Jeff's Bird Page
by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Nature Pages
Mysteries...
Does anyone know more about the Mershon Medal for the Preservation of Birds depicting a Passenger Pigeon? How many were made and awarded? Were they awarded by W. B. Mershon or done in his honor?
This mystery night vocalization was heard and recorded by Dave Owen near the Eno River in Durham. He's been hearing the bird since June and made the recording in early October. Comments welcome. (Posted 6 Oct 2007)
This mystery gull was found in the Hooper Lane , NC area the day after the remnants of Hurricane Humberto blew through. Comments welcome. (Posted 18 Sep 2007)
North American Bird Photos
Most photos were taken with a Nikon CoolPix 4500. Many were "digiscoped" by holding the camera up to the eyepiece of a KOWA TSN-824 Spotting Scope. Some photos starting in 2006 were taken with a Canon EOS 20D with a 100mm macro lens.
Some of the photo pages below are individual photo pages per species, while some are group photo pages, with several species on each page (e.g. plovers and sandpipers).
Geese, Swans, & Ducks (Anseriformes) Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens)
Brant (Branta bernicla hrota)
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) Updated!! 26 Jan 2013 Gadwall (Anas strepera)
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) Updated! 20 Nov 2012 Redhead (Aythya americana)
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fulgula)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) NEW!! 12 Feb 2012 Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)
Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra)
Mergansers (Mergus spp.)
Masked Duck (Nomonyx dominicus)
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
Exotic waterfowl--Barnacle Goose, Muscovy, Swangoose
Grouse, Chickens, Turkeys, & Quail (Galliformes) Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) NEW!! 14 Feb 2012 Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
Grebes (Podicipediformes) Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)
Tube-nose Seabirds (Procellariiformes) Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) NEW!! 19 Feb 2012 Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis)
Herald Petrel (Pterodroma arminjoniana)
Fea's Petrel (Pterodroma feae)
Black-capped Petrel (Pterodroma hasitata)
Audubon's Shearwater (Puffinis iherminieri)
Greater Shearwater (Puffinis gravis)
Sooty Shearwater (Puffinis griseus)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus)
Pelicans & relatives (Pelicaniformes) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Updated! 30 June 2012 American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) Updated! 20 Nov 2012 Brown Pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis) Updated! 3 Feb 2013 Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritas)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) NEW!! 26 Jan 2013 Herons, Egrets, Ibis, Storks, & Vultures (Ciconiiformes) Herons & Egrets (Ardeidae) American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosis)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodius) Updated! 20 Nov 2012 Great Egret (Ardea alba) Updated! 20 Nov 2012 Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)
Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) Updated! 20 Nov 2012 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) Updated! 20 Nov 2012 Ibises (Threskiornithidae) White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
possible White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)
Storks (Threskiornithidae) Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)
Vultures (Cathartidae) Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Osprey, Kites, Hawks, & Eagles (Falconiformes) Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Rails, Coots, Gallinules (Ralidae) American Coot (Fulica americana) Updated!! 26 Jan 2013 Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae) Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani)
Stilts and Avocets (Recurvirostridae) American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)
Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns, & Alcids (Charadriiformes) Plovers (Charadriidae) Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica)
Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus)
Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia)
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
Sandpipers (Scolopacidae) Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)
Willet (Tringa semipalmata, Catoptrophorus semipalmatus)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitus macularia)
Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica)
Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)
Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) NEW!! 11 March 2013 Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius)
Gulls, Terns, & Skimmers (Laridae) Franklin's Gull (Larus pipixcan)
Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla)
Little Gull (Larus minutus)
Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)
Bonaparte's Gull (Larus philadelphia)
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
California Gull (Larus californicus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus smithsonianus)
YELLOW-LEGGED HERRING-TYPE GULL
Thayer's Gull (Larus thayeri)
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides)
Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)
Mystery Glaucous- or Iceland-type Gull in Lubec, Maine
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)
Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)
Royal Tern (Sterna maxima)
Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Least Tern (Sterna antillarum)
Bridled Tern (Onychoprion anaethetus)
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Skuas & Jaegers (Stercoraridae) Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus)
Auks, Murres, Puffins, and other Alcids (Alcidae) Dovekie (Alle alle)
Razorbill (Alca torda) Updated!! 24 Mar 2013 Doves & Pigeons (Columbiformes) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina)
Parrots & Parakeets(Psittaciformes) Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)
Owls (Strigiformes) Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio)
Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
Nighthawks, Nightjars, Goatsuckers (Caprimulgiformes: Caprimulgidae) Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
Swifts (Apodiformes: Apodidae) Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
Hummingbirds (Apodiformes: Trochilidae) Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii)
Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) Updated!! 19 May 2012 Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
Kingfishers (Coraciiformes) Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon)
Woodpeckers (Piciformes) Williamson's Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus thyroideus)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) Updated!! 29 Sep 2012 Flycatchers (Passeriformes: Tyrannidae) Empidonax flycatcher
Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) First North Carolina Record!
