Seaside Vacations

12th Annual Wings Over Water Festival

A Celebration of Wildlife & Wild lands in Eastern North Carolina
November 4-9, 2008
Register Now at (252)441-8144 or www.WingsOverWater.org

Travel and nature enthusiasts converge on the Outer Banks to enjoy its beaches, attractions and laid back atmosphere. Most don’t realize that the Outer Banks has much more than sun, sea, and sand to offer.  Some of the most underappreciated and unexplored attractions are the Outer Banks’ diversity of wildlife, natural history, and scenic views.

The 12^th Annual Wings Over Water Festival highlights these natural attractions.  The six day event celebrates the natural wonders of the area and offers many opportunities to explore and discover the richness of the region’s environment.

Dare County alone has more than a quarter of a million acres of property in conservation – as compared to just 16,000 acres available for development. Dare, Currituck, Tyrell and Hyde counties boast a diverse and fascinating array of wildlife to view and waterways to paddle. In addition to a wealth of marine life, Eastern North Carolina is home to black bears, alligators, red wolves, deer and hundreds of species of birds. The waterways invite kayakers and canoeists to glide through the back waters, the sounds and even the ocean. And natural history attractions draw both young and old who want to know more about the place where the first English settlements were born. Year ‘round, there are nature programs offered by state and federal agencies, as well as nonprofits.

Events:

·         Venturing into areas with combined bird lists of nearly 400 species.

·         Visiting North Pond on the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on Hatteras Island, the hottest spot for fall birding in North Carolina.

·         Traveling to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse area to search for a variety of shore and water birds.

·         Experiencing Ghost Town Birding on Portsmouth Island

·         Taking a ferry to the pirate Blackbeard’s hang-out on Ocracoke Island to enjoy the quaint fishing village and check out the birds.

·         Visiting the ancient maritime forests at Buxton Woods and Nags Head Woods for a look at these rare ecosystems.

·         Traveling to Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge where eagles and other raptors are likely the causeway and entrance road.

·         Exploring a blackwater swamp in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

·         Sliding into a kayak or canoe to explore a salt marsh environment.

·         Wade in search of Clapper Rails, marsh sparrows and wrens at Oregon Inlet.

·         Heading for the blue waters of the Gulf Stream off Cape Hatteras to search for pelagic birds.

·         Experiencing a Red Wolf Howling where the nearly extinct animal is now fighting its way back.