Birch Compass
January 2026 — North Carolina Nature Journal
What to look for this month near you, with room to record what you find.
This month in nature
Birds to watch
- Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
- Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
- American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
In bloom
- Witch hazel and the first camellias flower in mild Piedmont and coastal gardens, and red maple buds begin to swell in the Coastal Plain swamps.
In the garden
- A planning week in the mountains, but Coastal Plain cold frames keep collards and kale growing — order seeds early before favorites sell out.
- Brush heavy wet snow off mountain shrubs to prevent breakage, and start onions, leeks, and celery indoors under lights toward week's end.
- In the warm Coastal Plain, plant English peas, onion sets, and potatoes in a sheltered bed on a mild late-January day.
Night sky
- The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks in a short, sharp burst around January 3 — best after midnight from a dark Blue Ridge Parkway overlook or the unlit Outer Banks.
- Orion strides up the southern sky, his belt pointing down to brilliant Sirius low in the southeast — the cold, dry mountain air gives crystal-clear viewing.
- The Winter Hexagon and the Pleiades cluster blaze through the long, frigid nights, with the Orion Nebula a misty glow in binoculars.
My field notes