Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival

Schedule:

8:00-11:30 am - Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Birding  WOW Encore.  ALERT: When registering for this trip please note the date is in December. 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 Eagles and Peregrine Falcons may be seen over farm fields and songbirds in roadside vegetation. Rare species such as, Golden Eagle, Western Kingbird and Ash-throated Flycatcher have been found during previous festivals.  Black Bear often seen. Red Wolf, Bobcat and River Otter are possibilities. Binoculars strongly recommended.  Meet: Creef Cut Wildlife Trail parking lot, Milltail Road and Hwy 64, app. 5.5 miles west of Roanoke Island bridge (Virginia Dare Bridge).
Cost: $25.00

8:00-11:30 am - Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge North Pond Birding.  WOW Encore. ALERT: When registering for this trip please note the date is in December. This walk, suitable for all levels of birding, will include the south and north dikes and will be paced to give participants an opportunity to study species found. Likely birds include dabbling ducks, herons, egrets; Brown pelicans, White ibis, shorebirds, gulls; terns, warblers, sparrows and blackbirds. App. 1.5-mile walking distance. Meet at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 14500 NC Hwy 12, app 4 miles south of the Oregon Inlet (Bonner) Bridge on the west side of NC Hwy 12.
Cost: $25.00

8:00 am-noon - Mattamuskeet and Swan Quarter National Wildlife Refuges Birding (Distant Trip) WOW Encore   ALERT: When registering for this trip please note the date is in December. Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge is widely recognized as one of the best birding sites in North Carolina.  During the fall and winter hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, including a wide variety of ducks, geese and swans migrate to Lake Mattamuskeet, the largest natural lake in North Carolina.  Besides waterfowl you may also see Bald Eagles, warblers, waders, otters and muskrats.  Binoculars and bird identification book are recommended.  ALERT: App. 59 miles from Roanoke Island to this location. For distant trips, consider travel times when planning your WOW schedule. Meet:  Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center parking lot, 85 Mattamuskeet Road, Swan Quarter, NC  27885.
Cost: $25.00

1:00-4:00 pm - Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge Birding  (Distant Trip) WOW Encore.   ALERT: When registering for this trip please note the date is in December. Come learn about the best spots on the refuge for bird and wildlife watching.  Expect a wide assortment of waterbirds in the lake and refuge impoundments.  The group will see plenty of Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers to name a few.  There is also the possibility of finding a Eurasian Wigeon. Herons and egrets will be abundant. This is a good place to spot a 'Great White' Heron, the rare form of the Great Blue. The group should also see a variety of land birds in the adjacent bottomland forest. Wrens, sparrows and perhaps an unusual flycatcher such as an Ash-throated could turn up. Driving with short walks at some stops. Meet: Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center parking lot, 85 Mattamuskeet Road, Swan Quarter, NC  27885. ALERT: App. 59 miles from Roanoke Island to this location.
Cost: $25.00

1:00-4:00 pm - Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge South Pond and Beach Birding,  WOW Encore    ALERT - When registering for this trip please note the date is in December. The first hour will be spent ocean-watching and searching for and identifying ocean and beach birds. The rest of the trip will be spent birding the impoundments, dikes, and marshes of South Pond. Expect a variety of waterfowl, herons, egrets, wrens and sparrows. American bitterns are possible. If we have good weather, there is also a chance for an assortment of raptors. With any luck we might find some warbler species in addition to all of the Yellow-rumps! Meet: Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center parking lot, 14500 NC Hwy 12, app 4 miles south of the Oregon Inlet Bridge, on the west side of NC Hwy 12.
Cost: $25.00