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Could those large, snowy white birds on the pond be swans? If so, what’s that bit of yellow on the breast? A closer look reveals that they are white pelicans with their beaks tucked close to their chests. Wow! The pelicans in this area are usually the brown ones seen flying in a line across the ocean.
It is easy to be surprised when birding on the Outer Banks. This is an extraordinary place for birding, as nearly 400 species have been sighted here. Cape Hatteras is the dividing line for northern and southern bird species, and Pea Island, with nearly 6,000 acres of wildlife refuge, is mid-way on the Atlantic Flyway, which accounts for such variety. This barrier island region’s location on the map makes it a haven for year-round and especially migratory species. The maritime forests and plentiful salt marshes are a year-round source for food, and the biologically rich waters of
the Atlantic are home to pelagic birds. The bottom line: Birds like it here!
Bird watching occurs year round on the Outer Banks and outlying areas, with the greatest variety of species occurring during the spring and fall migrations. But those in the know always carry binoculars or a spotting scope no matter what season. You are bound to discover a wide variety of birds, wherever you are on the Outer Banks, including the possibility of more than
70 accidental species.
There are many official and unofficial places to glimpse birds. By unofficial, we mean parking lots near the water, places where one can pull off the road safely, along bridges, in residential yards, the seashore and large fields along the
roadways. For example, in mid- to late
summer, large groups of swallows and martins frequent the area near the Dare County Airport on Roanoke Island; late
summer finds upland sandpipers in the airfield viewed from the vantage point of Etheridge Road; and black rails can be found in the
winter near Wanchese on Roanoke Island.
Avid birder Skip Morgan, who owns a
local birding business on the Outer Banks, says that he’s sent whole groups over to Sunnyside Lane, a quiet residential street
on the north end of Roanoke Island, to bird watch. The lane has yielded sightings of
rufous and ruby-throated hummingbirds and
a painted bunting. Another favorite spot of Morgan’s is the north end of Roanoke Island around the freshwater pond at the foot of the bridge. Spring and fall migration times are
the best there. “It’s a great stopping place for warblers,” he says. “Twenty to twenty-five
different warblers pass through this area.”
The beaches offer good birding between late October and March, and ocean and sound piers are also great places to scan for birds. Some piers offer free access, such as the
estuarine access on U.S. Highway 64 near
the Manteo/Nags Head Causeway. Most commercial piers ask for a nominal fee to walk out on the pier.
There are a number of official spots
to view birds on the Outer Banks. These areas are known for their variety and,
during peak seasons, abundance.
Many birders head straight to Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, a 12-mile stretch on Hatteras Island that begins after you cross the Oregon Inlet bridge headed south to Rodanthe. Stop by the visitors center for a trail map and be sure to visit the North Pond Wildlife Trail. During a February trip here – not the high season, mind you – birders were calling out tricolored heron, ibis, great blue heron, buffleheads, snow geese, swans and
red-winged blackbirds, to name a few. The refuge staff offers guided birding trips in the summer months; call (252) 987-2394 for
information.
A pond on the west side of Highway 12 before you get to the visitor center also makes for a productive stop. In the same winter trip, it revealed ibis, green-winged teal, pintails, avocets, catbirds in the brush, white pelicans, snowy egret, scaups, red-breasted mergansers, ruddy ducks, blue-winged teal and canvasbacks. Pea Island also is the winter home to the snow goose. It is estimated that 3,000 snow geese use the island as their wintering grounds. As a huge flock rises into the air or descends into the marsh, they make a breathtaking spectacle.
The pond at Bodie Island, located north
of Oregon Inlet, is another spot to view
migratory shorebirds. During the February
trip birds spotted included shovelers, avocets, swans, cardinals, starlings, red-breasted
merganser, killdeer and pied-billed grebes.
The salt pond at Cape Hatteras Point is also a birder’s hotspot. Pelagic birds are noted here, as well as wintering gull flocks, nesting terns and skimmers and piping plovers. Autumn migration brings in rarer species, such as the buff-breasted and Baird’s
sandpipers and American golden plovers.
Head to the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island to locate resident
land bird species, such as the year-round brown-headed nuthatch, red-bellied woodpecker, pine warbler and brown thrasher, to name but a few.
