Naturalist Sam Bland ventures out to explore Raccoon Island in Pamlico Sound, a haven and nursery for various coastal birds.
Photo Essay: Moonrise at the Cape
Naturalist Sam Bland camps near the Cape Lookout lighthouse to document the rise of May’s full moon. He shows the story in these amazing photographs.
A Quest for Birds’ Nests
Naturalist Sam Bland kayaks down creeks in Pamlico County in search of the active nests of a great horned owl and a bald eagle.
Sam’s Field Notes: Sea Foam
Ever wonder what creates those tufts of sea foam on the beach? Naturalist Sam Bland investigates that answer, and saves a couple shorebirds while he’s at it.
The Neusiok Trail — At a Jogger’s Pace
Naturalist Sam Bland spent a cold winter’s day jogging the entire 21-mile length of the trail. He sloshed through mud and cold water and was spooked by something big moving through the woods.
This N.C. Christmas Went Down in History
The blizzard of 1989 created the only coastal white Christmas on record for North Carolina. Our naturalist, Sam Bland, recalls Hammocks Beach State Park that day.
A Sign of Fall: Mullet Fishing on Bogue Banks
Autumn officially started last night, and soon the fishermen of Salter Path will latch their dories to the old tractors and head out to the beach in search of jumping mullet.
Sea Pansies and Blue Buttons
Our naturalist Sam Bland spotted these two unusual finds that washed up from the deep ocean on a beach walk in Emerald Isle.
Sam’s Field Notes: Getting Up Close and Personal with a Cyclops
When a caterpillar of the Polyphemus moth wove its cocoon outside his door, Sam Bland naturally broke out his camera.
Thunder Moon
Our naturalist Sam Bland explores the lure of full moons on coastal animals and residents and takes stunning photos of a recent “supermoon.”
A Wetland for Wood Storks
Our naturalist Sam Bland kayaks through a wetland along our southeast coast and into the heart of a wood stork rookery. Here are his story and amazing photos.
Great Blue Heron
Statuesque and graceful in movement, the great blue heron is one of North America’s most familiar and adaptable wading birds.
The Coming of Spring
Baby goslins, snapping turtles looking for nests, green anoles hunting mates. All are signs that spring is coming to the freshwater marshes of the coast.
Sam’s Field Notes: A Hike in the Snow Can Be a Birder’s Delight
Snow days are good days to look for birds. They’re a bit more conspicuous against the white background and a little more tolerant of humans.
A Winter Walk Through Culture
Sam Jones of Ocracoke often let his beloved horse, IkeyD, into the house for songs around the piano. Learn more about Sam, his horse and other cultural tidbits of the island.
Sam’s Field Notes: The Dance of the Dolphins
Sam Bland got an unexpected surprise after Christmas on a jog down the beach at Emerald Isle. He rushed back with his camera to catch The Dance of the Dolphins.
