Lake Lynn Raleigh Birding

The shallow waters of the lake and forested shoreline at Lake Lynn make excellent habitat for a number of species of birds.  The boardwalks along Lake Lynn Loop Trail are close to the lake and provide great views of the birds.

Waterfowl:

Ducks and geese are among the most common birds found at Lake Lynn.  Please do not feed the birds or any wildlife as human food is unhealthy for wild animals and can cause aggressive behavior.  Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) are very common on the lake.  The ducklings come out in late spring.

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are also very common.  Like the mallards, the goslings hatch in spring and make an appearance in late spring.

A much less common species of duck is the horned grebe (Podiceps auritus).

Additionally, a number of feral ducks and geese are found around the lake as well as some hybrids.

Buffleheads (Bucephala albeola) are small ducks that can be found in the lake.

Ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) are a species of diving duck seen at Lake Lynn. 

The males have a white cheek patch while the females do not.

Herons:

Another common resident of Lake Lynn is the great blue heron (Ardea herodias), often seen hunting fish in the shallow waters.

Green herons (Butorides virescens) live at Lake Lynn, though they are somewhat more elusive than the more conspicuous great blue heron.  Despite their common name, they are not green in color, more of a greyish blue.

They can usually be seen in shallow, marshy waters, hunting for fish.  They may even use "bait", such as insects or bread to attract their next meal.

Another wading bird round at Lake Lynn is the great egret (Ardea alba), which is all white.

They can be distinguished from other herons by their yellow beak and black legs and feet.

Cormorants:

Double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) may be found fishing in the lake.

They do not have waterproof feathers, so have to dry their wings in the sun.

The cormorants will rest on any objects sticking out of the water to dry their wings.

Plovers:

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) are a large species of plover that may rarely be found around Lake Lynn.  The names comes from their call that sounds like "kill-deer".

Birds of Prey:

Occasionally, birds of prey can be found along shoreline, such as the red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus).

This hawk was eating a small snake.

Owls live in the trees around the lake, but these nocturnal raptors are more often heard than seen.  One evening, I heard a very vocal pair and was able to get a picture of this barred owl (Strix varia).

Songbirds:

Song birds are common in the woods surrounding the lake.  The best time to spot them is in the winter when the leaves are down and views are less obstructed.  This male Northern Cardinal's (Cardinalis cardinalis) red color really pops against the winter background.

Red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) are one of the most common birds in North America.  The orange and yellow band on the shoulders of the males are very conspicuous.

Woodpeckers:

Woodpeckers can occasionally be seen around the lake.  I found this cute little downy woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) pecking on a tree near the lake.  Downy woodpeckers are the smallest species of woodpecker in North America.

External Links:

City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation website: https://raleighnc.gov/places/lake-lynn-park