|
Throughout the Outer Banks there is a huge variety of Water Fowl and migratory birds... in fact you could call the location a North/South bird corridor ...
With ocean beaches, sand dunes, scrub thickets, marsh, pocosins, black-water swamps, and maritime and inland forests, the Outer Banks and surrounding inland regions are rich in waterfowl and other birds. Nearly 400 species of birds have been sighted within Cape Hatteras National Seashore and its surrounding waters. Many birds choose the area because of the diverse habitats and because it's a convenient stop along the eastern flyway. But occasionally a vagrant will blow in with strong winds or storms. Accidental species spotted on the Outer Banks are numerous, including the pacific loon, western grebe, white-winged dove, snowy owl, western tanager, cerulean warbler, sandhill crane, and many others. Though birding is always exciting on the Outer Banks, the greatest variety of species occurs during the spring and fall migrations. Good numbers of migratory shorebirds can be seen on inlet tidal flats, the ponds at Pea Island and Bodie Island, and the salt ponds at Cape Hatteras Point. Land-bird observations occur in the shrub thickets along the dikes at Pea Island and in the maritime woods. Herons, egrets, terns, skimmers, and other birds that breed locally are best seen in the warmer months. These birds frequent both salt-and freshwater areas. Winter ducks, geese, and swans usually concentrate on ponds at Pea Island and Bodie Island and on Lake Mattamuskeet. In the marshes herons, egrets, ibises, waterfowl, rails, and shorebirds are visible. These birds can be seen in the marshes all over the Outer Banks, but an easy access point into the marsh is the trails behind the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is one of the top birding sites on the whole East Coast. Impoundments, salt flats, and ponds house snow geese, Canada geese, willets, tundra swan, and several species of ducks. The live oaks house songbirds during fall migration. On the beaches shorebirds, gulls, terns, and pelicans keep busy. Nesting birds may include piping plover, American oystercatcher, terns, and skimmers. Other great birding areas to visit include Nags Head Woods, Buxton Woods, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Currituck National Wildlife Refuge, Jockey's Ridge State Park, and Ocracoke Island. extracted from read more Location all over OBX Cost binoculars and free
|
Comments (0)