a tree. | Alivia Cramer |
7 | Carolina Chickadee | Neighborhood near Lake Johnson | 1/13 | sighting | Getting sunflower seeds from a feeder. | Bradley Scholten |
8 | Great Blue Heron | Umstead State Park | 1/13 | sighting | I spotted flying down the river that runs through Umstead. | Elaina Savage |
9 | Pied-billed Grebe | Durant Nature Preserve | 1/13 | sighting | Pair feeding in lake. | Emma Litra |
10 | Downy Woodpecker | Redpoint Raleigh Complex | 1/14 | sighting | Found hanging around on a dormant oak tree. | Vanessa Faulk |
11 | Carolina Wren | SPCA of Wake County | 1/14 | sighting | It was sitting on a car's tire. | Brandon Taylor |
12 | American Goldfinch | 611 Crimson Cross Ct | 1/17 | sighting | Was on the ground in leaf litter. | Alivia Cramer |
13 | Tufted Titmouse | Neighborhood near Lake Johnson | 1/18 | sighting | Searching for bird seed that had fallen on the ground. | Bradley Scholten |
14 | Canada Goose | On the bank of a pond off Kildaire Farm Road | 1/18 | sighting | It was eating grass. | Brandon Taylor |
15 | Brown Thrasher | Gorman Street | 1/17 | sighting | Found around understory area (urban). | Ana Sapp |
16 | Ruddy Duck | Lake Johnson | 1/18 | sighting | Male, sighted by itself. Floating on water by shore, occasionally diving beneath the water. | Jenna Donkle |
17 | Red-tailed Hawk | Brickyard NCSU | 1/19 | sighting | Perched on a tree limb by the picnic tables in the brickyard. | Elaina Savage |
18 | Northern Mockingbird | Outside of Logan's Garden Shop, Raleigh, NC | 1/19 | sighting | On a bush. | Amanda Hofmann |
19 | White-throated Sparrow | Rocky Branch Trail | 1/19 | sighting | Flew into a vine covered bush right next to me, and I could see the yellow supraorbital spot clearly. | Zayne Isgett |
20 | Eastern Bluebird | Dan Allen Dr. | 1/20 | sighting | Flew right over Dan Allen and landed on a tree branch. | Bradley Scholten |
21 | Hooded Merganser | Pond off of Tryon Road by Windsor Apartments | 1/22 | sighting | Swimming in pond with Canada Geese and Mallards | Amanda Hofmann |
22 | Turkey Vulture | Umstead State Park by Lake Crabtree | 1/22 | sighting | Two seen circling over a small lake. | Elaina Savage |
23 | Ruby-Crowned Kinglet | Lake Raleigh | 1/23 | sighting | Flitting between juniper trees along the bank of Lake Raleigh. | Lucie Ciccone |
24 | Yellow-rumped Warbler | Neighborhood near Lake Johnson | 1/23 | sighting | Hopping around in the shrubs. | Bradley Scholten |
25 | House Sparrow | Raleigh Farmers Market | 1/24 | sighting | Hanging around a wood pile. | Vanessa Faulk |
26 | Belted Kingfisher | Lake Johnson | 1/24 | sighting | Heard rattle call, then spotted it flying over the lake towards the power lines on the road. | Jenna Donkle |
27 | Mourning Dove | Neighborhood near Lake Johnson | 1/25 | sighting | Calling from a rooftop. | Bradley Scholten |
28 | Northern Cardinal | Durant Nature Preserve | 1/27 | sighting | Male, heard vocalizing, sitting on American holly tree. | Emma Litra |
29 | Field Sparrow | Yates Mill Pond | 1/27 | sighting | Martina Nordstrand | |
30 | Pine Warbler | Dan Allen Dr. | 1/28 | sighting | I saw a pair of pine warblers in a deciduous tree. | Lucie Ciccone |
31 | Baltimore Oriole | West Park Dr. (my yard) | 1/28 | sighting | Female visiting daily for jelly! | Martina Nordstrand |
32 | Black Vulture | Lake Wheeler Road | 1/29 | sighting | Drive-by sighting, soaring overhead. Distinguished from turkey vulture by shorter tail and mostly white primaries. | Jenna Donkle |
