Tag: butterflies
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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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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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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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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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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…
Sense of Place 