Category: Natural History
-
Quiet Beauty
Intimate knowledge can make a place beautiful. ~Melissa Dowland I had a one day refuge tour with a wonderful couple on Monday. I went down Sunday evening, just to make sure I could get down there, given the wild weather we had over the weekend. Turns out, once I got out of the neighborhood, the… Read more…
Written by
-
Pungo Sunrise
Nature has not only given us life, but can also give us reasons for living positively: Curiosity, wonderment, imagination, and knowledge are just a few of the ways Nature can beckon us. ~Mike McDowell Between the phenomenal evening shows of snow geese last week, I had a quiet sunrise at Pungo, mostly to myself. It… Read more…
Written by
-
Searching for Snows
Don’t refuse to go on an occasional wild goose chase – that’s what wild geese are for. ~Henry J. Haskins I am lucky in retirement to have more time to seek out places that provide a wildlife spectacle. There is something transformative about witnessing masses of animals in a wild place. This time of year,… Read more…
Written by
-
Chilly Chincoteague
The time will come when winter will ask what you were doing all summer. ~Henry Clay I had some time to explore over the recent holiday weekend, but decided that my favorite place, Pungo, would probably be too crowded so I thought I should try someplace else. My original plan was to head to Florida,… Read more…
Written by
-
Birds Galore
It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know of wonder and humility. ~Rachel Carson I had two groups scheduled for trips over the last week, one a group of photographers, and one some friends from my museum world. The… Read more…
Written by
-
Snakes on a Plain (Coastal Plain, that is)
For hibernating rodent and hidden turtle, what dreams, I wonder, come on such a day of spring in January? ~Edwin Way Teale I just returned from several days down at Pocosin Lakes and Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuges. The weather started off beautiful, then wet and warm, then cold and windy – quite a variety of… Read more…
Written by
-
Falcon
What appeals to us most in this daring little falcon is its lightness and quickness. ~Winsor Marrett Tyler A friend told me about a pair of American Kestrels hanging out in a particular field in Raleigh. I had to run into town for an errand the other day and decided to run by the field… Read more…
Written by
-
One Wet Bird, Two Wet Birds…Four Wet Birders
The best thing one can do when it is raining is to let it rain. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Unlike most years, I was dreading this year’s annual Christmas Bird Count. The weather forecast had been calling for more rain, 80% most of the day. We have already had so much rain and I anticipated the… Read more…
Written by
-
Appreciating a Place
Sense of place…it is a combination of characteristics that makes a place special and unique. ~the Art of Geography I am lucky. I have several wild places that give me that feeling of a sense of place, of completeness, of peace. I think almost any location can become such a place given time to experience… Read more…
Written by
-
Another Winter Season, Sort Of
What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness. ~John Steinbeck It is time for another season of winter wildlife watching. Now, if only the weather would catch up and cooperate. I will have to admit, my group seemed to enjoy the warm conditions as we explored Mattamuskeet… Read more…
Written by
Roads End Naturalist 