The good-looking bird better known for its varied vocal stylings and found in coastal regions, including Ocracoke Island’s thickets, was depicted in the drawings of John White, the Colonial governor, mapmaker and artist.
Nature Notes
Weakfish prolific spawners in North Carolina waters
It’s estimated that weakfish can spawn as many as 66 times per season, which is longer in North Carolina than in areas to the north.
Atlantic menhaden a small fish with an outsized role to play
It’s a popular baitfish and its commercial uses date back centuries, but Atlantic menhaden also serve important ecosystem needs.
What’s on the line? White perch
The semi-anadromous fish, which can be found in the ocean or in freshwater, has a unique life history compared to its freshwater perch cousins.
‘Cool critters’: Spotlight on 12 species of freshwater turtles
North Carolina is home to 17 species of freshwater turtles, with about a dozen calling the coastal plain home.
What’s on the line? It’s a bird, it’s a plane — it’s a sea robin
They have large fins that look like wings and there are 16 known species in North Carolina waters but whether they’re a nuisance, a delicacy or merely a fascinating addition to a saltwater aquarium depends on who you ask.
What’s on the line? Atlantic bluefin tuna
Measuring more than 8 feet long, the massive size of an Atlantic bluefin tuna helps distinguish it from its tuna cousins in the Atlantic.
What’s on the line? Spotted seatrout, aka ‘speckled trout’
Spotted seatrout, commonly known as speckled trout, can be found in coastal and estuarine waters from Massachusetts along the U.S. Atlantic Coast to as far south as the Yucatan Peninsula.
How to coexist with North Carolina’s wild foxes, coyotes
As more foxes and coyotes are spotted in developed coastal communities, Wildlife Resources Commission officials remind residents the importance of coexisting with these animals.
Recognition of migratory fish’s value predates colonization
Migratory fish have long played a significant role in the recreational and commercial fisheries that contribute to the economy of North Carolina and their value was recognized long before European settlement, but overfishing has taken a toll in more recent times.
Nature Notes: Northern puffers are one hoot of a blowfish
Their defensive strategy can be amusing to watch and their powerful teeth can crush almost any kind of shellfish — northern puffers are a strange but familiar sight in North Carolina waters.
Gray, red foxes and coyotes: Know your coastal canids
Coastal North Carolina is home to two kinds of foxes and also the wily coyotes, and it can be important to know the differences.
What’s on the line: Atlantic wahoo
Atlantic wahoo is one of the East Coast’s most prized gamefish, but a number of factors create management challenges for the popular species.
Red knots’ epic spring migration includes North Carolina
Ocracoke Island and other areas of the Outer Banks have seen encouraging numbers of red knots passing through on their marathon migration during the past few springs, a good sign for the shorebird species’ recovery.
What’s on the line: Atlantic tarpon, the ‘silver king’
Known in sportfishing lore for their spectacular leaps when hooked, Atlantic tarpon could become a catch-and-release-only species in North Carolina.
Though it’s Shark Week on TV, sharks are year-round in NC
Coastal Review is recognizing Shark Week this week with a special Nature Notes on the sharks that inhabit North Carolina waters.
