Birds

By Peter Vankevich There is always a bit of excited anticipation for birders who participate in a Christmas Bird Count. Some consider it their “Superbowl,”...

By Peter Vankevich This headline? Thomas Hardy is author of “Far from the Madding Crowd.” Who among us is not looking for an off-the-beaten path location...

By Peter Vankevich Here is a summary of some of this year’s Ocracoke region nesting observations. Beach nesting birds such as American Oystercatchers, Black Skimmers and...

Text and photo by Peter Vankevich From early spring into late summer, a small, dark, pointed winged bird can be seen darting to and fro...

Text and photos by Peter Vankevich Over the past 10 years, Ocracoke has been a wintering ground for three fascinating bird species. In 2018 a...

By Peter Vankevich The cold open waters off Newfoundland may not seem like an ideal location to spend the winter. But it is for...

By Peter Vankevich In the predawn of Dec. 30, several vehicles pulled into the Variety Store parking lot. With a few brief conversations and the...

The Ocracoke and Portsmouth Island Christmas Bird Counts, normally held on the last two days of the year, will be modified. This is because the...

Text and photos by Peter Vankevich Seeing birds such as Brown Pelicans flying over the waves or diving for fish, Royal terns with their...

By Lynn Ingram Why is a willet a willet? How fast is a ghost crab? Who eats sea turtles? Answers to those questions, and a buffet of others,...