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#[https://trails.nc.gov/state-trails/mountains-sea-state-trail Mountains to Sea Trail on State Trails website] | #[https://trails.nc.gov/state-trails/mountains-sea-state-trail Mountains to Sea Trail on State Trails website] | ||
#[https://mountainstoseatrail.org/the-trail/ Friends of Mountains to Sea Trail] | #[https://mountainstoseatrail.org/the-trail/ Friends of Mountains to Sea Trail] | ||
| + | #[https://www.facebook.com/Mountains-to-Sea-Trail-144643271890// Mountains to Sea Trail Facebook page] | ||
====Maps==== | ====Maps==== | ||
“To Do” | “To Do” | ||
Revision as of 10:49, 1 August 2020
Edit Me!
Why not edit me? llololdldldldldldl
Test
Testing! Steve 18:53, 20 August 2007 (UTC)
Tables
With Borders
Borders and Spacing
Cell Spacing Without Borders
No borders with check boxes
==
Last edited by LarryUsselman-34099 17:41, 2 October 2007 (UTC)
The Sandbox (Subsahara mythica) is a rare moth of the Sahel region of Africa. It is of course mythical!
video test
test gif
This is a test if this type of image will work in Opus. It seems to do, but only if the part of "thumbs" is omitted from our usual image code. Image in original context can be seen here.
Collared Scops Owl
A resident breeder in the Indian sub continent, South Asia right into China, the Collared Scops Owl (Ottus lettia), family Stygidae is woodland Owl. It seems to be different enough form Indian Scops Owl Ottus bakkomoena, to merit a separate species rank. It has small éars'- (head tufts) and has s buffish body with streaks. The facial disc is whitish or buff, and the eyes are orange or brown. There is a buff neckband. Sexes are similar. The flight is deeply undulating.
This species is nocturnal but it can often be located by the small birds that mob it while it is roosting in a tree. It feeds mainly on insects. The call is a quiet goog gook.
This species is chiefly found in northern India and is replaced by the very similar looking Oriental Scops Owl Otus sunia (recently split) towards the south of its range. It is very similar also to the slightly smaller Indian Scops Owl, O. bakkamoena. They are most easily separated in the field by their calls. (source Per. Obs, Wikipedia). 'Italic text'
Alternate voice recording coding used by Morlan in the wren page.
Song Clip Recording © by Joseph Morlan. Rosyth, Fife, Scotland, UK, 03 August 2018
Recommended Citation
BirdForum Opus contributors. (2020) Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto). In: BirdForum, the forum for wild bird birds and birding. Retrieved 6 March 2020, from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Eurasian_Collared_Dove
References
Lepage D. ({{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}) {{subst:PAGENAMEE}} in [http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/ Avibase - The World Bird Database]. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAMEGEN}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}} Lepage D. (2020) Ref-Avibase in Avibase - The World Bird Database. Retrieved 13August 2020
The Definition of Migration (in my words)
The definition of migration (in my words) is when an organism or group of organisms travel a distance to another part of the world, for one reason or another. Many of these organisms, such as many waterfowl, have "pit stops" on the way to their destination, which make good places for making observations on those animals.
Beta Category North Carolina
Overview
North Carolina, also known as “The Old North State” and “The Tarheel State” is a long state. It’s been said it stretches approximately 500 miles between its eastern and western boundaries and close to 150 miles from its northern to southern borders. It's divided into three primary areas. From the coast, you have the Eastern North Carolina portion, the Piedmont Region in the middle, and Western North Carolina with the mountains at the other end.
If you begin your journey from far eastern portion, you will see the ancient, sandy, dune laden barrier islands of the Outer Banks where one of the earliest attempts at settlement by English speaking people occurred, cross navigable sounds and tributaries and through lowlands with stands of pines, across forests of hardwoods in the Piedmont, and on into the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina.
Along this journey, you will find places frequently visited by migratory flocks of birds, as well as those that make the area their home, through areas of wetlands and forests with yet other species of birds and wildlife. Continue on through the Piedmont with its river basins, and into some of the oldest, and tallest, mountains to be found in the eastern side of the United States. Across this entire expanse, expect to find many different types and species of birds and wildlife. Some here from the beginning and some once thought to be gone that are being reintroduced such as Elk and Wolves.
North Carolina offers many unique, and varied, opportunities to enjoy nature and add to your birding life list. It is truly a land of variety.
Birds
Notable Species
For a state with 481 different species of birds reported according to eBird, it’d be very hard to pin down just a few “notable” species. The sheer volume, and variety, of species seen, is notable in, and of, itself.
To give you an idea, consider a cross-section of birds, as reported to eBird, that have been found to be abundant species present in North Carolina.
Along the Outer Banks, in Dare County, the Tree Swallow and Snow Goose are the top two reported species
In Eastern North Carolina in Edgecombe County, the Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle top the list. Further south in that region, Bladen County’s list is topped by the Ring-necked Duck and, again, the Red-winged Blackbird.
