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June 8, 2009
Visiting the National Wildlife Refuges at Pea Island and Alligator River 
The
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on the northern end of Hatteras
Island was established in 1937 as a wintering sanctuary for waterfowl
and consists of 5,834 acres of coastal barrier island, including ocean
beach, barrier dunes, salt marshes, fresh and brackish water ponds and
impoundments, and tidal creeks and bays. The refuge also contains
25,700 acres of boundary waters in the Pamlico Sound. It is
managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and today provides a
habitat for a diversity of wildlife and also provides abundant
recreation opportunities for both residents and visitors to the Outer
Banks.
The refuge is known as a “birder’s paradise” with a bird list of more than 365 species. Pea Island is midway on the Atlantic flyway and is a feeding and resting area for numerous species of wintering waterfowl, migrating shorebirds, raptors, and wintering wading birds. It is an important wintering ground for tundra swans, snow geese, Canada geese, and more than 25 species of ducks. During the summer months several species of herons, egrets, and ibises nest in the impoundment and marsh areas along the sound. Terns, gulls, black skimmers, willets, black-necked stilts and other wading and shore birds nest on the refuge. Many other species can be found there and pass through on fall and spring migrations. Loggerhead sea turtles nest on the beaches, and there are mammals, such as river otters, muskrats, raccoons, opossums, minks, and both cottontail and marsh rabbits. The name “Pea Island” comes from a small plant whose tiny pink/lavender flowers mature to form beans that are packed with energy. Historically, migrating snow geese foraged in the dunes, where these “dune peas” provided a predictable source of food. The Visitor Center is the place to get oriented and pick up information about the refuge. It has exhibits about sea turtle nests, shorebirds, birds of prey, and other native species and several programs available on computer to help visitors identify birds. The gift shop, operated by the Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society, offers educational items and gift ideas with nature and wildlife as the focal point. All proceeds are donated to the refuge. The Visitor Center is open 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. during the summer season and 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. during the off season. At the Visitor Center, you can also pick up information about Pea Island and its trails, observation platforms, interpretive kiosks, and photo/observation blinds. Some highlights of the activities available at the refuge are: • Interpretive Programs/Tours - The Refuge Calendar of Events lists ongoing programs conducted by staff and volunteers. There is a fee charged for guided canoe tours. Otherwise, all public programs are offered free of charge. Requests for special programs should be made by calling 252-987-1118. • Environmental Education Programs are offered on request. Special prices are given to educational groups for the guided canoe tours. To schedule a program for a group, call 252-987-1118 or email: abbey reibel@fws.gov. • Wings Over Water is a special event each fall. • Trails. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge offers two wildlife trails that are open year round during daylight hours and are fully disabled-accessible. Refuge Map (pdf file) • North Pond Wildlife Trail is a half-mile, fully disabled accessible trail which offers spectacular wildlife observation any season. The best birding is during the fall and winter. The trail is located near the Visitor Center which is approximately 3.5 miles south of Oregon Inlet. Most visitors walk this trail to the end - a double-level tower - and then retrace their steps to the Visitor Center and their vehicles. North Pond Wildlife Trail Map (PDF). • There is a service road that goes completely around North Pond. Energetic outdoor folks may choose to wander all the way around; however, the bugs are usually bad and most of the wildlife observation opportunities are similar to those from North Pond Trail. The final 1.5 mile section of the "loop" is along Highway 12 and can prove to be unpleasant and unsafe for walking. • Salt Flats Wildlife Trail is a slightly shorter trail on the north end of North Pond that terminates at a disabled- accessible overlook which provides viewing access to the Salt Flats area, as well as North Pond. Salt Flats Wildlife Trail Map (PDF) • Pristine Beach. Pea Island offers almost 13 miles of beautiful, barrier island beach, undisturbed by vehicles. Many visitors seek the peace and solitude of the refuge beach, choosing to walk the extra distance for the quiet and less-crowded conditions. Shelling, beachcombing, and just strolling along the shoreline are popular activities. • Wildlife Observation and Photography. In addition to the wildlife trails, which offer tremendous observation and photography opportunities, there is a photography blind located very near Highway 12. Please call the Visitor Center (252-987-2394) for directions to the blind. And there are many less formal opportunities to enjoy these activities. Unless an area is signed as "Closed to Public Entry," you  may wander throughout the beach, salt flats and dune areas of the refuge.• Fishing. Pea Island offers access to both the Atlantic Ocean and Pamlico Sound for saltwater fishing. • Hunting is not allowed on Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Pea Island programs include guided canoe tours (for which a fee is charged), bird walks, turtle talks, and soundside exploration. The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1984. It encompasses some 152,000 acres on the mainland of Dare and Hyde counties. The refuge was established to preserve and protect a unique wetland habitat type - the pocosin - and its associated wildlife species. Pocosin is a Native American word meaning ''swamp-on-a-hill'' and is characterized by poorly drained soils high in organic material. Diverse habitats include high and low pocosin, bogs, fresh and brackish water marshes, hardwood swamps, and Atlantic white cedar swamps. Plant species include pitcher plants and sun dews, low bush cranberries, bays, Atlantic white cedar, pond pine, gums, red maple, and a wide variety of herbaceous and shrub species common to the East Coast. The refuge is one of the last remaining strongholds for black bear on the Eastern Seaboard and is home to the Red Wolf Recovery Project. The red wolf is one of two species of wolves in North America, the other being the gray wolf. As their name suggests, red wolves are known for the characteristic reddish color of their fur, most apparent behind the ears and along the neck and legs, but they are mostly brown and buff colored with some black along their backs. Red wolves are social animals that live in packs consisting of a breeding adult pair and their offspring of different years, typically five to eight animals. They prey on a variety of wild mammals such as raccoon, rabbit, white-tailed deer, nutria, and other rodents. Most active at dusk and dawn, red wolves are elusive and generally avoid humans and human activity. The red wolf is one of the world’s most endangered wild canids. Once common throughout the southeastern United States, the red wolf was extinct in the wild in 1980. By 1987, enough red wolves were bred in captivity to begin a restoration program on Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Since then, the experimental population area has expanded to include three national wildlife refuges, a Department of Defense bombing range, state-owned lands, and private property, spanning a total of 1.5 million acres. Other wildlife found in the refuge includes ducks, geese, swans, wading birds, shorebirds, raptors, American alligators, white-tailed deer, raccoons, rabbits, quail, rives otters, and red-cockaded woodpeckers . Programs at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge include red wolf howling safaris, canoe trips, and trips to search for black bears and other refuge wildlife. FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on the refuges: http://www.fws.gov/peaisland/ http://www.fws.gov/alligatorriver/ For program schedules: http://www.fws.gov/alligatorriver/spec.html#schedule |
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