Wild Places, Wild Birds

On my way to a Saturday workout at the gym I stopped by the area below the Falls Lake  dam and walked the greenway, hoping to see warblers. It was (almost) a warbler desert.   Following the warm southerly breeze yesterday that was not a total surprise.  Hoping there will be another big wave soon. Highlight of my short walk, the Cliff Swallow colony under the New Falls of the Neuse Road bridge. The lighting was poor but here is one photo,  over 100 active nests. Quite an awesome sight, and easy access. Just park in the lot down river from the dam and walk downstream for about 5 minutes.

“Busy flocks of Cliff Swallows often swarm around bridges and overpasses in summer, offering passers-by a chance to admire avian architecture and family life at once. Clusters of their intricate mud nests cling to vertical walls, and when a Cliff Swallow is home you can see its bright forehead glowing from the dim entrance. These common, sociable swallows are nearly always found in large groups, whether they’re chasing insects high above the ground, preening on perches, or dipping into a river for a bath.” from Cornell All About Birds

The usual birds were around plus 4 Osprey, a lone Cormorant, Kingfisher, worm-eating Robin and a busy Grey Squirrel.

Complete checklist on eBird.