Moving into the Piedmont Region of North Carolina you will again find the Red-winged Blackbird, as well as the Common Grackle, is abundant in the northern Piedmont county of Caswell. In the southern portion of this region, the county of Stanly reports the Ring-billed Gull and American Coot have been seen in abundance.
And the mountainous, Western North Carolina region’s Ashe County, the Common Grackle has again been an abundantly seen species as has the European Starling. Rounding out this end of the state, two abundant species seen in Swain County are, once again, the Red-winged Blackbird and the American Robin.
This includes but 7 of North Carolina’s 100 counties spread from the ocean to the mountains.
Rarities
To do
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
To do
Other Wildlife
To do
References
- eBird. 2017. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed:July 20, 2020).
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Sandbox. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 8 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Sandbox
External Links
Beta MST
Photo © by Friends of Mountains to Sea Trail – Curtis Belyea, Map Maker- Used with their kind permission[1 ]
Raleigh North Carolina March 28, 2020
Overview
The Mountains to Sea Trail is an ambitious undertaking of significant proportions by groups of dedicated volunteers, sponsors, and the State of North Carolina.
When completed, it will extend for approximately 1175 miles between two widely different points. One in the mountains of Western North Carolina at Clingman’s Dome with its 6,643 feet above sea level elevation, and the other at a rather large sand dune, Jockey’s Ridge, at an elevation of 100 feet above sea level, on the Outer Banks at the Atlantic Ocean.
This trail will literally run from the mountains to the sea, hence its name.
It will be a combination of actual trails, country back roads, and an option for paddling part of it. It will wind through mountain habitat with the birds, wildlife, and plant life of the mountains. Then down into, and across, the Piedmont Region of North Carolina with its accompanying species of birds and wildlife. Finally coming into and across the coastal region of Eastern North Carolina with its sandy soil, pine forests, lowlands, and waterways before crossing over the sounds and onto the Outer Banks.
The Mountains to the Sea Trail will combine all of this into a fun and informative cross-section of what North Carolina has to offer when it comes to birds and birding, combined with a great new addition to hiking in North Carolina.
Birds
A listing of birding potential along the Mountains to the Sea Trail in North Carolina could easily be as long as the trail itself. So since the trail goes through each of the four primary regions of the state, let’s try it this way. Click on the name and link of the region in which you are interested. Or, if you want, all of them, and read what’s already there in those articles for the categories of “Notable Species", “Rarities”, and “Birds You Might See” checklist.
As the trail name implies, let's first start in the mountains.
Western North Carolina
First look at Western North Carolina. Enjoy that region to your heart’s content as the trail winds its way through a rich and complex natural landscape. Maybe, just maybe you will get to see a majestic Bald Eagle as it soars above the mountains and forests. After all, it has been seen in all the counties in this region. If not, perhaps a Golden Eagle or Canada Goose will be your lucky check on your life list. Habitat varies here. Be ready for what comes your way. When ready, move on to the next leg of your journey.
Piedmont Region of North Carolina
Further east you'll come into the more agricultural lands of the Piedmont Region of North Carolina. Take in as many of the species of birds inhabiting the northern part of this region as you can as you walk this part of the trail. The Northern Cardinal is always a good possibility as is the Red-Winged Blackbird and Double-crested Cormorant. As you check off your last sighting here, know you have more awaiting you just down the trail.
Eastern North Carolina
Notice, as you come into the Eastern North Carolina region, you will begin to see an increasingly flatter, changing habitat indicative of a coastal plain, such as this. As you travel further, enjoy the changing landscape and different species of birds you may see here. One of the more common species here has been the Tundra Swan. Don’t rule out a Ring-billed Gull or a Snow Goose while you’re here. But, before you feel it’s time to conclude your journey, be sure to take a ride across one of the sounds and waterways you will probably see. Even more, awaits you on the other side.
Outer Banks
As you arrive on the Outer Banks notice your landscape will change to a region of sandy soil, sand dunes, marshes, and shorebirds, in addition to a myriad of wildlife. Maybe it will be the rarely seen American Coot, or the often seen Laughing Gull or Bonaparte’s Gull. Opportunities abound in this part of the state. Along this trail, as you come to the Atlantic Ocean, you will have covered, and discovered, a very large portion of what the state has to offer in the way of bird species and wildlife, as the trail name implies, from the Mountains to the Sea.
Other Wildlife
Wildlife, just as in thinking about birds, is largely dependent on which region of the state you happen to find yourself in. Your possibilities could vary from black bears and elk in Western North Carolina to deer and wild turkeys in the Piedmont Region, to more bears, more deer in Eastern North Carolina. Add into that a significant variety of small mammals from foxes and rabbits to reptiles across all the various regions. Just be careful, respect what you see, and you shouldn’t have any problems.
Site Information
History and Use
As far as history goes, the Mountains to the Sea Trail is a relative newcomer.
It was first proposed in 1977 by Howard Lee who was then the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development.
It became a part of the North Carolina State Parks system as a State Trail in 2000.
