Grab Your Birding Binoculars and Enjoy the View at Duke Gardens
A great blue heron stalks goldfish in Duke Gardens' Terrace Pond. Photo by Duke Photography.
During the migration period in late spring and early summer, visitors to the Sarah P. Duke Gardens can see and hear different species of birds. The gardens become an attraction for birds and birders.
Stefan Bloodworth, the curator of the H.L. Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, describes birding as a lifelong hobby that can become addictive. He said binoculars and smart phones make it easier for visitors to identify and locate the types of birds.
“I do a lot of birding outside of my time at the gardens, but I like to pay attention to what I see in an urban setting,” said Bloodworth. “Over a course of 30 minutes, I’ve seen 21 different bird species.”
There are birds that live and breed in Sarah P. Duke Gardens year round that include eastern towhees, chickadees, cardinals, titmouse, and wrens. The most common birds that migrate through the gardens are black and blue warblers and American redstarts.
Bloodworth said in the summer, birds migrate to the northeast and Canada from their Southern Breeding ranges, and that is when he sees birds that he does not see often.
“Just the other day, I saw a black and white warbler that is only going to be around here for a limited period of time,” said Bloodworth. “They behave differently than other warblers.”
Birders look to the sky in Duke Gardens. Photo by Duke Photography
Two good spots to find birds are the Carnivorous Bog and the bird viewing shelter, both in the native plant collection, Bloodworth said. The Carnivorous Bog is sunny and attracts more song birds. The bird viewing shelter is wooded and attracts more woodland species. Signs in these areas can help visitors identify the birds.
According to Bloodworth, the best time to see birds is early in the morning when the birds are most active and more vocal.
“Late spring and early summer are great times for birdwatching at feeders because the adults are trying to fill up their own tanks while they are feeding their young,” said Bloodworth.
Bloodworth said as a birder, it’s good to have the ability to identify birds by hearing their call. One good way to study up on calls is to visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology online, and there are smart phone apps that include calls.
“It is important to familiarize yourself with the birds you see at the feeders, familiarize yourself with their calls, and push yourself to identify birds that are shy by recognizing their calls even if you can’t see them,” said Bloodworth.
Bloodworth said that his experience as a gardener and a garden designer has made him interested in attracting more wildlife.
“It’s the idea of starting with insects, if there are no insects in the garden then there are no birds,” said Bloodworth. “In the summer months birds rely on insect protein.”
Shakira Warren is a rising junior at N.C. Central University who is working as an intern this summer in the Office of News and Communications