Razorbill - Photo by Bruce Grimes
Make plans to join us for the VSO’s Winter field trip at the Outer Banks of North Carolina February 4-6! The weekend’s leaders include Bill Akers and Jerry Via, as well as VSO field trip co-chairs Lee Adams and Meredith Bell. We always have a great variety of birds—and often a few surprise species, too—no matter what the weather.
COVID GUIDELINES
VSO is committed to ensuring the health and safety of all participants. We encourage every participant to be vaccinated, if at all possible. By registering for this event, you agree to abide by all guidance provided by individual field trip leaders, the Comfort Inn, and local businesses. North Carolina’s guidelines are not the same as Virginia’s. For example, our host hotel encourages guests to wear masks but does not require them.
VERY Important! All VSO field trips are open to members at no charge. If you have not renewed your dues for 2022 or have not joined yet, you can take care of that in advance of the weekend here: https://www.virginiabirds.org/join-renew.
TRIP REGISTRATION
Please complete the registration form using the button at the top of this page or by clicking here. Provide the names of participants in your party with a telephone number and email address so we can contact you if needed. If you have any questions, contact Meredith Bell, trip coordinator, at merandlee@gmail.com or 804-824-4958. Bring FRS (two-way) radios if you have them because this helps us stay in contact when driving in caravans.
HEADQUARTERS
The Comfort Inn South Oceanfront in Nags Head is again the trip headquarters. There’s a huge deck off the second floor, which offers great beach-viewing opportunities. The special VSO room rate is $76 for oceanfront and $62 for bay-view (plus tax). Ocean front rooms are available on a first come, first served basis. The 7th floor bayside rooms offer a panoramic view of the bay but do not have balconies. The hotel is Contact information for the hotel is: 8031 Old Oregon Inlet Road, Nags Head, NC 27959; Phone: 252-441-6315. Reservations must be made by January 3, 2022 to get the special VSO rate.
MEALS
A complimentary breakfast buffet breakfast is included with your stay, beginning each morning at 6:00 AM. The hotel will have plastic gloves available to use when going through the buffet. They will also have the adjacent Neptune Conference Room open for us so we can avoid the close quarters of the breakfast area. Lunch and dinner are on your own.
MONDAY, JAN 31
We’ll hold a Zoom video call to overview the weekend and have a presentation by Jerry Via. We’ll record the call and send a link for the recording to all registrants afterwards.
FRIDAY, FEB 4
You have two options for Friday, and you do NOT need to register in advance for your preference.
Option 1 - Lee Adams will lead the all-day trip to Lake Mattamuskeet. Meet in the hotel lobby at 7:15 AM for 7:30 departure. Expected driving time is 90 minutes. Bring snacks, beverage, and lunch. Optional: camp or lawn chair for greater comfort while eating lunch. Those interested will stop at Alligator River on the return trip to listen and watch for Short-eared Owls at dusk.
Option 2 – For those who prefer less driving. Meredith, Bill and Jerry will cover areas closer to the hotel.
AM: Jennette’s Pier, just two blocks from the hotel. It’s a 1,000 foot-long pier that allows close-up looks of many ocean birds. Mid-morning we’ll visit other nearby spots. Lunch is on your own.
PM: Alligator River. We’ll explore areas that won’t be covered on Sunday’s AM trip. Those interested can stay until dusk with Lee Adams’ groups to listen for Short-eared Owls.
5:00-6:00 PM: A Meet-and-Greet Happy Hour in the Neptune Room on the 2nd floor at the end of the hall. The hotel is providing complimentary coffee/tea and snacks, and you can bring a different beverage if you prefer. This is a great chance to interact with the trip leaders and other participants.
SATURDAY
AM: Visit the impoundments of Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding areas. We’ll divide into smaller groups for a safer caravan experience, and every group will visit all areas. Lunch is on your own.
PM: Visit Jennette’s Pier, the beach and other nearby areas. In the past, species of note at the pier included Dovekie, Razorbill, Red-breasted Merganser, Horned Grebe, and Northern Gannet. We’ve also spotted dolphins and whales from there. At 3:00 PM we’ll gather at Bodie Lighthouse to view waterfowl from the platform.
6:00 PM: A tally of the weekend’s species in the Neptune Room on the 2nd floor. Complimentary coffee and tea will be available.
SUNDAY
AM: Explore Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Drive on your own and meet at 8:30am at the main entrance on Milltail Road. We’ll caravan down this road so you can easily catch up with us if we’ve already started.
Come prepared for variable weather, lots of birds and a great time! If you have any questions, contact field trip coordinator Meredith Bell at 804-824-4958 or merandlee@gmail.com.