Piedmont Region of North Carolina - BirdForum Opus

Overview

The Piedmont^[8] is a term used to refer to the central portion of the State of North Carolina, 'The Ol' North State', situated in the middle of the state, roughly halfway between the coastal portion, or Eastern North Carolina and the mountainous portion, or Western North Carolina. Geographically, it ranges from a more coastal like landscape in, and along its eastern side to a more hilly/mountainous landscape on its western side.

It encompasses parts of the Yadkin/Pee Dee River basin as well as the Catawba River basin. A number of associated tributaries feed into these.

For the person who loves nature in general, and birding in particular, Piedmont North Carolina affords a wide variety of places to easily pursue their passion and add to their “life list.”

Birds

Birds Overview

Just as the Piedmont region of North Carolina is such a large area geographically, so too are the number of species of birds a person might come into contact with, in the area.

In an effort at fairness, the subsequent data contained here was obtained by querying eBird[1] from “The Cornell Lab of Ornithology” for each county in the Piedmont region. The total number of species entered for each county, along with their most reported species, their middlemost reported, and a representative least reported was compiled and utilized to determine the entries you will see here.

The area boasts 36 counties with 321 species reported in one county on the high end to 169 being reported on the low end. This averages 226 species being reported in each county. It’s easy to see, the whole region offers many birding opportunities.

Notable Species

Leading off the "Notable Species" in North Carolina in general, and the Piedmont Region in particular, it follows it should be the Northern Cardinal since it is the official state bird of North Carolina and as such certainly belongs on the "Notable Species" list.

What is truly notable is the richness of the State of North Carolina when it comes to the wide range of potential sightings a birder might encounter depending on whether they are birding in the Coastal (Eastern), Piedmont (Central), or Mountain (Western) region of the state. North Carolina, as a whole, reports 481 species with the Red-Winged Blackbird and Double-Crested Cormorant taking the top two spots and the Red-Tailed Hawk and Brown Thrasher the two in the middle of the list. .

Counting just the most, the middle, and the least reported species, the Piedmont region of the state reports 60 separate species. This does not take into account those reported that fall in between these categories.

The Ring-Billed Gull is the most reported in 11 of the 36 counties in the region. The Common Grackle is not as common as its name might imply. It is the most reported species in 10 counties in the region. The Red-Winged Blackbird in 5, along with the Purple Martin, European Starling, and Double-Crested Cormorant rounding out the remainder of the list.

The “middle most reported species cover a wide range with the Yellow-Billed Cuckoo being “most-reported” in this group with 28 other species filling out the middle.

The “least” reported, often with just one sighting, takes into account 19 separate species. The Painted Bunting, Dickcissel, Western Tanager, and Wilson’s Warbler are the most prominent in this range.

Rarities

"Coming Soon"

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

To do

Other Wildlife

Within the Piedmont section of North Carolina you are prone to see increasing numbers of deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, rabbits and a number of game birds.

Site Information

History and Use

The Piedmont of North Carolina was part of the early settlement of the state with what has been called “The Great Wagon Road.” This was a “path/trail/road” settlers followed from areas in the Philadelphia, PA area, down through Maryland and Virginia into North Carolina to settle what was then “the frontier.” This “Road” continued on into South Carolina as well.

In addition local legend, with some degree of justification, holds that Daniel Boone, of American frontier fame, and/or his family spent time along the upper reaches of the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin.

Areas of Interest

Yadkin-Pee Dee River & Catawba River Basins

Should combining your birding efforts with fishing and/or recreational boating sound good to you, the Yadkin-Pee Dee River basin affords plenty of opportunity with many reservoirs to include W Kerr Scott Reservoir, High Rock Lake, Tuckertown Reservoir, Badin Lake, Lake Tillery, and Falls Reservoir. As well, the Catawba River Basin, which cuts through Piedmont North Carolina, has along it’s length Lake James, Lake Rhodhiss, Lake Hickory, Lookout Shoals Lake, Lake Norman, Mountain Island Lake & Lake Wylie. There will be many potential birding spots along these chains. A goodly amount, but not all, of the shoreline will be private property. But as long as you are "on the water" you will be in an acceptable place. In addition, good maps will be an invaluable asset.

Public Game Lands

There are a goodly number of public game lands situated throughout the area as well as Public Boating Access points, with varying levels of amenities, along both the Yadkin-Pee Dee and Catawba River basins. The natural resources found in, and around, these places have the potential to lend themselves quite well to birding pursuits. The regulation and use of these game lands, access points, and waterways are under the auspices of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Information regarding these areas, and their use, can be found on their website^[1].

National Parks, Forests, Refuges, and Preserves

You can also make use of the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge^[2], near Wadesboro, NC and the Uwharrie National Forest^[3], near Troy, NC for birding as well as other recreational pursuits.

North Carolina State Parks, Forests, and Trails

For those who would like to combine their birding efforts with some additional enjoyment of nature, the region has available the Yadkin River State Trail ^[4], a part of the North Carolina State Parks – NC Trails. This canoe/kayak trail covers approximately 130 miles of the Yadkin-Pee Dee River through 9 counties with multiple access points along it's length. The upper portion is a quieter area more natural, bird-friendly area reminiscent of the river as it existed before the dams were put into play. A canoe/kayak, binoculars, packed lunch, and map can combine to make a memorable birding experience. Information regarding the trail is also available from the Yadkin River Keeper ^[5].

County and Municipal Parks

Many of the Counties and Municipalities in the Piedmont Region also have some noteworthy parks, many of which have extremely nice natural features which would make some great birding areas.

Rowan County

One of the county parks you might enjoy is Dan Nicholas Park^[6] in Rowan County. In addition to recreational and leisure possibilities, you will find there natural areas, camping, and trails. In particular, one trail that has good birding possibilities circumnavigates the lake/pond in the park as well as some of the wooded areas.

Davidson County

Another county park that affords good potential for birding as well as touching on a bit of US frontier history is Boone's Cave Park^[7] in Davidson County. This park, which is close to the Yadkin-Pee Dee River is said to be where US frontier legend Daniel Boone and/or some of his family lived for a time as they explored the developing western frontier.

Access and Facilities

North Carolina's Piedmont region is crisscrossed by portions of interstate highways I-85, I-40, and I-77. In addition, it is served, commercially and privately, by Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) in Charlotte, Piedmont-Triad International Airport (PTI) in Greensboro, Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Morrisville, Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (JQF) in Concord as well as a number of general/private aviation facilities scattered throughout the state.

Keep in mind much, but not all, of the shoreline along both the Yadkin-Pee Dee and Catawba River Basins will be private property. Signs denoting public areas "may" be present, but not always. However, as long as you are "on the water" and obey the signs that are posted, you should experience no trouble. Good maps of the rivers will be an invaluable asset.

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