Roads End Naturalist

Exploring the natural world as we wander at the end of the road


Tag: pocosin lakes national wildlife refuge

  • Grand Finale

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    The song is ended, but the melody lingers on. ~Irving Berlin After leading my last group over a week ago, we decided to make one more trip to Pungo last Friday (it appears letting go truly is hard to do!). Our friend, Meghan, was with us and we decided to do a day trip for Read more…

  • Soundscapes

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    The sound of birds stops the noise in my mind. ~Carly Simon I was back in my favorite spot in North Carolina this past week – Pocosin Lakes NWR. A lot has changed on the refuge since my first visit back in the early 1980’s. Back then, you could walk almost anywhere this time of Read more…

  • While She Was Away…

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    Take time to do what makes your soul happy. ~Unknown author I suppose I really don’t have to worry about this particular quote. I think I do a pretty good job of taking the time to do the things I enjoy. With Melissa leading a museum winter workshop in Yellowstone, I decided to get out Read more…

  • Refuge Run

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    From wonder to wonder, existence unfolds. ~Lao Tzu Last month, I dropped Melissa off at the airport at a ridiculous hour (4 a.m.) for her Yellowstone workshop. The upside was that I could make it to my favorite place, Pungo, by sunrise. So, off I went on what was to be a hot sunny day, Read more…

  • Summer is Bear Time

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    When you are where wild bears live you learn to pay attention to the rhythm of the land and yourself.  ~Linda Jo Hunter This summer seems to be racing by and it hit me last week that I have not made a pilgrimage to our coastal wildlife refuges for my fix of summer bears. So, Read more…

  • Day-tripping

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    I just take it one day at a time, and it always leads you to the right place. ~ Kyle Massey My two recent trips to Pungo were two day trips, leaving home before dawn and leaving the refuge after sunset. While not the ideal way to do this, even a day trip can yield Read more…

  • Those White Winter Birds

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    Twenty thousand birds moved away from me as one, like a ground-hugging white cloud… ~Michael Pollan I managed a couple of trips to my favorite NC winter place recently and was rewarded with some wonderful scenes of wide colorful skies, masses of birds, quiet moments of watching wildlife, and some surprises. I’ll cover much of Read more…

  • Refuge Ramble – Pocosin Lakes and Mattamuskeet

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    Our public lands – whether a national park or monument, wildlife refuge, forest or prairie – make each one of us land-rich. It is our inheritance as citizens of a country called America. ~Terry Tempest Williams Last week was another of those times I really appreciate our public lands. I spent four days on the Read more…

  • 1 Bird, 2 Birds, …and some cool other stuff

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    Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own. ~Charles Dickens This past Thursday was our annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count at Pettigrew State Park. As usual, Melissa and I covered our part of the count circle, much of the Pungo Unit of Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. We had planned to Read more…

  • Butterflies, Blooms, and Bears

    Summer is a promissory note signed in June, its long days spent and gone before you know it, and due to be repaid next January. ~Hal Borland I headed down to Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge last week for an “end of summer” day trip (actually more of a “before hunting season begins” road trip). Read more…