It grew significantly in 2017 when the State Legislature approved a major addition in southeastern North Carolina.
It continues to grow, even now, with trail sections being built and put into use to take the place of some of it which had been carried along the back, country roads.
An awful lot of the work is being done by a dedicated group of people who provide volunteer labor. Another significant boost comes from fundraising, as well as donations, by its supporters and corporate sponsors.
There is a lot of information regarding use and volunteer possibilities available on the trail’s and supporter’s websites.
Areas of Interest
Just like trying to pin down notable species of birds in a state like North Carolina, with it’s widely varying regions, is hard, so too is it problematic when trying to define areas of interest. So, in an effort to be as fair as is reasonably possible, let’s revisit each region separately. As we make our trek, click on the regional names for more information and keep your maps on the North Carolina State Trails[2] and Friends of MST[1] websites handy for reference. The Friends of the Mountain to Seas Trail site, with its extensive information on the trail and its segments will be very valuable.
Since the MST is, as its name implies, a mountain to the sea trail, we’ll start with Western North Carolina.
Western North Carolina
Western North Carolina, or as it’s frequently known WNC, is, by its very nature, a place of interest. There is so, so much to see and do in this part of the state that the problem isn’t finding something to do, but deciding which one to choose. Nature abounds in almost any corner of WNC. Birds of so many species, wildlife of every persuasion, and a multitude of places to enjoy it all. You can camp and enjoy it. You can day-trip and picnic. You can hike and enjoy it. And don’t forget the Appalachian Trail runs through here and connects with Mountains to Sea Trail in the Clingman’s Dome area. Another icon of WNC is the Blue Ridge Parkway as is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. All intertwined with birds, wildlife, and nature.
Piedmont Region of North Carolina
As a visitor to North Carolina comes down from the mountains; they enter the Piedmont Region of North Carolina. The streams that might have been trickles in the mountains become larger rivers and the rivers widen into lakes. But the opportunities for birding and enjoyment of nature still abound. The trails, both hiking and paddling, lead you to enjoyable sights. The MST crosses the northern portion of this region as it makes its way east and in so doing takes you at, or near, Pilot Mountain State Park and Hanging Rock State Park before turning somewhat southeast traveling at, or near, William B. Umstead State Park. You will have had the opportunity to see a cross-section of the bird species and wildlife the middle of the state has to offer as you prepare to enter into Eastern North Carolina.
Eastern North Carolina
Crossing into Eastern North Carolina, the grade will begin to level out the further east you go and the habitat will start changing to a sandy soil with stands of increasingly more prevalent pines and other similar trees. Birds and wildlife will start to change. Waterways and wetlands may become more common. There will be an increasing opportunity for game lands and wildlife reserves. When you get near Smithfield, you are at the point of deciding if you want to take the MST's alternate paddling route on the Neuse or continue on the trail. Either choice is sure to be a unique opportunity to spot some new bird species. Should you choose to continue on the trail, consult your trail guide for other opportunities.
As you come to the large sounds and rivers on your horizon, prepare to cross to your fourth and final segment of this great trek.
Outer Banks
As you step foot onto the sand of the Outer Banks, prepare yourself to take in some vistas and experiences similar to what some of the initial settlers to the then New World might have seen. Birds of such a variety of species, both large and small, swimming and walking as to astonish you. Break out your field guides, binoculars, and get ready to be amazed. And while you are doing that, be aware of your surroundings. You are, after all, in the land where pirates might have trod. You might see still functioning lighthouses, experience herds of wild horses rumored to have been shipwrecked here from Spanish explorer’s vessels, and see some of the most natural lands still remaining.
Check out the wild ponies, lighthouse, and historic town at Ocracoke. Cape Hatteras area affords great opportunities for all kinds of birds. See where powered flight was first attempted by the Wright Brothers at Kill Devils Hill.
And before you turn toward home, check on the wild horses of Corolla.
All in all, you will be coming to what has to have been a great trip through a great state on a great North Carolina trail called the Mountains to Sea Trail.
Hope you have enjoyed the trip.
Access and Facilities
Photo © by MST Facebook Users as seen on the MST FB page
Misc dates on MST in North Carolina - Click for a larger image
With the MST such a long trail covering the whole state from west to east, the best way to give you directions to it is to suggest you go to the Friends of the MST site and avail yourself of a guide to the portion of the trail you are interested in and then consult a road map or an online map service for specific directions.
However, once you are on the trail, there will be marks to give you direction. This is especially important should you happen to find yourself on a section where two trails are on the same path and one of them veers a different way. In an effort to give you an idea of what to look for, when on the trail, look over these trail marks which were some displayed on the Mountains to Sea Trail Facebook page.
Contact Details
To do
References
- Map provided courtesy of Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, map by Curtis Belyea
External Links
- Mountains to Sea Trail on State Trails website
- Friends of Mountains to Sea Trail
- Mountains to Sea Trail Facebook page
Maps
“To Do”
