A TRIP DOWN TO NORTH CAROLINA - PART 5 - PEA ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

We made our way to Pea Island one of the days, and I sat in the shade overlooking the parking lot. I could see everyone coming and going. My niece is in the center of the photo below, her partner and his daughter are standing on the right. 

What I learned at this website was that the Visitor Center is on the north end of Hatteras Island on Highway NC 12. There are restrooms and a walkway to the beach, with informational trailheads for those who enjoy nature walks. The visitor center is definitely worth a visit as you will see the different animals and birds you can expect to see in each season. I didn't go inside this time but remember it being very worthwhile. Parking is free!

I didn't explore much but researched where and when you can see the birds and other wildlife in this area. It is considered to be one of the premium spots for such things. My information came from various places online.  I have provided links to several.

"The best time to see birds at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge (North Carolina), is during spring and fall migration, particularly in the early morning. While birding is good year-round, these seasons offer the greatest variety of species and the most exciting birding opportunities."

“Migration (September-November): thousands of waterfowl, shorebirds and land birds gather, especially after strong cold fronts, making for excellent birding, this according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.”

"Spring Migration (March-May): as birds migrate north, you'll find a wide array of species passing through, including pelagic birds off Cape Hatteras Point in late May. (I had to look up ‘pelagic.’ The word means relating to the open sea. An example given: “The kittiwakes return from their pelagic wanderings.”)

Summer: while birding is still good, temporary closures around seabird nesting colonies might occur.

Winter: Pea Island is a wintering ground for many migratory waterfowl, including tundra swans, snow geese and various ducks.

Time of Day: the early morning is generally the best time as many species are most active and vocal at dawn.

Specific areas within Pea Island:

North Pond: a popular spot for observing various waterfowl and shorebirds, especially in fall and winter.

Salt Flats: provides viewing opportunities of birds in the Salt Flats area and North Pond.

Outer Banks: considered a premier spot for wintering migratory waterfowl along the Atlantic Flyway, according to The Outer Banks of North Carolina."

There are other links with information about the area here and here and here. Hopefully I haven't repeated any as my brain was a bit foggy at the time of putting this together. If I have, I will correct later. 

The plant below growing in the sandy soil is called Cutleaf evening primrose, especially beneficial to native bees and it is native to the U.S. You can see better photos at the link.

Next is called American searocket, also native to the U.S.

Lastly, a collection of Largeleaf pennywort.

It was growing through the slats on the bench we were sitting on, and we also saw them on the ground.

I am grateful for all the information given by these websites. If you click on the links you can read more.

That's all for now. 

I hope you have enjoyed it.

Thanks for visiting and 

I wish you a great day.