Page 22 - Harnett Life Winter 2020

farm fields for mourning dove and thickets, brushy edges and on the North Carolina Birding Trail. The nonprofit driving trail
hedgerows for finches and sparrows — a huge class of tiny links birders and nature-based tourists with over 300 birding
birds — as well as for insect-eating bluebirds, warblers and sites in parks, trails and forests across the state and the local
wrens. These species will stop by for suet, if provided, as the communities.
insect population dips. Beyond these year-round birds, some
migratory birds come to see us every year, not just in a unique
irruption year like this one. These perennials include the dark-
eyed junco, yellow-bellied sapsucker (woodpecker), swamp
sparrow and white-throated sparrow.

Interested in becoming a birder? From mid-December to early
January, birders worldwide participate in the annual Christmas
Bird Count, sponsored by the National Audubon Society. Find
out more about this citizen science activity and nationwide
census of winter bird activity on the organization’s website,
www.audubon.org. While it’s too late to join in a watch this
year, you can read up now and plan to participate next year.
Signing up to count will provide you birding field experience
with advanced birders — a great way to learn.

Fortunately, it’s not too late to join in Audubon’s Great Back-
yard Bird Count, another winter tradition. Happening Feb.
12-15, people from around the world come together to watch,
learn about, count and celebrate birds. Technology-driven, this Cedar Waxing
effort utilizes eBird, one of the world’s largest nature-databas-
es with more than 100 million bird sightings contributed each
year and seeks to advance science and conservation. The 2020 Sites on the North Carolina Birding Trail in Harnett County
Great Backyard Bird Count of 194 participating countries tal- are Raven Rock State Park and the Dunn-Erwin Rail Trail.
lied nearly 270,000 estimated birders counting over 27 million More than 180 bird species have been observed at Raven
total birds of almost 7,000 species. Rock, including the bald eagle, hooded prothonotary warbler,
black-and-white warblers, Louisiana waterthrush and fox spar-
Beyond organized activities, venture to learn on your own by row. According to the North Carolina Birding Trail website,
putting up feeders and birdhouses, planting native plants out- the ponds and Black River area along the Dunn-Erwin Trail
doors to create bird habitat and watch for birds anytime you are are good sites for seeing wading birds, waterfowl and migrat-
out anywhere. Winter is an excellent time to begin birding as ing shorebirds when the water is low. Bald eagles have been
it is slower-paced than other times of the year, and visibility is spotted along with the recently added 1.9-mile extension from
better due to leaf drop. Buy a field guide and a pair of binocu- downtown Erwin to the Cape Fear River banks.
lars and get out in your yard or visit a local nature area or site

Yellow-rumped Warbler Raven Rock State Park
Page 21 Page 22 Harnett Life ~ Winter 2020