A trail of posts through time: ecology, culture, and close looking.
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: September in the Piedmont
BirdsSeptember brings an early pulse of winter residents back to the Piedmont, including Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, occasional Red-breasted Nuthatches, and a suite of wrens (Winter, Sedge, and Marsh) and sparrows (Swamp and White-throated). Ruby-crowned Kinglets—tiny olive-gray birds with a bright red crown patch (usually hidden)—also return this month after spending the summer in conifer forests of…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: April in the Piedmont
BirdsApril launches spring migration in earnest, and the next couple of months can bring a steady stream of northbound travelers. Watch for wood-warblers (including Golden-winged, Nashville, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Bay-breasted, and Blackpoll), along with herons (such as Little Blue Herons, Black-crowned Night-Herons, and Cattle Egrets), thrushes (Veery, Gray-cheeked, and Swainson’s), and sandpipers…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: February in the Piedmont
BirdsIn 1936, writer and naturalist Donald Culross Peattie opined that “February is a good month in which to make friends with the birds of a great city.” In North Carolina, he may be right: winter still holds steady in February, and the bird community changes more slowly than it will later in spring. Some of…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: January in the Piedmont
BirdsIn the depth of winter, as you walk through quiet woods, you may come across a lone thrush standing at attention, its delicately speckled throat exposed. The Hermit Thrush is a gifted songster, but its voice is mostly muted here; it saves its ethereal song for spring, when it returns to its breeding grounds in…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: October in the Piedmont
Birds.− October marks the beginning of food-caching — a food storage strategy developed to sustain year-round avian residents throughout the lean winter. Caching strategies vary by species: red-bellied woodpeckers might store acorns in holes high up in the cracks and cavities of trees, while American crows might simply thrust a left-over meal into the loose soil…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: August in the Piedmont
BirdsIn August, early migrants—including Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, and Blackburnian Warblers—begin passing through North Carolina as they head toward the Neotropics for the winter. Most will look duller than they did in spring, having molted out of their vibrant breeding plumage and into drabber winter attire. Many insect-eating (“vermivorous”) warblers stop briefly in the Piedmont to refuel,…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: July in the Piedmont
BirdsThis month, lucky birdwatchers may catch a glimpse of uncommon visitors such as Common Mergansers, Tricolored Herons, Little Blue Herons, and Snowy Egrets. Sandpipers also begin returning to the Piedmont. As summer deepens, the melodious songs of many birds fade, though Indigo Buntings can still be heard singing from high perches. Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: June in the Piedmont
BirdsThis month, watch for sunning birds. Common backyard species—like Northern Cardinals and American Robins—may perch with feathers fluffed and bills agape, soaking in the sun. This behavior may help with molting and may also reduce ticks, lice, and other parasite loads. Fledging season continues, too. Second broods of Eastern Bluebirds often fledge in June, and…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: March in the Piedmont
BirdsAs spring arrives in the Piedmont this month, we begin to see profound changes in the composition of our avifauna. Wood Ducks, Blue-winged Teal (local breeders), Double-crested Cormorants, and Ospreys become more abundant. Expect to start seeing vireos, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Purple Martins, and other swallows as well. Lucky observers may even spot a Snowy Egret,…
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Pump Station Trail, Eno River (Durham, North Carolina)
This morning—before the sun had fully thawed the crisp air—we hiked along the Eno River on the Pump Station Trail in Durham, North Carolina. About thirty feet off the trail, beyond the crumbling remains of a towering stone dam, sits a small pond carved into Carolina mud by spillover from the old structure. In spring,…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: December in the Piedmont
BirdsBy December, fall migration has decidedly ended, and the brief celebration that follows the arrival of winter juncos, kinglets, and creepers has faded. Woods and brush can feel eerily quiet, punctuated by the sharp warning calls of Northern Cardinals and the quick flitting of sparrows. The most common sparrows that visit the Piedmont in winter—often…