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya)
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalis rubinus)
Shrikes (Passeriformes: Laniidae) Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Vireos (Passeriformes: Vireonidae) Bell's Vireo (Bell's Vireo)
Jays, Crows, Ravens (Passeriformes: Corvidae) American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristatta)
Swallows (Passeriformes: Hirundinidae) Purple Martin (Progne subis)
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) Updated!! 20 Nov 2012 Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) Updated!! 19 May 2012 Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgideropteryx serripennis)
Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) New!! 20 Nov 2012 Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) Updated!! 2 June 2012 Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Chickadees (Passeriformes: Paridae) Carolina Chickadee (Parus carolinensis) Updated!! 20 Nov 2012 Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus)
Nuthatches (Passeriformes: Sittidae) White breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) NEW!! 26 Jan 2013 Wrens (Passeriformes: Troglodytidae) Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) NEW!! 3 Mar 2012 House Wren (Troglodytes aegon)
Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)
Dippers (Cinclidae) American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)
Gnatcatchers (Passeriformes: Sylviidae) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
Kinglets(Passeriformes: Reguliidae) Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
Thrushes (Passeriformes: Turdidae) American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
Mimic-Thrushes (Passeriformes: Mimidae) Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottus) Updated!! 20 Nov 2012 Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
Starlings (Passeriformes: Sturnidae) European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) NEW!! 26 Jan 2013 Waxwings (Passeriformes: Bombycillidae) Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrora)
Warblers (Passeriformes: Parulidae) Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
Hooded Warbler nest (Setophaga citrina, Woodsonia citrina)
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia, Dendroica petechia) NEW!! 29 Sep 2012 Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica, Dendroica pensylvanica)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens, Dendroica caerulescens)
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum, Dendroica palmarum) NEW!! 29 Sep 2012 Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus, Dendroica pinus)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata, Dendroica coronata)
Bananaquits (Incertae Sedis) Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)
New World Sparrows (Passeriformes: Emberizidae) Black-faced Grassquit (Tiaris bicolor)
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
California Towhee (Pipilo crissalis)
Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii)
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodius)
Vesper Sparrow (Poocetes gramineus)
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) Updated!! 29 Sep 2012 Bachman's Sparrow (Aimophila aestivales)
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)
Grosbeaks & Buntings (Passeriformes: Cardinalidae) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) NEW!! 26 Jan 2013 Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) : First confirmed Durham, NC Record! (found on the Durham Christmas Bird Count - 14 Dec 2003)
Blackbirds & Orioles (Passeriformes: Icteridae) Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)
Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothros ater)
Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii)
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)
Scott's Oriole (Icterus parisorum)
Finches (Passeriformes: Fringillidae) Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus)
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) Updated!! 19 May 2012 American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) Updated!! 9 Jan 2011 Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus)
Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea)
Old World Sparrows (Passeriformes: Passeridae) House Sparrow
North American Zoo Birds
Nice selection of birds at my backyard feeders...March 24, 2009 Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Towhee, Pine Siskin, Pine Warbler, and Chipping Sparrow
Resources Will Cook's Carolina Nature Site Jordan Lake Water Levels Falls Lake Water Levels
Gannets, gulls, pelicans, cormorants, etc. off Cape Hatteras in March 2006 Created on ... Oct 11, 2005 | jspippen@duke.edu