33 | Brown-headed Nuthatch | Wood Hall | 1/31 | sighting | Hopping up a pine tree | Ashley Conroy |
34 | White-breasted Nuthatch | Lake Johnson | 2/2 | sighting | Perched sideways on a pine tree. | Bradley Scholten |
35 | Northern Flicker | 611 Crimson Cross Ct | 2/2 | sighting | Landed on a small branch off of a tree in the woods behind my apartment. | Alivia Cramer |
36 | Northern Harrier | Asheboro, NC | 2/5 | sighting | Hunting over open country. | Martina Nordstrand |
37 | Bald Eagle | Macedonia Lake Trail | 2/6 | sighting | Mature individual soaring above the water. | Amanda Hofmann |
38 | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | My yard | 2/6 | sighting | Martina Nordstrand | |
39 | Golden-crowned Kinglet | Schneck Forest | 2/6 | sighting | Quick little bird. | Ana Sapp |
40 | Rock Pigeon | Parking Deck near Cameron Village Starbucks | 2/8 | sighting | Fast walker on the ground trying to find food in the parking deck. | Steph Lee |
41 | Fish Crow | Talley Student Union | 2/9 | sighting | Cawing from on top of the Talley spire. | Martina Nordstrand |
42 | American Kestrel | NCSU Campus | 2/10 | sighting | Flying over Fox Labs, nice surprise! | Martina Nordstrand |
43 | Red-winged Blackbird | NC Museum of Art | 2/10 | sighting | I saw a male Red-winged Blackbird flying overhead in a stand of pine trees. | Lucie Ciccone |
44 | Hairy Woodpecker | Schenck Forest | 2/10 | sighting | Hanging out in the Loblolly stand. | Amanda Hofmann |
45 | Red-bellied Woodpecker | My yard | 2/11 | sighting | Making his way up a pine tree. | Bradley Scholten |
46 | Brown Pelican | Murrels Inlet, SC | 2/12 | sighting | Group of seven flying alongside the shore. | Jenna Donkle |
47 | Common Grackle | Dan Allen Drive (campus) | 2/14 | sighting | Heard several in pine trees, was able to locate. Group of about ~15 all calling loudly. | Jenna Donkle |
48 | Blue Jay | Hillsborough Street | 2/14 | sighting | I saw a blue jay perched on a tree branch. | Brandon Taylor |
49 | Ring-billed Gull | Lake Johnson | 2/15 | sighting | It was in a pair of two. | Ana Sapp |
50 | House Sparrow | Brugers Bagels | 2/17 | nest | Adults going back and forth to the nest and never left the nest unattended. | Ana Sapp |
51 | Boat-tailed Grackle | Emerald Isle | 2/17 | sighting | They were in ideal habitat, a Bojangles parking lot. | Martina Nordstrand |
52 | Peregrine Falcon | Mid Pines Rd | 2/18 | sighting | Martina Nordstrand | |
53 | Killdeer | Whiteville, NC | 2/26 | sighting | Running around in the field beside my house. | Vanessa Faulk |
54 | Chipping Sparrow | Walnut Creek Trail | 2/26 | sighting | Ashley Conroy | |
55 | Wild Turkey | Old Dock, NC | 2/27 | sighting | Flock of 8 in the field beside the highway. | Vanessa Faulk |
56 | Red-shouldered Hawk | Durant Nature Preserve | 2/27 | sighting | Juvenile perched on branch on adjacent greenway trail, unbothered by people passing | Emma Litra |
57 | Common Raven | Lake Johnson | 2/28 | sighting | Walking around in the parking lot. | Bradley Scholten |
58 | Ring-necked Duck | Pullen Park | 2/27 | sighting | In a pair | Ana Sapp |
59 | Dark-eyed Junco | My backyard | 3/2 | sighting | Hanging out on a tree branch. Beautiful dark coloration. | Bradley Scholten |
60 | Song Sparrow | Rocky Branch Trail | 3/5 | sighting | In bushes along stream. | Ashley Conroy |
61 | Barred Owl | Yates Mill Park | 3/4 | sighting | It was perched on a tree branch pretty well camouflaged with the tree. | Brandon Taylor |
62 | Mallard | Lake Raleigh | 3/7 | sighting | A lone male Mallard swimming near the bank. | Brandon Taylor |
