Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

I want you to think of an island and what that means to you. Go on. Imagine an island. What do you see? I reckon the first thing that popped into your head was the stereotypical deserted island. A small plot, not too big, maybe about the size of a football pitch complete with palm trees, rolling dunes, and blue waters on all sides, as far as the eye can see. Or perhaps you thought of the jagged rocky outcrops of Ireland that Luke Skywalker was hanging out on in the latest Star Wars film. Those are some good examples. The island I'm living on for the year is a little different though. Certainly it's in a warm climate with beautiful sparkling water surrounding it, but there is a lot more drama happening on the sand than one might suppose. The island I'll be living on for the year is called Bogue Banks and it is part of the barrier island chain known as the Outer Banks. This 200 mile chain of land runs from Currituck Banks in the north all the way south and east to Bogue Ban...

Hello all. Over the past week, I've been getting settled in up in Saco, ME and I'll be sharing a little bit about what life is like at the moment. I'm living literally 100 feet from Ferry Beach and it is an amazing resource. The beach provides splendid views of the surrounding coastline and represents the longest stretch of sandy beach in Maine! When I headed out yesterday morning to look for some wintering water birds, I didn't expect there to be so much mist. The clouds and cold temperatures had decided to bequeath us with a sprinkle of snow and as a result, the surrounding beach and ocean was veiled in translucent mist. The view south towards Camp Ellis and the jetty. With the spitting snow obscuring the camera lens and binoculars alike, I strained to make out the black, gray, and white blobs bobbing in the surf beyond. Fortunately, the light gave way to dozens of waterfowl and other water birds diving for clams and other molluscs in the surf below. Black ( M...