The 12 days of Christmas could be the perfect time to take part in a holiday tradition that goes back 119 years, the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count.
Wildlife
Coastal Owls: Mysterious, Misunderstood
Outer Banks birder Jeff Lewis shares his enthusiasm for the owls of eastern North Carolina, creatures he says are fascinating but misunderstood.
The Birth of NC’s Coastal Wildlife Refuges
Historian David Cecelski came across in the Denver Public Library a collection of letters and maps from the 1930s that provide insight into the origins of some of the state’s coastal wildlife refuges.
Screech Owls of the Longleaf Pines
Spending time alone in the deep longleaf pine forest, nature photographer Jared Lloyd has developed his own theories about the coloring of the eastern screech owl.
See an Alligator? Snap a Photo
The Wildlife Resources Commission, in an effort to learn more about alligators, has set up a system for the public to report sightings.
Crystal Skipper Earns Species Status
The rare crystal skipper butterfly has the unusual distinctions of being a newly identified species that’s found only along a small section of the central N.C. coast.
Woodpeckers Thrive at Rugged Preserve
The Palmetto-Peartree Preserve is a rough wilderness, ill-suited to casual visitors, but it’s a surprisingly successful habitat for red-cockaded woodpeckers.
Respect, Don’t Fear N.C. Snakes
Venomous or not, most people just don’t like snakes, but they’re magnificent creatures and their presence can mean there’s habitat for other wildlife.
Groups: Figure Eight Groin for the Birds
Figuratively speaking, that is. The feathered kind, like the little piping plover, will likely suffer if Figure Eight Island builds its proposed terminal groin at Rich Inlet, environmentalists say.
Proposed Turtle Habitat Has Locals Worried
Some local governments say a federal plan to increase protection of loggerhead sea turtles is a threat to crucial beach re-nourishment, but federal officials say the critics’ contentions are overblown.
Looking for Answers to Help Terrapins
Diamondback terrapins were once abundant in our coast’s marshes, creeks and sounds. Their population has declined, and researchers at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington hope to find some answers.
Wildlife Agency Maps Wind Farm Concerns
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a new map of North Carolina that shows the best and worst locations for wind farms.
