The Ironic Birdwatching Trip

Hundreds of Tundra Swans Gather in a Field

We set out to visit one of the largest natural inland lakes in NC: Lake Phelps at Pettigrew State Park. For a few months in winter, tundra swans migrate to eastern lakes in NC. In previous years, we had seen the swans at Lake Mattamuskeet and wanted to explore a new place.


Very much like Lake Mattamuskeet, Lake Phelps is in sparsely populated farmland. It was such a disappointment that no swans were sighted.


We drove to Elizabeth City along the Pasquotank River in Albemarle Sound for evening plans. Here a few seagulls squawked along the waterfront.

Waterfront View at Elizabeth City NC

As the day’s light was fading I suggested we stretch our legs at a local Walmart Supercenter. It looked like this newly developed commercial area might provide interesting options for dinner.


As we approached the shopping center adjacent to a highway, we could see huge farm fields resting after recent cultivation. In the background were slowly rotating giant wind turbines. 

My husband spotted the white shapes first. As we sat at a traffic light our hopes soared. These birds were way too large from this distance to be seagulls. We had found the Tundra Swans - not at a lake, but at fields next to a Walmart.


Sadly my cameras were back at the hotel. Even so we enjoyed the sounds of hundreds of gathering birds as light faded. The next morning we returned to take photos. Our proximity to the swans was limited. They were in sodden fields without road access. Still it was a thrill to watch the landing flocks and hear the chattering between birds.

Author Videotaping Birds with Osmo Mobile 3 and iPhone 8

Nearby rainwater retention ponds provided sightings of Mallards, Red-winged Blackbirds, a Meadowlark, and Canada Geese.

Mallard Couple at Rainwater Retention Pond

Ironically a visit to a wildlife area was a bust but a last-minute side trip to a shopping area provided an exhilarating birding experience.

Disclaimer: If you click on the Amazon link for the gimbal kit, I may receive a few cents for driving traffic to the retailer. Thanks for your interest!
My review of the DJI Osmo Mobile 3 is here: http://bit.ly/GimbalForMobilePhone