An unapologetic plant geek shares advice and opinions on gardening, the contrived and the natural landscape, as well as occasional topics from the other side of the gate.

June 22, 2013

Sylvan Heights

     Since sometime last winter, two friends and I have been trying to match our schedules to visit Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park in Scotland Neck, North Carolina. The 18 acre park houses a collection of birds from around the world, more or less grouped by continent. You can walk through most of the displays, enabling you to get up close and personal with the birds. Sylvan Heights is not just a zoo, it is also a breeding center for many species of waterfowl, including several that are critically endangered.  The price of admission was only $9, and it was worth every penny.

American Flamingo
  American Flamingo (5)

Budgerigar Parakeet
Budgerigar Parakeet (2)

Demoiselle Crane
  Demoiselle Crane

East Indian Grey Teal
  East Indian Grey Teal

Indian Blue Peacock
Indian Blue Peacock (4)

Nene
  Nene

Wreathed Hornbill 
Wreathed Hornbill

Scarlet Ibis
  Scarlet Ibis

Toco Toucan 
Toco Toucan

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill (How about those lashes?)
Abyssinian Ground Hornbill (2)

26 comments:

  1. I never get tired of looking at birds and animals and would have loved visiting the waterfowl park. Interesting that you focused in on their eyes. What must they be thinking?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some of their eyes were very soulful, and something I normally associate with mammals, not birds.

      Delete
  2. A neat and impressive place - great shots.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was impressive. I am glad I went.

      Delete
  3. That Demoiselle Crane looks like an orchestra conductor ! Lovely photos Les.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They were actually much lovelier than I could photography. Their foliage were different shades of gray, not the most colorful, but they were very elegant.

      Delete
  4. Those are fabulous pictures. Not just the colors and forms of the birds, but also how the photographs seem to give them personality.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice images. the Demoiselle remind me of a few friends of mine from the 60's. he he

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think all of us of a certain age have friends like that.

      Delete
  6. awesome pictures !!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Les, these are fantastic: I feel human qualities in the bird's expressions. A couple more pictures and you have a bird calendar.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The range in size, form, color, etc. of birds is amazing! Thanks for this beautiful post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One of the nice things about the park was being able to see so many different species in such a relatively small place.

      Delete
  9. Beautiful pictures, Les. Many ladies would kill for the Hornbill's gorgeous lashes. I'd like to visit there sometime myself. I miss all the beautiful birds and ducks we had on the Eastern Shore.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I took so many pictures of that hornbill and its lashes, they were amazing. At one point it poked its bill through the fence and began pecking at me, likely begging for food.

      Delete
  10. Beautiful pictures as usual Les. Ironic that one of our garden club members went to Sylvan this weekend also and posted some pictures on her FB page. Did you happen to run into Tricia? She said she loved feeding the birds from the seed on the popsicle stick. This looks like a beautiful place to visit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think I ran into Tricia, but I too enjoyed feeding the birds on a popsicle stick.

      Delete
  11. The Scarlet Ibis are spectacular as are the peacocks and the flamingo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had never seen a scarlet ibis before, and I was thrilled.

      Delete
  12. You photos capture amazing detail, especially the eye lashes on the hornbill. Nature has some incredible wonders.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I thought all those gardens you visited were quite wonderful until I got to this post. These beautiful creatures put every garden in the shade.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for taking us along to this bird wonderland.

    ReplyDelete