Wildlife seen in Woodrun

Feel fre to email us with your photos for possible inclusion here.

Photos courtesy of Bridget Frohreich

Below is our first soon-to-hatch family of bluebirds.  Richard Yorkovich,  --Lot 1268

5024 Woodrun on Tillery, Mount Gilead, NC 27306

Phone 910-439-5214, email = woodrun@embarqmail.com

Red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus)

(length 6”; wingspan 10”)

This bright olive bird is whitish below, has a long bill, a distinct long white “eyebrow,” a grayish cap and red eyes, as its name implies. The red eye feature is rarely visible, however, and probably not useful in identification. This bird has no wing bars and dark gray legs. The male and female birds are similar in description.

Maybe the best way to identify this solitary bird is by its song, which is a series of simple, abrupt, hurried phrases. This song is repeated over and over, though fortunately for lake residents, this common bird does not continue its incessant song during the night. 

The red-eyed vireo spends its summer throughout the eastern half of the United States and Canada. It winters in South America.  This bird nests in the middle to upper portions of broadleaf, deciduous trees in forests and feeds on insects, larvae and berries.

From Progress Energy Lake Tillery Newsletter

Blue-gray gnatcatcher

(Polioptila caerulea)

(length 4.5”; wingspan 6”)

The blue-gray gnatcatcher is common in wet deciduous woods. It prefers to stay high in the canopy, but will also feed in thickets. This very small bird may be found around Lake Tillery and most of the lower 48 United States during the summer. The tiny gnat catcher is pale blue-gray above and white below. It has a long black and white tail, and a conspicuous white eye ring. The male also has a black forehead. The tail is often cocked up much like a wren and flipped about.

This very busy little bird flits around limbs in search of small insects with its thin bill.  Its song, which is easy to miss, is a steady series of thin, wheezy notes interspersed with high chips and slurs.

The blue-gray gnatcatcher builds a small cup-shaped, compact nest typically on forked branches about 10 to 20 feet above ground.

American crow

(Corvus brachyrhynchos)

(length 17.5”; wingspan 39”)

Due to its large population, the American crow may not need an introduction. It is a large, completely black bird with a relatively short fan-shaped tail and a strong, thick black bill.  The American crow is frequently seen in flocks and is found among deciduous growth along rivers, streams, orchards and city parks. It also frequents mixed and coniferous woods, but avoids closed coniferous forests.  Its call, a loud “caaw, caw caw” is easily imitated. Some people might confuse the fish crow with the American crow. Although it is slightly smaller, the fish crow can be distinguished from its cousin only by its call, which is more of a nasally “cah-cah.” 

The American crow is a year-round resident of the lake. It feeds on a great variety of both animal and vegetable foods. Crows do destroy many eggs and nestlings of woodland and meadow birds, but they also weed out animals that are weak and feeble. They also act as sentries by alerting nearby animals when danger approaches their location.

Redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus)

(Editor’s note: This fish information is to acquaint you with the various fish species and the various habitats that they occupy in the lake.) The Lepomis sunfish, also called bream, are common warm-water fish native to the Yadkin-Pee Dee River system, including Lake Tillery.  They are a popular sport fish, especially when caught on ultra-light tackle. Lepomis sunfishes are members of the sunfish family Centrarchidae, which include largemouth bass, rock bass and crappies. This family ranks behid only the catfish family as the largest freshwater sport fish family in North American waters. The Latin name Lepomis means “scale shoulder or cover,” which refers to the scaled gill cover oroperculum. Of the 12 species of bream swimming in North America, six are inhabitants of Lake Tillery.

The redbreast sunfish’s scientific name is Lepomis auritus, meaning “eared,” which refers to its long earflap. The redbreast sunfish is found in streams, ponds and lakes throughout North Carolina.  The identifying characteristics of redbreast sunfish are the long and entirely dark earflap, a dorsal fin with nine to 11 spines, followed by 11 to 12 rays, and a very colorful chest ranging in color from bright yellow to deep red. These fish also have lines and spots of blue on the sides of their heads. Males are usually much more colorful than females.

Redbreast sunfish can reach maturity by two years of age. They are spring and summer spawners and usually begin building their nests when the water temperature reaches 68° Fahrenheit. They spawn in nests created by the male using its tail to form a depression in sand or gravel. Several fish will build nests in close proximity to each other forming beds. Redbreast will sometimes use abandoned nests of other sunfishes. The eggs are adhesive and stick on the bottom of the nest. Depending on their size, females will lay between 1,000 and 10,000 eggs in a nest. The male then fertilizes the eggs, drives off the female and fans the eggs with his tail to ensure they have plenty of oxygen to develop. He guards them against predators until they hatch and for a short time afterward.

Redbreast sunfish grow slower than their cousins. They will reach six inches in two to three years and regularly attain eight inches in length. They generally live for four to five years. The largest one collected by Progress Energy biologists from Lake Tillery has been 8 1/4 inches. The North Carolina state record

for redbreast sunfish is 1 3/4 pounds.

Redbreast sunfish prefer shallow, clear and warm-water habitats with aquatic vegetation.  They thrive in still waters such as ponds, lakes, marshes and stream backwaters. These fish also like woody debris and rocky areas that provide protection from predators. The species does not tolerate excessive siltation, because the silt can smother and kill developing eggs and ruin the nesting habitat. Redbreast sunfish have one of the most varied diets of all bream. They primarily eat bottom-dwelling aquatic insects, but will eat terrestrial insects, such as mayflies and dragonflies that fall in the water, small clams, crawfish, snails, freshwater shrimp and even small fish.

Information collected by Progress Energy biologists indicates that Lake Tillery has a highquality redbreast sunfish population. Our data shows good growth rates, size distribution and numbers of redbreast sunfish. The lake has a wide variety of suitable habitats for the species to breed and thrive. Fishermen using live crickets and worms during early spring should do quite well. Artificial lures, such as beetle spins or flies work well with the rising water temperatures. The best time to fish for redbreast is at sunrise or sunset, but they will bite throughout the day. Unlike other bream, they also bite readily at night. Redbreast sunfish put up a good fight when hooked and make a tasty meal.