Red knots, which stopover on Ocracoke during their spring migration, have been a source of concern due to the rapid decline of its population linked to a drastic decrease of their food source, horseshoe crab eggs.
Wildlife & Nature
Refuge exudes natural diversity, wonders of pocosin lakes
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge may be “the Yellowstone of the East,” according to Wendy Stanton, who manages the refuge teeming with wildlife that welcomes more than 30,000 visitors annually.
Green Swamp now turning green again after burn, wildfire
Grasses are already popping up after a controlled burn earlier this year and a wildfire that swept through the Green Swamp Nature Preserve in June, and officials expect some plant species to recover where they had been crowded out by taller vegetation.
Symbol of Home: The Linnean Society’s Venus Flytrap
While spending a few days in London this fall, historian David Cecelski visited the Linnean Society, the oldest biological society, to get a glimpse of a 1759 letter with the first known written record of the Venus flytrap.
Neuse River Rising: Sound River paddlers cover 150 miles
In honor of the Clean Water Act’s 50th anniversary, river quality advocates recently paddled nearly 150 miles of the Neuse River, sharing their 11-day experience with Coastal Review.
‘Forest bathing’ or hiking a trail can make you feel better
Studies show that soaking up the forest environment reduces stress and promotes nervous system healing.
Ranger-guided paddles encourage ecosystem appreciation
Away from the bustling summer crowds, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s new “Kayak with a Ranger” program allows participants to get close to and appreciate nature during guided paddles of the salt marshes and waters of Pamlico Sound.
Red knots, northern gannets highlight Christmas bird count
The totals are now in from when dozens of birders flocked to Ocracoke in late December to join in the annual nationwide Christmas Bird Count.
The weary diamondback terrapin’s latest foe: phragmites
The diamond terrapin population, which has not fully recovered from the turtle soup trend of the late 19th century, faces a new challenge to its survival: phragmites.
NC Bird Atlas to help prioritize conservation efforts
Volunteers are helping with a five-year project known as the North Carolina Bird Atlas that began this past spring to catalog the size and distribution of the state’s bird populations.
Butterfly Chaser’s Quest Leads to NC Coast
North American Butterfly Association President Jeffrey Glassberg recently visited Bogue Banks specifically to see the rare species named for the Crystal Coast.
Lookout Closer to Becoming Dark Sky Park
Cape Lookout National Seashore rangers and Crystal Coast Stargazers Club members are chipping away at the yearlong application process for designation as an International Dark Sky Park.
Bird Care Continues at Cape Amid Lockdown
The pandemic has not affected the mission of protecting endangered shorebirds at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, but the absence of people has brought rare winged visitors.
Portuguese Men-Of-War Dot NC Beaches
They don’t always show up this time of year, but since early May Portuguese men-of-war have been washing up on beaches up and down the North Carolina coast, so step carefully.
Birders Count Portsmouth’s Avian Population
Ocracoke Observer’s Peter Vankevich, birders and National Park Service staff made their way to Portsmouth village to identify and count birds for Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count.
Event to Celebrate Role of Fire in Pine Forests
The Fire in the Pines Festival set for Saturday in Wilmington spotlights the importance of controlled burns for the plants and animals in North Carolina’s pine forests.
