From OcracokeObserver.com When was the last time you saw a sports referee get a standing ovation? This is exactly what happened before the Ocracoke Dolphins’ home game Feb. 4 against the Bear Grass Charter Bears. Before the tip-off, one of the referees, Gene Stoel, approached Ocracoke School Athletic Director Mary McKnight to say he would […]
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From OcracokeObserver.com There is always a bit of excited anticipation for birders who participate in a Christmas Bird Count. Some consider it their “Super Bowl,” a highlight to end the year of many hours spent in the field searching for and identifying bird species and, with these 24-hour events, also counting the number of each […]
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From OcracokeObserver.com The number of rescued sea turtles on the Outer Banks this past week was, well, stunning. A cold spell that dropped water temperatures into the 40s Fahrenheit resulted in hundreds of sea turtles drifting onto the shores of the Outer Banks. Sea turtles are ectotherms, meaning they are cold blooded and can’t regulate […]
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From OcracokeObserver.com From early spring into late summer, a small, dark, pointed winged bird can be seen darting to and fro in search of its sustenance — flying insects. They are Purple Martins (Progne subis), and they have an amazing history of co-existence with people dating back centuries. They are present because of several condo-like […]
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From OcracokeObersver.com Over the past 10 years, Ocracoke has been a wintering ground for three fascinating bird species. In 2018 a Trumpeter Swan was present for several months and from December 26, 2013, to March 8, 2014, two Snowy Owls were observed from the dunes near the South Point to the airport and eventually, perching on the fence of […]
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From the Ocracoke Observer The cold open waters off Newfoundland may not seem like an ideal location to spend the winter. But it is for some, especially the Dovekie (Alle alle), a small seabird known as the Little Auk in Europe. Despite their diminutive size, weighing only seven ounces and with a wingspan of 15 […]
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From Ocracoke Observer Roman Catholics on Ocracoke finally have their own place to worship. The dedication of a newly built chapel, Stella Maris, celebrated by Luis Rafael Zarama, bishop of the Diocese of Raleigh, along with several other priests, took place on the cool, windy, overcast morning of the last day of October. This secluded […]
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Just off the NCCAT campus in the Pamlico Sound is a new structure. Though it has a striking appearance, it is not a cell tower or even a modern sculpture. It is an Osprey nest platform. Islander Heather Johnson, who works at NCCAT (North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching), came up with the […]
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When you talk about amazing animals, consider adding the Great Shearwater to the mix. They can fly between waves of 40 feet or higher in hurricane-like weather. Large seabirds — 20 inches in length with a 3.5- to 4-foot wingspan – they get their name from their ability to navigate between swells, seemingly cutting, […]
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Ocracoke has two churches, the Life Saving Church on Lighthouse Road and the Ocracoke United Methodist Church on School Road. These are Protestant churches. Although there has never been a Roman Catholic church on the island, masses have been held at various times over the years. That will soon change as the Diocese of Raleigh […]
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