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Written by James Froggatt
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Denise and I have visited North Carolina’s Outer Banks four times since 2004: twice in Spring and twice in the Autumn (Fall). Our original reason for visiting was that Denise’s sister Irene (a US citizen living in Wisconsin) had bought a holiday home in Southern Shores and had invited us to stay. Repeat visits have allowed us to enjoy personal glimpses of how the wildlife in the Southern Shores woodlands interacts with the human population outside of a controlled wildlife environment. For this reason, we’ve picked Irene’s garden as being our most familiar site, although I doubt if she’ll consider opening it to public access! It is hoped and intended that this post is the first of a series relating to our time in the Outer Banks. We’ve focused this time on the period we stayed in Spring 2005, between 29th April and 12th May to be precise. We had visited the previous Spring, but tree felling in the garden put paid to all but the most resilient wildlife i.e. squirrels mainly! On the subject of pests, the unfortunate consequence of having such confiding deer is that their ticks go beyond annoying and are creatures the Outer Banks can well do without. Neither of us would claim to be expert wildlife observers, more a case of enthusiastic amateurs. Added to that, our one or two weeks visit to the US every year or so is mainly spent trying to recall what we’d forgotten in the intervening period. However, I’m pretty sure that our species identification is accurate and if it isn’t, then I’m sure someone will point out any mistakes. Rather conveniently, the screened back porch of the house has a view over the garden, through trees down to a small canal. Directly outside the porch (about 10 feet) is an old dogwood tree from which we hang seed and nut feeders. It was a daily task to rebuild these feeders as the squirrels routinely trashed them. Despite our use of steel rope and metal hooks, they ended up on the ground on most mornings. A considerable amount of activity centred on these feeders.
Blue Jays, Carolina Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, Common Grackles, and Tufted Titmice visited regularly and very briefly, a stunning Rose-Breasted Grosbeak put in an appearance.
Mourning Doves contented themselves with any seed that fell from the feeders. The dogwood and other trees close to the house, hosted numbers of Northern Mockingbirds, Great Crested Flycatchers, Gray Catbird, Boat-tailed Grackle, Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers and American Crows. We also believe that there was an occasional Fish Crow based on size, but in the words of Abraham Lincoln "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt" are best applied. Through the garden flitted Eastern Bluebirds whilst the lawn attracted American Robins and Brown-headed Cowbirds.A walk to the canal bulkhead would often be accompanied by screeching Ospreys overhead with one favouring an old loblolly pine on the opposite bank from which it would loudly proclaim its presence most mornings.
Turkey Vultures would soar over the woodland and on one occasion a Red-shouldered Hawk perched high next to the house and made the most incredible din. Once at the canal it was usual to see Mallard and Canada Geese and, if the water level was low enough, Spotted Sandpiper on the exposed mud. Subsequent visits would see many more species visit the garden and surrounding area, but that’s another story. Note:You may spot that the spelling of words like “centred” is the British form. Please don’t point this out to the Website owners as we don’t know all the intricacies of American spelling and grammar and our spell-checker software is irrevocably set to ‘English UK’.
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Adventures 
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