Took a quick trip up to western North Carolina between Christmas and New Year’s Day to visit family. As a bonus, I got to photograph a handful of new-to-me birds around Lake Junaluska plus some other familiar ones who were settling in for the winter.
With temperatures in the 30s and 40s, I was surprised by how many birds were out and about around the lake. And maybe it was the colder temps or just familiarity with folks, but most of these birds had no problem with letting me approach them and take photos.
Here are some of my favorite pics from the North Carolina trip.
Carolina Chickadee, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Carolina Chickadee, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Carolina Chickadee, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Carolina Chickadee, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.American Robin, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.American Robin, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.House Finch, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.House Finch, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.House Finch, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Eastern Bluebird, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Eastern Bluebird, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Eastern Bluebird, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Eastern Bluebird, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.White-breasted Nuthatch, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.White-breasted Nuthatch, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.White-breasted Nuthatch, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.White-breasted Nuthatch, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.White-breasted Nuthatch, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Male Mallard, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Male Mallard, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Ring-necked Duck, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Song Sparrow, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Song Sparrow, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Song Sparrow, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Canada Goose, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Canada Geese, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Bald Eagle, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Bald Eagle, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Bald Eagles, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Royal Mute Swan, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.American Goldfinch, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.American Goldfinch, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Belted Kingfisher, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Belted Kingfisher, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Carolina Wren, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.American Crow, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.Female Ruddy Duck, Lake Junaluska, N.C., December 2023.
Whenever I hear “Prairie Warbler,” I think of Little House on the Prairie and the Midwest. But this little yellow and black bird is a year-round Florida resident.
I decided to visit the Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park to look for endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers. I didn’t find any, but did come across some other cool birds.
Some are returning birds, like the Palm Warbler and the Yellow-throated Warbler. Some are new, like the female Painted Bunting. And some are regulars, like the Northern Cardinal and the Blue Jay.
