By Peter Vankevich In the long waterfowl tradition of Ocracoke, perhaps the most endearing species for hunters, decoy carvers and bird lovers is the duck simply known at the Redhead (Aythya Americana). […]
Birds of Ocracoke: The Redhead
Birds of Ocracoke: The Hooded Merganser
Text and Photos by Peter Vankevich If one were to choose a species as the most handsome duck in America, I would choose this one. The Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) is the […]
Birds of Ocracoke: The Bufflehead
By Peter Vankevich Here’s a quiz question. What do ducks and woodpeckers have in common? Read on. In the waters of Ocracoke one can see North America’s two smallest ducks, one of which […]
Birds of Ocracoke: The (somewhat uncommon) Common Eider
Text and photos by Peter Vankevich Winter on Ocracoke is a good time of the year to see rare birds. Most of them venture here from their northern seasonal ranges. The Common […]
Birds of Ocracoke: The Great Blue Heron
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 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 […]
Birds of Ocracoke: A rare Yellow-headed Blackbird
To see more profiles of the Birds of Ocracoke, click here Text and photos by Peter Vankevich Fall migration is a time when unusual birds appear in unexpected locations. Such was the […]
Birds of Ocracoke: The American Kestrel
By Peter Vankevich From early September into early winter, it is possible to see three species of falcons on Ocracoke. Peregrine Falcons migrate through and some will occasionally be seen perching on […]
Spotted on Ocracoke: A Razorbill
Text and photos by Peter Vankevich Ocracoke gets unusual visitors throughout the year and some of them have wings. The Observer was alerted of one from the subarctic when Muskie Cates of […]
Birds of Ocracoke: The Northern Gannet
To see more profiles in the Birds of Ocracoke series, click here Morus bassanus By Peter Vankevich If one were to choose a bird that represents the character of Ocracoke–tough, resilient, thrives […]