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Crowders Mountain State Park (Kings Mountain, North Carolina)
The forest floor was littered with fallen leaves—some big and brown like the finely lobed leaves of chestnut oaks, others bright red like the cheery leaves of red maples. We hiked up and up, past car-sized boulders encrusted with bright green lichens. As the slope steepened, the ridge-top forest thinned and tightened: Virginia pines grew…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: November in the Piedmont
BirdsBy November, fall migration has usually ended. Wood Thrushes have disappeared, replaced by the melodic Hermit Thrush, which will remain until spring. November also marks the return of juncos and several sparrow species, including Tree, Fox, White-throated, and White-crowned Sparrows. You can also expect to see a greater diversity of ducks, especially Common Goldeneyes and…
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Flat River Impoundment (Durham, North Carolina)
This past weekend, I brought my family to a lepidopteran wonderland: the Flat River Waterfowl Impoundment in northern Durham County, North Carolina. Butterflies (order Lepidoptera) abound at this small wetland rimmed with goldenrod. The impoundment was originally created to help mitigate the loss of bird habitat after the Neuse River was dammed to form Falls…
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Laurel Bluffs Trail along the Eno River (Durham, North Carolina)
OverviewLocated in north Durham, the Laurel Bluffs Trail offers a roughly 5-mile out-and-back hike along a beautiful stretch of the Eno River. The route begins from Eno River State Park’s Pump Station Trail and continues to Guess Road. For most of the way, the trail hugs the river closely, climbing up to ridge tops only…
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Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area (Hillsborough, North Carolina)
OverviewOcconeechee Mountain State Natural Area, located in Hillsborough, North Carolina just off I-85, is widely appreciated for its geologic uniqueness and its unusual plant and animal communities. Occoneechee Mountain is one of North Carolina’s classic monadnocks—an isolated mountain rising above the Piedmont peneplain. Its elevation and relative isolation create conditions suitable for a number of…
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS: May in the Piedmont
BirdsMigration season continues this month. Many of the brilliantly colored warblers are just passing through, but some migrants stop and stay to breed in North Carolina. Local breeders include Scarlet and Summer Tanagers, Ovenbirds, and Prairie Warblers. May may also be your last good chance (at least for a couple of months) to catch some…
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Where Have All the Naturalists Gone?
Where Have All the Naturalists Gone? | Cool Green Science: The Conservation Blog of The Nature Conservancy An interesting article about the lack of naturalists, and respect for them, was recently posted on the Nature Conservancy’s Conservation Blog (see link below). In my own experience, the role of naturalists in science has greatly declined. In…
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Pettigrew State Park (Creswell, North Carolina)
On Saturday, April 3, 2010, my husband, our kiddo, and I visited—and spent the night at—Pettigrew State Park in Creswell, North Carolina. If you’re interested in camping there, be sure to reserve a spot in advance. As usual, the park did not disappoint: interesting bird, amphibian, and reptile sightings began almost immediately. Below is a…
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ROADTRIP: The Galapagos Islands, Santa Cruz edition
More than 2,600 miles from North Carolina’s Triangle—and nearly 700 miles from the nearest continent—the Galápagos Islands rise like uncut gems from the cerulean sea west of Ecuador’s coastline. At first glance, the volcanic archipelago’s fifteen major islands can look rough and spare, some only lightly painted with a thin crust of vegetation. But closer…
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ROADTRIP: Galapagos Island, Rabida edition
Overlooking a pock-marked landscape dominated by grim volcanic scoria—partially covered by a crust of scrubby verdure and rimmed with a thick band of maroon sand—for a moment I felt like a visitor to the strange red planet now prominent in North Carolina’s evening sky. Instead, I stood firmly on Rábida, a tiny island (less than…
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Turtles Time at Goose Creek State Park (Beaufort County, North Carolina)