Morgan says that many birders come to
the area searching for the red-cockaded woodpecker, an endangered species that has been spotted at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, about 10 miles west of Roanoke Island, and at Palmetto Peartree Preserve, which has 10,000 acres along the Albemarle Sound near Columbia.
The Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve is especially good for birding during the nesting season and fall migration. The area is threaded with marsh and ponds. One winter hiking
trip revealed a raucous gathering of waterfowl making a delightful din. And a pileated
woodpecker was also tapping out its own tune. Jockey’s Ridge State Park on the western side by the Roanoke Sound has been noted as a good spot to watch for hawks during the autumn migration.
The northern Outer Banks includes the Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary, a 6,000-acre wildlife refuge between Duck and Corolla. It
is a major resting area for birds moving along the Atlantic Flyway. Hundreds of species fly through the sky during annual migrations. Ducks, geese and swans winter here, and approximately 159 bird species have been recorded here.
Several area head boats offer pelagic bird-watching trips. The vessels fill up with enthusiasts and experts ready to scan the horizon for birds such as petrels and shearwaters. These species travel from Africa and the Caribbean. Birders have a chance to view species that come to land only to breed. And when we speak of land, we mean oceanic islands. Of course, these birds are adapted for life at sea. Their tubular nostrils allow them to expel the salt from the salt water that they drink.
But identifying birds can be tricky. Knowing about a bird’s unique characteristics and habits can help in identifying them. For example, the way birds move can be a key identifier. Pintail ducks that frequent Hatteras Island have an interesting way of ducking underwater for food. Their sharply pointed tails stand straight up when their heads are submerged. And those white pelicans, which can share the same pond during winter with the pintails, tuck their long, orange beaks close to the bodies, like a human pulling their chin in toward their neck. Some birds peck at the ground and throw dirt about. Others fly in straight lines, while some make scalloped jaunts.
Outer Banks birders take great joy in the movement of birds, delighting in the differences as one does with ballet or modern dance. Birders in the know also are aware of the laws that protect these performing artists from harm. The piping plover breeds on coastal beaches, including North Carolina’s. It is
estimated today that fewer than 1,675 pairs
of these birds exist, and, therefore, the bird is protected under the Endangered Species Act. Some beach areas along the coast are fenced off, with warning signs posted to give the birds the space they need to nest and to protect their young. The piping plovers generally return to local breeding grounds from early to mid-April. Keep a careful eye out for these feathered friends and avoid lingering in their vicinity.
Area bird enthusiasts have also taken action to protect their feathered friends.
During sunrise and sunset in the summer, thousands of purple martins flock to and from the William B. Umstead Bridge that crosses Manns Harbor. The sky becomes dark with them as they descend upon what is referred to as their pre-migratory roost. It is estimated that more than 100,000 birds sleep under the bridge at night at the peak of their summer period here. Locals have worked hard to protect the migratory species that easily can be hit by cars that cross the bridge at sunrise and
sunset. The local county commissioners passed a resolution to lower the speed limit on the bridge and post flashing signs. Bird enthusiasts formed a non-profit group to keep watch and raise public awareness of this breathtaking natural resource. Educational talks are given at the eastern end of the bridge during the summer. Bird advocates ask that you avoid the bridge during peak roosting times and take the alternate Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge instead. You can see the birds from land, but there is not a lot of space to park. Traffic can be fast here, so watch out for your children. You can boat out to the bridge for best viewing.
Our coastal folk also
celebrate birds. The new Coastal Carolina Purple Martin Society is planning a festival for 2008, and the annual Wings Over Water event is held in November, celebrating wildlife and
wild lands in eastern North Carolina. The 2007 program will be held November 6
to 11. It includes a mix of birding, paddling and natural history tours. Tours are planned from Mackay Island north of Corolla south to Portsmouth Island off Ocracoke and west to Columbia.
The Outer Banks also has two official bird clubs: North Banks Bird Club and the Cape Hatteras Bird Club. Brochures on Outer Banks birds are readily available at visitors centers. Call local marinas for pelagic bird-watching trips. Whether winter, spring, summer or fall, an Outer Banks birding trip will result in sightings
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