Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival

Schedule:

5:30 am - 8:30 pm - Big Day Birding. Dawn to dusk, we will tally birds.  This big day will follow ABA rules as we venture around Dare County birding hot spots to tally as many birds as possible by sight and sound.  We will carpool.  We will begin on the Outer Banks starting with owls, waterfowl and ocean birds.  The trip will end going inland to Alligator River for land birds, sunset birding and some owling at dusk.  This trip is best for intermediate level birders who have their own pair of binoculars (scope too if you have one) and be comfortable with bird identification and all-day birding.  The pace will be continuous to cover the ground required. Identification by sight and sound could be quick, we will try our best to get participants on every bird sighted. Bird checklists and an itinerary with map and timetables will be provided in advance.  Bring food and drink for the day. Rest stops will be made as needed and will be known. Wear walking shoes/boots suitable for mostly flat terrain; no hike from the vehicles will be lengthy or strenuous. Some wading possible. Meet: Outer Banks Welcome Center parking lot on Roanoke Island, located at the foot of the Virginia Dare Bridge, Highway 64. This is the opposite end of Roanoke Island from Wings Over Water headquarters. Leader/Field Expert: Kevin Burke.
Cost: $25.00

6:30-8:30 am - Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Sunrise Kayak. Enjoy a sunrise kayak tour through Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. The shallow waters bring an abundance of shorebirds. This is where oystercatchers, plovers, gulls, cormorants and pelicans gather to feed.  On occasion you may catch a glimpse of migrating Snow Geese. This is a stunningly beautiful paddle between islands of marsh grass during the first light of day. Sunrise 7:12 am. We provide the kayak, paddle, personal flotation device and leader, you provide the paddle power. Meet: New Inlet Boat Launch parking lot, app. 3 miles south of Pea Island Refuge visitor center.
Cost: $40.00

6:00-11:00 am - Red-cockaded Woodpecker at Palmetto-Peartree Preserve (P-3). This is a two-part trip. First you meet at Creef Cut Trail parking lot on the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Then you will caravan in your vehicle following the leader to the Palmetto-Peartree Preserve, app. 15 miles west of Creef Cut Trail parking lot. There you will look for several colonies of endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers who live in the 'P-3.' Most of the sites are visible from the network of unpaved roads. We may also look for six other species of woodpeckers, and various songbirds that can be found in this area. Binoculars, cameras, water and insect repellent recommended. Meet: Creef Cut Trail parking lot, corner of Hwy 64 and Milltail Road (app. 5.5 miles west of Roanoke Island).
Cost: $25.00

7:30-10:30 am - Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Birding and Wildlife.  Explore, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in areas open year-'round and others normally closed to the public. Look for waterfowl and shorebirds in the impoundments, raptors including bald and golden eagles over the farm fields, and songbirds in roadside vegetation. Rare species such as the Western Kingbird and Ash-throated Flycatcher have been found during previous festivals. Butterflies possible (weather permitting). Black bear often seen. Red wolf and bobcat are a possibility. Meet: Creef Cut Trail parking lot, Hwy 64 and Milltail Road (app. 5.5 west of Roanoke Island). Trip leader/Field Expert: USFWS Staff.
Cost: $25.00

7:30-11:00 am - Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge South Pond Birding.  South Pond is normally closed off to visitors. It is only during guided Wings Over Water trips such as this one, that we are given special refuge permission to visit this otherwise closed area. The search for birds will include checking the impoundment for waterfowl and migratory shorebirds and also checking the undisturbed vegetation of the dikes and marshes for songbirds and raptors.  Come prepared for mosquitoes. Cacti can also be a problem. Wear appropriate footwear. 1.5 to 2-mile walk. Meet: Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor parking lot, 14500 NC Hwy 12, app. 4 miles south of Oregon Inlet Bridge, west side of NC Hwy 12.
Cost: $25.00

7:30-11:00 am - Roanoke Island Birding.  Explore Roanoke Island's birding hotspots: from open lawns to dense forests, from salt marsh to scanning the sound, to birding the Wanchese harbor. Lots of photo opportunities. Look for year-round resident bird species as well as a mix of fall migrants, including warblers, vireos, kinglets, nuthatches woodpeckers, thrushes and sparrows.  Binoculars and insect repellent recommended.  Meet: National Wildlife Refuges Visitor Center 100 Conservation Way, Manteo, NC  27954, Roanoke Island. You will caravan to the various locations. Carpooling is optional. Good binoculars strongly recommended.  Leader/Field Expert: Simon Thompson.
Cost: $25.00

7:30 am-3:00 pm - Birding the Northern Banks-From Corolla to Duck.  Spend most of the day birding from north in Corolla and moving down to the boardwalk at Duck. Birding will begin with and include areas around Corolla village, including the Currituck Beach lighthouse and Whalehead Club area. We'll look for fall migrants including warblers, vireos, swallows and sparrows. We should see a few raptors, as well as terns and gulls. In the freshwater marsh areas rails are possible. If water levels are low, shorebirds may be present. We will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then head south to the famous Town of Duck boardwalk and vicinity, looking for more fall migrants, especially warblers and vireos. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in Duck at the Waterfront Shops parking lot, just beyond the blue water tower on the left in the Town of Duck. We will carpool/caravan from there north to Corolla. You will need to cover the cost of your lunch.  Also, if you are already in Corolla we can arrange to meet you there rather than you having to drive to Southern Shores. Call 252-216-9464 to arrange a Corolla meeting location.  Alert: When you're looking at overall driving, the mileage one way from Roanoke Island to Corolla is app. 41 miles. Good binoculars strongly recommended.  Leaders/Field Experts: Jeff Lewis and Peggy Eubank
Cost: $30.00