Here is all you really need to know: it was May 2007. We arrived at Goose Creek State Park—and “turtle time” began. My trusty companion (my husband, Mark) and I pulled into the primitive campground in our reliable blue Jeep. I jumped out before Mark even turned off the ignition, my feet landing on coarse…
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Pettigrew State Park (Creswell, North Carolina)
We stand on a boardwalk that extends over a large, glassy lake, encircled by bulky cypresses whose stark horizontal branches are softened by curtains of Spanish moss. Through the morning mist, I can almost discern an ancient Algonquian fisherman canoeing in the shallows. I can nearly hear the low voice of this mirage calling to…
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Dendromania at Pilot Mountain (Surry & Yadkin Counties, North Carolina)
One Sunday morning, a number of years ago—when my husband and I were still new to North Carolina and dedicated to seeing its natural wonders one by one—we ventured forth to visit the widely esteemed Pilot Mountain, about 25 miles northwest of Winston-Salem. Our mission was to see for ourselves this place of legend about…
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Chinqua Penn Hiking Trail (Reidsville, Rockingham County, North Carolina)
Note: This site is now closed. Overview: Located about 30 minutes north of Greensboro, Chinqua Penn Plantation once consisted of 22 acres of gardens, a short hiking trail, and one of North Carolina’s architectural treasures: the Chinqua Penn home. Built in the 1920s, the English-style house includes 27 rooms filled with antique furniture from around…
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Eno River State Park – Few’s Ford Access: Birding Trail (Durham, North Carolina)
Overview: Eno River State Park offers several easy-to-moderate trails (plus a few more challenging options) for weekend hikers. If you want a short, easy loop through a variety of habitats, try the Birding Trail at the Few’s Ford access. Starting from the Few’s Ford parking loop, the route can be completed in about 40 minutes.…
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Glennstone Preserve (Durham, North Carolina)
Overview: Glennstone Nature Preserve is an 82-acre natural area in Durham, protected by the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association. It offers a short but rewarding hike through early successional habitat favored by American woodcocks, as well as bottomland forest underlain by diabase-derived soils that support some unusual plant species. Directions: From northbound I-85, take the Glenn…
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Backyard Nature: Treefrogs & More
One humid evening last week, I stepped out into my own backyard to commune a bit with nature. I was greeted by a vociferous chorus of gray treefrogs looking for love. I was also surprised by a Fowler’s toad, hopping furiously away from me, as well as a beautiful sphinx moth. Sometimes nature really is…
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Howell Woods (Johnston County, North Carolina)
Overview: Howell Woods in Johnston County offers more than 25 miles of trails through a striking mix of North Carolina habitat types, including coastal plain bottomland hardwood forest, cypress–gum swamps, and pine/scrub-oak sandhills. Visitors can start at the Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center, then explore the preserve by canoe, horseback, bike, or on foot. Directions:…
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Lake Waccamaw State Park (Columbus County, North Carolina)
Overview: Lake Waccamaw State Park lies in Columbus County, about 160 miles from the Triangle, and showcases one of North Carolina’s most unusual natural features: a pH-neutral bay lake, named for the abundance of bay trees (including sweet bay and red bay). No one knows for certain how bay lakes formed—hypotheses range from meteor impacts…
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Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail (Hillsborough, North Carolina)
Overview: The Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail (HOST), a 44-acre preserve and historical site, includes three miles of trails that take visitors around the original speedway (open from 1948–68), or alternately, along the banks of the Eno River. This trail is set to join the statewide Mountains to the Sea Trail. Directions: Travel south on I-85.…
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Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve (Wake County, North Carolina)
Overview: Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, a 23-acre Triangle Land Conservancy property with a 1-mile trail that connects to the Birkhaven Greenway, conserves a floodplain forest community that is teeming with life. In spring, visitors to the nature preserve can discover a variety of ephemeral wildflowers, herps, and birds hiding in the hardwood bottomlands. Directions: Please…
