Text and Photos by Peter Vankevich “A bird so grand, so majestic, and so picturesque is surely a fitting subject for the artist’s brush,” so wrote Arthur Cleveland Bent in 1927 about […]
Birds of Ocracoke: The Great Blue Heron
Rare Trumpeter Swan spotted on Ocracoke
For an update on the Trumpeter Swan on Ocracoke, click here Text and photos by Peter Vankevich Ocracoke has another rare avian visitor this winter, a subadult Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator). This […]
A rare Purple Gallinule spotted on Ocracoke
To catch up on Ocracoke news, click here By Peter Vankevich There are rare birds and then there are spectacular rare birds. One of the latter showed up recently on Ocracoke Island. […]
Killdeers flock to Ocracoke
To catch up on Ocracoke news, click here By Peter Vankevich Ocracoke has many visitors that have arrived with the recent exteme cold and storm systems in the region. These are not people, […]
Shorebirds curiously absent from Ocracoke Christmas Bird Count
To catch up on Ocracoke news, click here Editor’s note: This story has been updated on Jan. 9, 2018 By Peter Vankevich Cold, windy weather at dawn on Dec. 30 kept birds […]
Photos of a wintry Ocracoke
To catch up on Ocracoke news, click here It’s not every winter that the island has extended freezing temperatures as it’s having this week, and, fortunately, the island was spared the brunt […]
Portsmouth Island Christmas Bird Count canceled; Ocracoke count shifts to Saturday
Due to unforeseen circumstances, there will be no boat transport for the Portsmouth Island Christmas Bird Count. As a result, the count, scheduled for Dec. 30, is canceled. As part of a […]
They’re Back! Snowy Owls return to North Carolina
For Ocracoke news, click here For more information on Snowy Owls, click here By Peter Vankevich “Ahoy! Hast thou seen the great white owl?” So cried the ancient man, holding a pair […]
Birds of Ocracoke: The Snow Bunting
For more profiles of the birds of Ocracoke, click here By Peter Vankevich Birds are amazing in that they may be found in the most extreme habitats. One of these is the […]
Ocracoke and Portsmouth island Christmas Bird counts set
At the end of each year, Ocracoke and Portsmouth islands are among the thousands of areas that participate in the nationwide Christmas Bird Count from Dec. 14 to Jan. 5. The resulting […]
