Freshest birds

Talk about fresh! The first images you see on this page are the latest ones I have taken, and they get older as you scroll down the list. The last ones may be a month or more old. There may be a few photos that are not birds, but you will see mostly feathers. After viewing these, you might want to click on one of the other categories I have listed in the menu above.
Scroll down to see images with species name. This site can be viewed on your phone, but the format is better suited to tablet or larger screen.
Yellow-throated Vireo
5/4/24, back yard
Great Egret
5/2/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC
Orchard Oriole
5/1/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC
Painted Bunting (female)
5/1/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC
Anole
5/1/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC
Painted Bunting
4/30/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC
Prothonotary Warbler
4/30/24, Huntington Beach State Park, SC
Prairie Warbler
4/23/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail, McDowell Park 
Indigo Bunting
4/23/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail, McDowell Park
Summer Tanager
4/23/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail, McDowell Park
Blue Grosbeak
4/23/24, Piedmont Prairie Trail, McDowell Park
Yellow-throated Warbler
4/19/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly
Common Yellowthroat
4/18/24, Harper Park, Stanley
Blue Grosbeak
4/18/24, Alexis NC
Killdeer  (faking an injury to draw me away from her nest, apparently)
4/18/24, Alexis NC
Red-eyed Vireo
4/16/24, back yard
European Starling
4/16/24, back yard
Common Yellowthroat
4/12/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly
White-eyed Vireo
4/12/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly
It's strange how quickly the size of this bird's pupils change. 
Brown-headed Cowbird
4/10/24, back yard
Wild Turkey
4/8/24, back yard
Eastern Towhee
4/5/24, back yard
Northern Cardinal
4/3/24, back yard
Cedar Waxwing
4/3/24, back yard
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
3/28/24, back yard. First one this spring! Catching insects and posing in the crabapple tree. 
Red-winged Blackbird
3/20/24, Rankin Lake Park
Carolina Chickadee
33/20/24, Rankin Lake Park
Wood Duck   (They roost in trees!)
33/20/24, Rankin Lake Park
Yellow-rumped Warbler 
33/20/24, Rankin Lake Park
Wood Duck
3/12/24, Rankin Lake, Gastonia NC
Thanks to my friend Sam Cranston for his  help in photographing these birds. 
Red-wing Blackbird
3/12/24, Rankin Lake, Gastonia NC
American Kestrel
3/8/24, Eastern Cleveland County
Eastern Meadowlark
3/8/24, River Hawk Greenway
Barred Owl
3/3/24, Hector Henry Greenway, Concord NC
Northern Shoveler
3/3/24, Hector Henry Greenway, Concord NC
Eastern Bluebird
2/24/24, back yard
River Otter
2/21/24, Catawba River at Tuckaseegee Park, Mt. Holly NC
Red-bellied Woodpecker
2/25/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly
Hairy Woodpecker
2/25/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly
Northern Cardinal
2/24/24, back yard
Pine Warbler
2/18/24, back yard
A lot of photos of this bird to follow. They love the upside-down suet feeder, and I take too many photos of them, but they are irresistible. 
Red-headed Woodpecker
2/13/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly
Golden-crowned Kinglet
2/8/24, back yard
Pine Warbler
2/8/24, back yard
Northern Cardinal
2/8/24, back yard
Red-shouldered Hawk
2/7/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly NC
Red-headed Woodpecker
2/7/24,  River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly, NC
Bald Eagle
2/6/24, Rankin Lake Park
Red-bellied Woodpecker
2/6/24, Rankin Lake Park
Pied-billed Grebe
2/2/24, Rankin Lake Park
Bald Eagle
2/2/24, Rankin Lake Park
Ruddy Duck
2/2/24, Rankin Lake Park
Mallard
2/2/24, Rankin Lake Park
Orange-crowned Warbler
2/1/24, Cherryville NC
Loggerhead Shrike
2/1/24, Eastern Cleveland Co., NC

Loggerheads in love? 