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Eno River State Park (Few’s Ford Access): Cox Mountain Trail (Durham, North Carolina)
Overview: Eno River State Park hosts a number of easy to moderate trails, and a few more difficult ones, for the weekend hiker. If you’re looking for a challenging hike through a variety of Piedmont habitats, try the Cox Mountain Trail. This 3.75-mile loop begins at the Few’s Ford picnic area and quickly descends to…
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Eno River State Park, Cole Mill Access – Cole Mill Trail (Durham, North Carolina)
Overview: Eno River State Park, a much-beloved destination for Durham families, hosts a number of easy to moderate trails for the weekend hiker. If you’re looking for an easy hike with spectacular views, try the Cole Mill Trail. This 1.2-mile trail follows the Eno River and then loops back to the parking lot through upland…
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Carnivore Preservation Trust (Pittsboro, North Carolina)
Carnivore Preservation Trust (Pittsboro, NC) Editor’s note (quick update): The Carnivore Preservation Trust is now Carolina Tiger Rescue in Pittsboro, and tours generally require advance ticket purchase/reservations through their site. Overview: The Carnivore Preservation Trust, located in Pittsboro, North Carolina, seeks to provide a refuge and sanctuary for mistreated or unwanted carnivores. For a fee,…
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FEBRUARY WILDLIFE: Woodcocks
Woodcocks (Scolopax minor), cryptic, stocky woodland birds with long pointed bills made for picking out small invertebrates, are out and about this February. This time of year, they can be found in open wooded areas (e.g., Mason Farm, Butner Game Lands near the end of Brick House Road) making a scene with their whimsical mating…
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Raven Rock State Park (Lillington, North Carolina)
Overview: Raven Rock State Park, located south of the Triangle in Lillington, North Carolina, revitalizes one’s senses on a cold winter day with its dramatic scenery. The major attraction, Raven Rock itself, is easily reached on the Raven Rock Loop Trail (2.6 miles). The loop is an easy hike—until the climb back up the stairs…
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Morrow Mountain State Park (Albemarle, North Carolina)
Overview: On November 16, 2008, my husband and I took a beautiful autumn hike on Hattaway Mountain in Morrow Mountain State Park. The park is home to numerous trails exploring the ancient Uwharrie Mountain range, a small natural history museum, and the historic homestead of Dr. Francis Kron. For those interested, the home will be…
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Invasive Plants in Winter at Mason Farm (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)
Non-native and invasive species are rapidly changing the face of our planet. In the United States, our most insidious invaders come from southeast Asia and Europe. These species threaten local plant diversity and the greater community structure of American habitats. When plant composition changes, it can affect all aspects of biological communities, including soil microbes,…
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Carolina Beach State Park (New Hanover County, North Carolina)
Overview: On November 9, 2008, my husband and I made a delightful stop at Carolina Beach State Park, a 761-acre park located in Carolina Beach on Pleasure Island in New Hanover County, North Carolina. The park offers a number of recreational opportunities, including boating, fishing, camping, and hiking. If you’re looking to learn more about…
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Near the Mouth of the Cape Fear River (Brunswick & New Hanover Counties, North Carolina)
Overview: On November 8, 2008, my husband and I were able to take a fascinating boat tour of the magnificent mouth of the Cape Fear River. The tour originated on Oak Island in Brunswick County, North Carolina and ended miles upstream in Carolina Beach, New Hanover County, North Carolina. This tour was offered at the…
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Neighborhood Nature: Snakes in Autumn
n our own backyard and neighborhood in north Durham, I am always delighted to find snakes curled up next to a rock, basking in the sun, or making their way to winter hibernacula in autumn. October and November are usually the last months in which we see snakes in the North Carolina Piedmont, but the…
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West Point on the Eno (Durham, North Carolina)
