Coast of North Carolina and South Carolina
Nag's Head to Myrtle Beach
March 30 to April 6, 2008

North Carolina List
South Carolina List
Full Trip List

Trip - In brief for the time being!  More details and photos will be added later.
Chuck had meetings to attend in Myrtle Beach, SC from Thursday, April 3rd through noon on Saturday, April 5.  So we decided to take the whole week and add some birding on the front end of that time.  We flew into Raleigh, NC on Sunday morning, March 30th, picked up a rental car and drove east to the coast staying Sunday night at Manteo, NC on Roanoke which is in Croatan Sound, just inside the Outer Banks.

On Monday we headed south down the Outer Banks, birding along the way with specific stops at Bodie Lighthouse, Pea Island NWR and Hatteras Lighthouse and Point.  We had two ferry rides, the first from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island and the second one from Ocracoke to Cedar Island.  This second ride was over two hours in length.  Both rides gave us the opportunity to get some close looks at several loons, plus the opportunity to see some scoters.  Once onto Cedar Island we made our way to Morehead City to spend the night.

On Tuesday we made stops at the NC Aquarium, Emerald Isle Woods and Fort Fisher.  (All these sites are well detailed in The North Carolina Birding Trail - Coastal Plain Trail Guide.  This is an excellent resource for anyone birding the coast of North Carlina!)  We then headed on in to Myrtle Beach and all the hectic traffic (even in the off season!)

On Wednesday we visited Myrtle Beach State Park and Huntington Beach State Park.  Both of these were outstanding and it was at these locations where we really hit what I would call the start of spring migration. 

The rest of the time Chuck was in meetings with incidental birding done from our 7th floor ocean view balcony.  It was actually quite relaxing to spend time watching Northern Gannets cruising and diving 1/2 mile or further out to sea as well as viewing terns and gulls from above!  On Saturday afternoon we drove back to Raleigh with a little incidental birding along the way.

Please click on the above links for state and trip bird lists.

Chuck