Sam’s Field Notes

Our naturalist Sam Bland recently spent a day in a kayak near Oriental, watching as young bald eagles learned to spread their wings and fly.

A crabby disposition may not be so great, but crab diversity on the North Carolina coast, which is home to a large number of different crustaceans, is a positive sign.

Monarch, the “king of butterflies,” have embarked on their marathon fall migration to Mexico, arriving just in time for the Day of the Dead, where they are regarded as the souls of the departed returning to earth.

The mating calls of dog-day cicadas are one of nature’s familiar sounds of summer that, when they go silent, signal the changing of the seasons.

Birdwatchers on the N.C. coast love this time of year because it brings the arrival of one of their favorites, the strikingly colorful painted bunting,

The northern harrier, also known as marsh hawk or gray ghost, is a distinctive coastal bird with a stealthy hunting style and, like the fighter jet that shares its name, an ability to hover and perform vertical takeoffs and landings.

The tradition of showing appreciation for what we have seems most appropriate here on the coast where serenity, beauty and wonders of nature are abundant.

The little, yellow sulphur butterflies flitting about this time of year are sure signs that autumn is upon us. The fall equinox, marking the celestial start of fall, is Wednesday morning.

When a caterpillar of the Polyphemus moth wove its cocoon outside his door, Sam Bland naturally broke out his camera.

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.