Field Guides
Outer Banks weekend — Pea Island at dawn
The North Pond trail at first light: avocets, ducks, terns and the October falcons on the dunes.
Where
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge sits between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe. Park at the visitor center and walk the North Pond wildlife trail out to the observation platforms. The pond is on the sound side, so dawn light comes from over the dunes behind you.
What was there
American Avocets and both yellowlegs on the pond edges, Black Skimmers resting on the flats, Forster's and Royal Terns over the inlet. The first Northern Pintails and Green-winged Teal of the fall were in. A Peregrine Falcon went down the dune line twice before nine; October is when they move along the coast.
Settings
The 70-180mm at 180mm for the closer birds, 1/2000 s for the terns, auto ISO. The P1100 from the platform for the avocets on the far side of the pond, braced on the rail. The open light means it does well here.
Notes
Bring insect repellent even in October. The refuge has strict rules about the closed areas around the ponds; stay on the trail and the platforms.