Birding

  • 2020 Was a Great Year... For Birds!

    by Taylor Piephoff
    Without a doubt, 2020 was the most memorable year from a birding perspective ever! In this year alone, no less than eight species were added to the...

  • Waterfowl Migration Sitings

    by Taylor Piephoff
    Waterfowl and other birds associated with water are moving into and through our area right now. Some will stay with us for a while, utilizing area ...

  • A Very Birdy Park

    by Taylor Piephoff
    I recently took an early morning stroll at Ezell Farm Community Park, located between Matthews and Mint Hill. It consists of open fields, an old co...

  • Fall Migration Hopes

    by Taylor Piephoff
    The big birding news from the entire southeast is the big irruption year that is developing. I have mentioned irruptive years before; those years w...

  • Hummingbird Reminder

    by Taylor Piephoff
    A reminder to consider keeping a hummingbird feeder up and maintained through the winter. There are some western species of hummingbirds that regul...

  • Wonderous Warblers

    by Taylor Piephoff
    Cool, clear mornings in the upper 40’s mean big fall migration nights for neotropical migrants. I took advantage of the recent weather on September...

  • Nemesis Bird

    by Taylor Piephoff
    Most serious birders have a nemesis bird, that one bird that has eluded them over time. I have had North Carolina nemesis birds and Mecklenburg Cou...

  • Night Hawks

    by Taylor Piephoff
    I stepped out of my front door last week about 6:45 pm and started scanning the dimming sky. It only  took about two minutes for me to find what I...

  • Birding-by-Boat

    by Taylor Piephoff
    Hot summer weather severely limits my birding. Between the heat, humidity, and fogged glasses it is tough to find days when being outside is bearab...

  • A Reddish Respite From Birding Burn-Out

    by Taylor Piephoff
    This is the time where things slow down a bit for birders. The rush and excitement of spring migration has subsided. Birders take time to rest up f...

  • Birding Saved My Lockdown Sanity, But I Still Went Cuckoo

    by Taylor Piephoff
    My daily walks for the last couple of months have consisted of visits to county parks, greenways, and nature preserves. It has been a good spring f...

  • Migration Surprises

    by Taylor Piephoff
    We are just now hitting the peak of spring migration, and so far the migration has been pretty good. Casual watchers have been enjoying the rose-br...