63 | Sparkling Violetear | La Carolina Park, Quito, Ecuador | 3/12 | sighting | Flitting around in a bottlebrush tree. | Amanda Hofmann |
64 | Osprey | Mobile, AL | 3/13 | sighting | Flew over us across the road. Lifer for me! | Vanessa Faulk |
65 | Black-and-white Warbler | Everglades, FL | 3/13 | sighting | Ana Sapp | |
66 | Laughing Gull | New Orleans, LA | 3/14 | sighting | Flying around our steam boat constantly calling. | Vanessa Faulk |
67 | Purple Gallinule | Everglades National Park | 3/15 | sighting | It was eating plants and walking on lily pads. | Ana Sapp |
68 | Hermit Thrush | Neighbor's yard (North Raleigh) | 3/16 | sighting | Moving around in a pile of leaves near edge of woody backyard area. | Emma Litra |
69 | Pileated Woodpecker | Woods in backyard (North Raleigh) | 3/18 | sighting | Flying between bases of trees landing in found once, called twice. | Emma Litra |
70 | Swallow-tailed Kite | St. Augustine, FL | 3/19 | sighting | There were two in a pair flying. | Ana Sapp |
71 | Wilson's Snipe | Ellerbe Creek Beaver Marsh, Durham | 3/17 | sighting | The snipes were wading in the marsh probing in the mud. | Lucie Ciccone |
72 | Red-headed Woodpecker | Ellerbe Creek Beaver Marsh, Durham | 3/17 | sighting | It was flying between snags in the marsh. | Lucie Ciccone |
73 | Northern Pintail | Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge | 3/12 | sighting | Way fewer ducks here than a few weeks ago! | Bradley Scholten |
74 | American Oystercatcher | Hatteras Beach - Cape Point | 3/13 | sighting | 2 flew and landed right by me. 1 banded. | Bradley Scholten |
75 | Hawaiian Goose (Nene) | Kauai, Hawaii | 3/19 | sighting | Maggie Hart | |
76 | White-tailed Tropicbird | Kauai, Hawaii | 3/19 | sighting | Maggie Hart | |
77 | Pearly-eyed Thrasher | El Yunque National Forest - Rio Grande, Puerto Rico | 3/12 | sighting | Was singing on a very small tree and you could see it very up close which was amazing. | Desirée Nieves Canabal |
78 | Puerto Rican Woodpecker | Camino San Miguel - Rio Grande, Puerto Rico | 3/12 | sighting | It was singing on the beach over palm trees. | Desirée Nieves Canabal |
79 | Venezuelan Troupial | Guanica State Forest, Puerto Rico | 3/14 | sighting | Three for flying over the dry forest. | Desirée Nieves Canabal |
80 | Puerto Rican Parrot | Bosque Estatal de Rio Abajo - Utuado, Puerto Rico | 3/15 | sighting | This is an endangered species and is very rare to see on the island. We were at the Rio Abajo Parrot Recovery Sanctuary so the species is very present in this area. I saw over 10 wild parrots flying around and standing on branches. | Desirée Nieves Canabal |
81 | Eastern Phoebe | Raleigh, NC | 3/23 | sighting | Heard on Morrill Dr past the softball field on campus. | Vanessa Faulk |
82 | Brown Creeper | 611 Crimson Cross Ct | 3/21 | sighting | On the side of a large tree in the woods behind my apartment. | Alivia Cramer |
83 | Black-tailed Trainbearer | Intinan Solar Museum, Quito, Ecuador | 3/12 | sighting | Martina Nordstrand | |
84 | Blue-and-yellow Tanager | Intinan Solar Museum, Quito, Ecuador | 3/12 | sighting | Martina Nordstrand | |
85 | Fiery Topaz | Kapawi Lodge, Ecuador | 3/19 | sighting | Martina Nordstrand | |
86 | Horned Screamer | Kapawi Lodge, Ecuador | 3/19 | sighting | Martina Nordstrand | |
87 | Yellow-throated Warbler | William B Clark Conservation Area (Rossville, TN) | 3/29 | sighting | They were singing and appeared to be foraging at the tops of cypress trees. | Lucie Ciccone |