White-breasted Nuthatch
2/1/24, Cherryville NC
Horned Grebe
2/1/24, Moss Lake, NC
Downy Woodpecker
1/30/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly, NC
Great Blue Heron
1/30/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly, NC
Eastern Towhee
1/30/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly, NC
Song Sparrow
1/30/24, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly, NC
Double-crested Cormorant
1/30/24, Rankin Lake Park, Gastonia NC
Killdeer
1/22/24, Northeastern Gaston County
Black and White Warbler
1/23/24, Tuckaseegee Park, Mt. Holly NC
Swamp Sparrow
1/23/24, Tuckaseegee Park, Mt. Holly NC
Golden-crowned Kinglet
1/11/24, Eastern Cleveland County
Loggerhead Shrike
1/11/24, Eastern Cleveland County
Canada Goose
1/11/24, Eastern Cleveland County
American Kestrel
1/11/24, Eastern Cleveland County
Pileated Woodpecker
1/7/24, Hector Henry Greenway, Concord NC
Northern Shoveler
1/7/24, Hector Henry Greenway, Concord NC
Rusty Blackbird
1/7/24, Hector Henry Greenway, Concord NC
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1/4/24, Mt. Holly NC
Red-headed Woodpecker
1/4/24, Mt. Holly NC
In this photo I accidentally captured the bird in the act of relieving himself in mid-air. Not a beautiful sight, but probably (hopefully?) a one-of-a-kind image. 
Blue Jay
1/3/24, back yard
Pine Warbler
1/2/24, back yard
Red-bellied Woodpecker
12/31/23, back yard
Winter Wren
12/28/23, River Hawk Greenway, Mt. Holly
Cedar Waxwing
12/23/23, back yard
European Starling
12/23/23, back yard
American Kestrel
12/20/23, eastern Cleveland County
One of my favorite birds, and the smallest raptor in North America
Pine Warbler
12/19/23, back yard
American Robin
12/19/23, back yard
Eastern Bluebird
12/19/23, back yard
Brown-headed Nuthatch
12/19/23, back yard
Hooded Merganser
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Little Blue Heron
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Little Blue Heron
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Great Egret
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
White Ibis
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Wood Stork
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Wood Stork
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Osprey
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Mink
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Mink
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Wood Stork
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Great Egret
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Hooded Merganser
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Red-winged Blackbird
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Red-winged Blackbird
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Red-winged Blackbird
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
White Ibis
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Osprey
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Surf Scoter
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Ring-billed Gull
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Gray Catbird
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Ring-billed Gull
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
White Ibis
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Anhinga
12/01/23, Huntington Beach State Park
Hairy Woodpecker
11/26/23, Harper Park, Stanley NC 
Killdeer
11/25/23, Tuckaseegee Park, Mt. Holly NC
Hermit Thrush
11/25/23, Tuckaseegee Park, Mt. Holly NC
Red-headed Woodpecker
11/25/23, Tuckaseegee Park, Mt. Holly NC
Immature bird is very drab, but just beginning to get a spot of color on his neck. 
