The Outer Banks in Winter

 

Outer Banks beach.
Nags Head, North Carolina. 
Photo Courtesy of Diane Coggin. 

The Outer Banks are a series of barrier islands on the coast of North Carolina.  These islands run for 200 miles and have wide beaches with dunes covered by Sea Oats (Uniola paniculata).  The Outer Banks hosts small towns, innumerable beach houses, hotels and historic lighthouses.  Some of the barrier islands are conserved by the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and Cape Hatteras National Seashore.  Summer is the high season with vacationers from around the world taking advantage of the beaches and sun.  But winter has its own charms.  Fewer people and abundant birdlife are a couple of draws in the colder months. 

We have been making winter visits to the Outer Banks and wild areas on the mainland behind the Banks for many years.  Here are some recent experiences there. 

Sunrise over the Outer Banks.
Nags Head, North Carolina. 

Sand ripples on the beach.
Nags Head, North Carolina.
Photo courtesy of Diane Coggin. 

Sunrise over the Atlantic is an inspiring way to start a day on the Outer Banks.  The beach can be quite peaceful, and an ebbing tide leaves ripples in the sand.  

Jennette's Pier.
Nags Head, North Carolina. 
Photo courtesy of Diane Coggin. 

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus).
Nags Head, North Carolina. 

Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata). 
Nags Head, North Carolina. 

Fishing piers, like Jennette’s in Nags Head, get you out over the water for close-up views of sea life.  On a recent trip a Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) was fishing near the pier, and a Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) was flapping. 

Double-crested Cormorants (Nannopterum auritum).
Nags Head, North Carolina. 

Male Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major).
Nags Head, North Carolina. 

Female Boat-tailed Grackle.
Nags Head, North Carolina. 

Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).
Nags Head, North Carolina.  

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus).
Nags Head, North Carolina. 

Double-crested Cormorants (Nannopterum auritum) flew past in squadrons and Boat-tailed Grackles (Quisculus major) perched on the pier rail looking for handouts.  A pod of Bottlenose Dolphins Tursiops truncata) was rolling near the pier and Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus) plunged for fish.  

American Wigeon (Mareca americana).
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina.  

Male Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata).
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

Redheads (Aythya americana).
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina.

The ponds on Pea Island host a multitude of ducks in winter.  American Wigeons (Mareca americana) and Northern Shovelers (Spatula clypeata) paddled placidly by and a giant flock of over 5000 Redheads (Aythya americana) stretched all the way across South Pond.

American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana).
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

Sanderlings (Calidris alba).
Duck, North Carolina.

Shorebirds are not just found on the beaches.  A flock of American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) loafed on one of the ponds and a batch of Sanderlings (Calidris alba) were on the wrack at the Duck Boardwalk. 

We saw land birds in the dunes and in the scrub and fields behind the dunes.

Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis).
Oregon Inlet Life Saving Station, North Carolina. 

A couple of winters ago a flock of Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) stayed near the Life Saving Station near Oregon Inlet. These sparrow sized birds breed on the Arctic tundra of Alaska and Canada. In the breeding season they are bold white and black.  In winter their coloration is more subdued with white, black and creamy brown. We were lucky enough to have them on our coast for the winter. 

Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina.

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis).
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

Eastern Meadowlarks (Strunella magna) haunt the dikes of Pea Island and Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) scratch out a living in the dunes.    

Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus). 
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

Snow Goose (Anser caerulenscens).
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta).
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

Ruddy Duck (Oxyrua jamaicensis).
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina.

Just inland from the Outer Banks are more National Wildlife Refuges and they host huge numbers of Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) and Snow Geese (Anser caerulescens).  These large, noisy birds flew by and landed in a nearby pond to feed. Ducks are abundant too with Northern Pintails (Anas acuta) being the most common and Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) swiming in refuge canals.  

Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens).
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

Ash-throated Flycatchers (Myiarchus cinerascens) are western birds but in some winters one of these large flycatchers makes a wrong turn and shows up in Eastern North Carolina.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius).
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina.

Barred Owl (Strix varia).
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor).
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

Raptors like Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius) and Barred Owls (Strix varia) are abundant in the refuges.  Tiny blue-gree and white Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) swooped over the fields scooping up the flying insects of winter.  

Sandhill Cranes (Antigone canadensis).
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina. 

This winter a flock of about 35 Sandhill Cranes (Antigone canadensis) have been staying at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.  Eastern North Carolina is off their usual migration route and seeing them here was a rare treat.  These tall, gray birds have a ringing call and will soon be on their way north to their breeding grounds in northern North America. 

Outer Banks in winter.

Nags Head, North Carolina. 

Video courtesy of Diane Coggin. 

A visit to the Outer Banks is a treat anytime of the year. But winter has the special attraction of a slower pace and no crowds. The ducks, geese, swans and other birds of winter are not to be missed.