Sense of Place

Tag: Piedmont

  • Carnivore Preservation Trust (Pittsboro, North Carolina)

    —

    by

    Nicolette Cagle
    in

    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,…

  • FEBRUARY WILDLIFE: Woodcocks

    —

    by

    Nicolette Cagle
    in

    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…

  • Raven Rock State Park (Lillington, North Carolina)

    —

    by

    Nicolette Cagle
    in

    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…

  • Invasive Plants in Winter at Mason Farm (Chapel Hill, North Carolina)

    —

    by

    Nicolette Cagle
    in ,

    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,…

  • Neighborhood Nature: Snakes in Autumn

    —

    by

    Nicolette Cagle
    in

    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…

  • West Point on the Eno (Durham, North Carolina)

    —

    by

    Nicolette Cagle
    in

    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…

  • Johnston Mill Nature Preserve (Orange County, North Carolina)

    —

    by

    Nicolette Cagle
    in

    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…

  • Neighborhood Nature: Backyard Bryophytes in October

    —

    by

    Nicolette Cagle
    in ,

    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…

  • Condoret Nature Preserve (Chatham County, North Carolina)

    —

    by

    Nicolette Cagle
    in

    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…

  • Sennett’s Hole – West Point on the Eno (Durham, North Carolina)

    —

    by

    Nicolette Cagle
    in

    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…