8:00-11:30 am - Cape Hatteras Birding.  Cape Hatteras is one of the Outer Banks' premier birding locations. The Point, the Salt Pond and adjacent flats, dunes and wetlands are historically important to both anglers and birders. Expect to see not only Brown Pelicans, gulls, terns, seabirds, shorebirds, ducks, and waders, but also a variety of raptors and passerines are possible. Northern Gannets and an assortment of grebes and sparrows are possible as well.   In years prior to the pandemic, this trip was in leader-driven in 4 wheel drive vehicles with some walking. Because of restrictions, the trip this year must be done on foot, app. 1  1/2 miles. Walking conditions vary form hard-packed shell surface to deep sand.  Alert: App. 45 miles south from Roanoke Island (Manteo) to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (Buxton). Make it a day on Hatteras Island. Combine this trip with the new Buxton Woods Maritime Forest Hike. It starts just a few miles away after lunch, Thursday only. Meet: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse parking lot, 46368 Old Lighthouse Road, Buxton, NC  27920.
Cost: $25.00

9:00 am-11 am - Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Tram Tour (Family Friendly).  Enjoy the beauty of the refuge from the open-air tram! Sit back and enjoy the ride with your hands free to take fantastic photographs, or gaze at wildlife up-close through binoculars. Enjoy a lively narrative about the natural history of the refuge and hear fascinating stories of past and present uses of the land. Find out if there really were buffalo in Buffalo City. Discover techniques used to manage the mosaic of habitats for native wildlife. The tour will include Twiford Road which is normally closed this time of year. Because of varying temperatures and possible insects, dress appropriately to keep warm and prevent insect bites. Tram seating is a hard bench. You are welcome to bring a towel, blanket or seat cushion to use as seat padding to make the ride more comfortable. Binoculars and cameras are recommended but not required. Tram is handicapped and wheelchair accessible.  Meet: Creef Cut Trail parking lot, Hwy 64 and Milltail Road, app. 5.5 miles west of Roanoke Island (on Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge).
Cost: $20.00

1:00-3:00 pm - Buxton Woods Maritime Forest Hike. Take a two-hour hike in the wild maritime forest, on relict sand dune ridges as high as 60 feet surrounding freshwater swales locally known as sedges. Located on the widest and wildest part of Hatteras Island, these topographic and geographic features combine to produce unique island habitat. The maritime forests, swamps, and inter-dune ponds of Buxton Woods provide habitat for much of the island's wildlife. Bring water.  Wear comfortable walking shoes. Meet:  Buxton Woods Nature Trail parking lot on Lighthouse Road, adjacent to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse parking area. We may caravan to other nearby trails showing various aspects of wooded habitats.  Alert: This meeting location is app. 48 miles south from Roanoke Island. Make it a day on Hatteras Island.  Register for the morning, Cape Hatteras Birding. Leader/Field Expert: Marcia Lyons, retired Cape Hatteras National Seashore Park Naturalist and Field Biologist.
Cost: $25.00

1:00-4:30 pm - Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge South Pond Birding.  South Pond is normally closed off to visitors. It is only during guided Wings Over Water trips such as this one, that we are given special refuge permission to visit this otherwise closed area. The search for birds will include checking the impoundment for waterfowl and migratory shorebirds and also checking the undisturbed vegetation of the dikes and marshes for songbirds and raptors. Come prepared for mosquitoes. Cacti can also be a problem. Wear appropriate footwear. 1.5 to 2-mile walk. Meet: Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center parking lot, 14500 NC Hwy 12, app. 4 miles south of Oregon Inlet Bridge, west side of NC Hwy 12. Leader/Field Expert: Simon Thompson
Cost:$25.00

4-6pm - Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Kayak Birding Tour (NEW).  Discover the tranquility of a hidden gem within the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Here, amidst the peaceful surroundings, you'll find a sanctuary for rare and endangered creatures like the red wolf, as well as a thriving population of black bears and the often-misunderstood American alligator. This tour offers an escape from the crowds of the bustling tourist season along the Outer Banks. Led by experienced guides from Outer Banks Kayak Adventures, you'll navigate through this serene landscape, immersing yourself in the untouched beauty of the Pocosin forest. Immerse yourself in nature's chorus within the Alligator River's rich ecosystem, where over 250 bird species create a symphony of sounds. From the sweet melodies of Prothonotary Warblers to the distinctive calls of Prairie Warblers, Northern Cardinals, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Pileated Woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadees, Brown-headed Nuthatches, and countless others, every moment is a treasure to behold. Get ready for an awe-inspiring experience that will leave a lasting impression.
Cost: $40.00