Spotted on Ocracoke: a southeastern five-lined skink
By Peter Vankevich
If you’ve read novels by Carl Hiaasen, you’ve likely come across Skink—his eccentric, one-eyed former governor turned environmental vigilante. While the character...
What are those weird rocks I found on the beach?
Text and photos by Connie Leinbach
Ocracoke beach shelling is different from elsewhere along the East Coast.
When you walk along the beach you will see...
Portsmouth Island Christmas Bird Count records 78 species
By Peter Vankevich
The Portsmouth Island Christmas Bird Count took place this year after having been canceled in 2023 and 2024 due to access issues...
Ocracoke Christmas Bird Count connects birds and observers
By Peter Vankevich
The birds of Ocracoke proved watcher-friendly for the annual Christmas Bird Count held on Dec. 31. For the second consecutive year,...
Ocracoke’s beach-nesting birds continue to struggle
By Peter Vankevich
This story has been corrected: Cape Hatteras National seashore produced a total of 21 American Oystercatcher fledglings: 18 on Ocracoke, 2 Hatteras...
Ocracoke and Portsmouth Christmas Bird Counts scheduled for year end–UPDATED
Note: The Portsmouth Island Christmas Bird Count has been changed and will take place on Jan. 1, 2026
The Ocracoke and Portsmouth Island Christmas Bird...
NPS to hold volunteer training session for cold-stunned sea turtle patrol
From our news services
The National Park Service and N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) will hold a cold-stun sea turtle volunteer training at 10...
Volunteers help with surprise late-season sea turtle hatching
By Ruth Fordon
November 14 was a sunny crisp fall morning with temperatures hovering around highs of mid 50s all week. Ocracoke residents Lou Castro...
An elegant bird makes a rare guest appearance on the Outer...
By Peter Vankevich
It was early Thursday, Sept. 25, at Cape Point on Hatteras Island. As Bob Lewis focused his long lens on a Black...
A Sea turtle nest excavation to take place on Ocracoke Island...
Visitors and residents on Ocracoke Island are invited to join rangers at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore for a public sea turtle nest excavation...