88 | House Finch | Village District | 3/30 | nest | Female flying to and from nest, male in nearby tree. | Emma Litra |
89 | Brown-headed Nuthatch | Rocky Branch Trail on campus | 3/30 | nest | I saw two brown-headed nuthatches going in and out of this cavity in the side of a snag and I believe they are building a nest. | Zayne Isgett |
90 | Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Durant Nature Preserve | 3/31 | sighting | Several seen flying and feeding over lake. | Emma Litra |
91 | Tree Swallow | Hunt Library | 4/3 | sighting | It looked like it was flying and feeding. | Ana Sapp |
92 | Barn Swallow | Lake Johnson | 4/3 | sighting | Returned to the lake for the summer. | Bradley Scholten |
93 | Brown-headed Cowbird | My house | 4/2 | sighting | Came to my birdfeeder | Bradley Scholten |
94 | Eastern Bluebird | Raleigh, NC | 4/4 | nest | A pair of bluebirds are building a nest in the birdhouse in my backyard! They have been bringing materials in and out this past weekend and I saw copulation this afternoon! | Ashley Lynn |
95 | Killdeer | Whiteville, NC | 4/5 | nest | On the ground in the woods behind my house. | Vanessa Faulk |
96 | Ovenbird | Pullen Park | 4/6 | sighting | The ovenbird was perched in a small tree and foraging on the ground. | Lucie Ciccone |
97 | Mourning Dove | Clyde, NC | 4/7 | nest | Sitting in her nest at a hotel. | Brandon Taylor |
98 | Cedar Waxwing | Village District | 4/9 | sighting | It was sitting perched on a tree branch near one of the apartments. It has a nice yellow spot on its back feathers. | Steph Lee |
99 | Palm Warbler | Horseshoe Farm Preserve | 4/10 | sighting | Quickly flying between trees and branches, pumping tail when stationary | Emma Litra |
100 | Chimney Swift | Horseshoe Farm Preserve | 4/10 | sighting | One bird flying over open field area in park, chattering | Emma Litra |
101 | Gray Catbird | Lake Johnson Mews Apartment Complex | 4/11 | sighting | Heard 'mew' call, searched for and found in thicket of tree privet. | Jenna Donkle |
102 | Canada Goose | Raleigh, NC | 4/12 | nest | One goose sitting on a nest in a bed of pansies. Nice and protected, too. | Ashley Lynn |
103 | Orchard Oriole | NCMA | 4/12 | sighting | It was perched at the top of a young tree adjacent to the pond, and was singing loudly. | Lucie Ciccone and Zayne Isgett |
104 | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Battery Park, Charleston, SC | 4/10 | sighting | 4 roosting in a tree | Bradley Scholten |
105 | Purple Martin | Old Dock, NC | 4/15 | nest | Saw bringing nesting materials into our gourds. | Vanessa Faulk |
106 | European Starling | NCMA | 4/16 | nest | One of the starling parents was watching the nest from above. Definitely a cavity nest made in the crevice of the outdoor stage roofing. | Steph Lee |
107 | Northern Cardinal | 214 Cox Ave | 4/17 | nest | The male cardinal was sitting in the nest before I startled it and it flew out the bush. | Steph Lee |
108 | Eastern Kingbird | Lake Johnson | 4/17 | sighting | Sitting on a branch right over the water, singing. | Bradley Scholten |
109 | Eastern Meadowlark | Midpines Road | 4/20 | sighting | There was a pair of birds and they were ona fence near a field. | Ana Sapp |
110 | Northern Parula | Schenck Forest | 4/21 | sighting | Calling in a tree across creek. | Emma Litra |
111 | Acadian Flycatcher | Schenck Forest | 4/21 | sighting | Flew across creek, calls heard in nearby tree. | Emma Litra |
111 | Carolina Wren | NCSU Campus | 5/4 | nest | I saw a nest with recently fledged baby Carolina Wren after the exam! | Ana Sapp |