Native Birding Tours

02/13/2024

Availability Update: Due to a career shift I have no availability for 2024, but I'm hoping have some trips available for 2025! Stay Tuned!

09/09/2023

Cape Hatteras is a fun place to go birding during fall migration! Hoping some of these birds stick around for Mondays birding tour!

09/08/2023

Our fall birding tours here on the OBX are off to a great start! I certainly couldn't have predicted we would be able to add American Flamingo to a birding checklist any time soon! Happy to see clients enjoying their birding trips!

★★★★★ "We really enjoyed our bird walk with Jonathan, especially around Pea Island Wildlife Preserve on the Outer Banks. He knew were the best birding spots were, including a view through his spotting scope of pink flamingoes who had been blown up here by the last hurricane. I would defini...

08/29/2023

We now have more fall birding trip availability for September 9th and 10th as well October 18th and 20th and some in November for those interested!

08/02/2023

Our sea turtle ecology experience this week was loads of fun! On each experience we learn all about sea turtles; how they live, nesting behavior, and how we can help!

Best of all they are interactive and everyone gets to help relocate a demonstration nest full of ping pong ball eggs!

06/27/2023

Our first sea turtle ecology experience was a big success! What a fun way to spend a morning on the beach!!

06/16/2023

Join us every Monday at 9 am for an educational adventure with sea turtles! Led by Courtney, a passionate former sea turtle biologist, this program explores the fascinating life history of sea turtles and coastal ecology. Experience a hands-on nest demonstration, learn about their incredible journey, and discover the wonders of our coastal ecosystem. Convenient facilities are available, and the program lasts about 1 hour and 15 minutes, leaving you plenty of time for lunch. Book your spot now and embark on this unforgettable experience!

10/30/2022

Good golly these Godwit are impressive!

Satellite tag data suggests five-month-old migratory bird did not stop during voyage which took 11 days and one hour to reach Tasmania

10/28/2022

Snapshot from this morning’s tour! Bird of the morning was probably a Red knot hanging out with this flock of Marbled godwit and Western willet!

10/24/2022

This morning’s tour highlight was close views of a group of American avocet!

10/06/2022

October brings some of the most exciting birding of the year! This mornings tour yielded great looks at a variety of shorebirds, waterfowl, gulls, terns, and songbirds, quite fun morning of birding!

pictured is a Marbled godwit and Long-billed dowitcher

09/10/2022

Fall is an exciting time to you out birding! Thousands of shorebirds are winging their way through the outer banks right now!

06/07/2022

It's wonderful to see happy clients sharing their enthusiasm with a nice review!

Check out this review of Native Birding Tours on Google Maps
https://goo.gl/maps/st5umVD2xhKV531L6

★★★★★ "Very enjoyable morning with Jonathan. Helpful to both experienced birders and novices. Great ear for bird calls. Good patience and direction, never overbearing. Highly recommended."

05/28/2022

Yesterday, a day trip to Hatteras point yielded some impressive and exciting birding! Winds from the south pushed the migratory Sooty shearwater closer to the point and we observed well over 2000 in the time we watched. The Cape Point Seawatch total was about 4000, an unprecedented number of Sooty shearwater!

Other highlights were Arctic tern, Cory's shearwater, Great shearwater, and a brief view of a Long-tailed jaeger. Many thanks to Irons, who works at Cape Point seawatching, who graciously helped spot and identify many of these birds. If you want to learn more about the Cape Point Seawatch, here is a link where you can learn more!

https://www.trektellen.nl/count/view/3061/20220301?fbclid=IwAR0OqVIO1mrUyEvEfsTjtzBzxDj0lovpmsPbfJeP15O--q5_7aTG-N0OKsU

05/12/2022

Beyond excited to be helping Dare county attract more birders to the beautiful Outer banks! This past fall I showed the Makepeace family around the Alligator River NWR for some birding and shared with them the joys of birding on the the banks!

https://www.outerbanks.org/blog/post/why-bird-watching-on-the-outer-banks-is-a-memorable-experience/

As I stand rugged up in a coat, scarves and hat and still shivering in the early hours of a winter morning, I wonder how they could even consider this warm. They being the beautiful white tundra swans

05/08/2022

Spring migration is underway and many birds are already breeding here on the Outer Banks! A few tours out at Alligator River NWR recently offered excellent views of Prothonotary warblers, Worm-eating warblers, numerous aquatic turtle, and black bears!

05/08/2022

A Sora was actively feeding in the marsh at Bodie lighthouse on a birding tour last week! These small rails remind me of small chickens running through the marsh 🤣

02/20/2022

I'll be back on the Outer Banks after spending a week in the Bahamas, ready to guide some tours!

Here are a few highlights from the trip!

The Great Lizard Cuckoo, was the bird I was most excited to see! On day four I head an individual calling from the bush without a visual! By day five I had resigned myself to accept This bird wouldn't show 🤣. But, on day six not one but two individuals showed up just below the main building at the camp I was staying!

02/16/2022

Sneak preview! I'm in the Bahamas for a mission trip and have had the time to get out birding!

02/12/2022

Recently the author of this magazine article joined me for an exciting birding tour on Pea Island! Check out the article on traveling to the OBX and my featured photo of a Black bear I took at Alligator River NWR.

https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/outer-banks-scenic-byway-road-trip/

Beyond unspoiled beaches, this road trip will give you the opportunity to spot diving ducks, birds of prey, and bears.

02/12/2022

Tricolored heron hunting along a marsh edge at Pea Island NWR.

01/30/2022

Another 5-star review! I love seeing feedback from happy clients!

https://goo.gl/maps/fnACahmU2qqQxxMu8

★★★★★ "Jonathan was a great birding tour guide and we had a wonderful time. My husband and I decided to find a last-minute tour, and even though Jonathan was not scheduled to do a tour he was nice enough to open up his schedule for us. My husband and I are experienced birders but new to th...

01/26/2022

SnowBX 2022 brought some good bird watching! On Saturday while birding in Duck I happened across a Bald eagle who looks like he/she caught itself an American coot for breakfast, as well as an Ash-throated flycatcher. Then on Monday, I led a really fun birding tour and I was able to snag some cool photos of a Double-crested cormorant, Common (Eurasian) Green-winged teal, and a Tricolored heron while birding at Alligator River NWR.

01/22/2022

A big thanks to Julie Dee Suman () for joining me on a birding tour at Pea Island a few weeks ago and writing this wonderful blog post!

https://www.outerbanks.org/blog/post/tick-your-winter-birding-list-on-the-outer-banks-of-north-carolina/

The sunrise peeking over the dunes along Route 12 promised a Big Day was ahead on Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Migrating waterfowl and songbirds drew us to this barrier island's natural beauty. The salt marshes, dunes, and maritime forests furnish a winter home for hundreds of bird species. Our....

12/30/2021

A busy week here on the Outer Banks, with Christmas Bird Count season in full swing and great weather! Here are a few photos of the Snow geese seen on Pea Island NWR yesterday!