American Kestrel
11/24/23, Eastern Cleveland County, NC
American Kestrel
11/24/23, Eastern Cleveland County, NC
American Kestrel
11/24/23, Eastern Cleveland County, NC
Eastern Towhee
11/24/23, Eastern Cleveland County, NC
Eastern Towhee
11/24/23, Eastern Cleveland County, NC
White-crowned Sparrow
11/24/23, Eastern Cleveland County, NC
White-crowned Sparrow
11/24/23, Eastern Cleveland County, NC
Red-tailed Hawk
11/24/23, Eastern Cleveland County, NC
Downey Woodpecker
11/22/23, Harper Park, Stanley NC
Downey Woodpecker
11/22/23, Harper Park, Stanley NC
Cooper's Hawk
11/22/23, Harper Park, Stanley NC
Hermit Thrush
11/22/23, Harper Park, Stanley NC
Red-shouldered Hawk
11/19/23, Harper Park, Stanley NC
Red-shouldered Hawk
11/19/23, Harper Park, Stanley NC
Pileated Woodpecker
11/18/23, back yard
Pileated Woodpecker
11/18/23, back yard
Red-bellied Woodpecker
11/16/23, back yard
Yellow-rumped Warbler
11/16/23, back yard
Blue Jay
11/16/23, back yard
Golden-crowned Kinglet
11/16/23, back yard
Eastern Bluebird
11/12/23, back yard
Song Sparrow
11/12/23, back yard
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
11/12/23, back yard
House Finch
11/12/23, back yard
Blue-headed Vireo
11/7/23, back yard
Golden-crowned Kinglet
11/5/23, back yard
These tiny, hyperactive birds weigh about a fifth of an ounce, and they move so quickly that they are a challenge to photograph. But the irredescent yellow-orange head patch makes them irresistible.  They nest in Canada and winter in the states. 
White-throated Sparrow
11/2/23, Mountain Island Lake
White-throated Sparrow
11/2/23, Mountain Island Lake
Red-tailed Hawk
11/2/23, Mountain Island Lake
Swamp Sparrow
11/2/23, Mountain Island Lake
Barn Owl
11/1/23, Cherryville NC
Many thanks to Bill and Anita Hooker for guiding me to these Cherryville birds
Loggerhead Shrike
11/1/23, Cherryville NC
Next photo shows a shrew that the Shrike has pinned to a barbed wire fence. 
White-crowned Sparrow
11-1-23, Cherryville, NC
Pine Warbler
10/31/23, back yard
Yellow-rumped Warbler
10/31/23, back yard
Brown-headed Nuthatch
10/31/23, back yard
Golden-crowned Kinglet
10/29/23, back yard
Northern Mockingbird
10/29/23, back yard
Northern Mockingbird
10/29/23, back yard
European Starling
10/29/23, back yard
Northern Flicker
10/28/23, back yard
Sharp-shinned Hawk
10/25/23, back yard
Golden-crowned Kinglet
10/25/23, back yard
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/21/23, back yard.  The following sequence shows him catching a vole. 
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/21/23, back yard.  ​​​​​​​
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/21/23, back yard.
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/21/23, back yard.
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/21/23, back yard.
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/21/23, back yard.
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/21/23, back yard.
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/21/23, back yard.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (female/immature)
10/21/23, back yard
Sharp-shinned Hawk
10/21/23, back yard
House Finch
10/20/23, back yard
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/20/23, back yard
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/20/23, back yard
Northern Flicker
10/18/23, back yard
Northern Flicker
10/18/23, back yard
Blue-headed Vireo
10/14/23, back yard, in the rain. First one of these I have seen in my back yard.
Pine Warbler
10/14/23, back yard, in the rain
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
10/14/23, back yard
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
10/14/23, back yard
Carolina Chickadee
10/13/23, back yard
Red-shouldered Hawk
10/13/23, back yard
Golden-crowned Kinglet
10/13/23, back yard
Pileated Woodpecker
10/10/23, back yard
Pileated Woodpecker
10/10/23, back yard
Magnolia Warbler
10/10/23, back yard
Magnolia Warbler
10/10/23, back yard
Cape May Warbler
10/11/23, back yard
Brown-headed Nuthatch
10/11/23, back yard
Chipping Sparrow
10/11/23, back yard
Chipping Sparrow
10/11/23, back yard
Yellow-rumped Warbler
10/8/23, back yard

Yellow-rumped Warbler
10/8/23, back yard
Cape May Warbler
10/8/23, back yard
Brown-headed Nuthatch
10/04/23, back yard
Black-and-White Warbler
10/04/23, back yard
Northern Parula
10/03/23,   back yard
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