Overview: On Sunday, November 2, my husband and I took a long walk at West Point on the Eno, a 388-acre park bordering the Eno River in Durham, NC. Our walk emphasized local geology and was taken from an excellent publication produced by the North Carolina Geologic Survey (see pages 49–56 for the guide to…
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Chicago Wilderness & The Grove (Cook County, Illinois)
Introduction: As a native midwesterner, autumn rarely feels official until I’ve breathed in the cool, crisp air of the north and feasted on views of golden sugar maples and russet burr oaks. This year was no different than most; my natural wanderlust led me back home to northern Illinois. Historically, northeastern Illinois is home to…
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Johnston Mill Nature Preserve (Orange County, North Carolina)
Overview: Located in Orange County, near the Duke Forest, Johnston Mill Nature Preserve is a Triangle Land Conservancy property that offers a quick getaway from the urban grind of Durham and Chapel Hill. The preserve consists of two trails—Robin’s Trail (1.5 miles one-way) and the Bluff Trail (1 mile loop) on the TLC map—though they…
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Neighborhood Nature: Backyard Bryophytes in October
Introduction: The “Neighborhood Nature” segment of my blog is meant to reveal nature in our own neighborhoods and backyards. The natural areas near our homes may not always be pristine, but they often abound with fascinating plants, animals, and natural phenomena. Backyard Bryophytes: Bryophytes—tiny non-vascular, non-flowering plants that first adapted to terrestrial environments about 500…
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Condoret Nature Preserve (Chatham County, North Carolina)
Overview: Condoret Nature Preserve, a Triangle Land Conservancy property acquired by donation in 2003, represents some of the many preserved and protected areas in and around the Triangle that are not intended for recreational use, but meant solely to preserve important ecological habitats and land for our future. The property extends 85 acres and protects…
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Sennett’s Hole – West Point on the Eno (Durham, North Carolina)
Update: Are you interest in seeing how Sennett’s Hole shifts changes intra- and inter-annually from 2008 to the present? If so, visit the Sense of Place photography page on Sennett’s Hole Across the Seasons. Overview: Sennett’s Hole, located at the western end of West Point on the Eno (a Durham city park), is a delightful…
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Eno River State Park – Few’s Ford & the Buckquarter Creek Trail (Durham, North Carolina)
Eno River State Park – Few’s Ford & the Buckquarter Creek Trail (Durham, NC) On Labor Day, my family (husband and grandparents-to-be) and I hiked the Buckquarter Creek Trail, located in the western portion of Eno River State Park at the Few’s Ford entrance. This is a great trail to hike with friends and family,…
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Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve (Durham, North Carolina)
On Sunday, July 6, my husband and I explored Penny’s Bend in northeastern Durham. As a native Midwesterner, I especially enjoy visiting this unique preserve because I can find a little piece of home there, in the form of prairie. Penny’s Bend is an 84-acre preserve, surrounded on three sides by the Eno River. It…
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Green Swamp Preserve (Wilmington, North Carolina)
The Nature Conservancy’s nearly 16,000-acre Green Swamp Preserve represents one of the best remaining examples of the region’s longleaf pine savanna. The understory is filled with carnivorous plants, including pitcher plants, Venus flytraps, and sundews, and the preserve is also home to a number of orchid species. Much of the landscape is dominated by pocosin—thick,…
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Lake Mattamuskeet & Swanquarter NWR (Hyde County, North Carolina)
On Sunday, my husband and I took a road trip to one of North Carolina’s hottest spots for winter birds: Lake Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge. Located about 200 miles east of the Triangle in Hyde County, Lake Mattamuskeet is North Carolina’s largest natural lake. It’s also very shallow and nutrient-rich, providing food for thousands of…
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Cole Mill Access, Eno River State Park (Durham, North Carolina)
oday my husband and I explored the Pea Creek Trail, a 1.25-mile loop at the Cole Mill Road access point of Eno River State Park in north Durham. For a longer option, this trail connects to the Dunnagan Loop (2 miles). We started our hike in oak and beech uplands—white oak (Quercus alba), post oak…