It may not be peak tourist season, but the Outer 

 Banks are humming with activity. In fact, visitors are 

 flying in from miles away. The Pea Island National 

 Wildlife Refuge, which covers Hatteras Island south 

 of Oregon Inlet to the town of Rodanthe, is an autumn 

 rest stop and winter home to millions of birds — 

 particularly ducks, swans and geese. 



Continued 



1. On a branch above the marsh, a sharp-shinned hawk awaits its 

 prey. During the past 50 years, tall woody shrubs have become 

 more abundant on the refuge. As a consequence, hawks, eagles 



and falcons, which prefer these perches, have taken up residence. 



Upland plant populations ofgallberry, wax myrtle and baccharus 

 invade as wetland soils dry out. This loss of wetland habitat has 



resulted in a reduction of snow geese, swans and other waterfowl. 



That's why the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge takes special 

 precautions to maintain wetland areas. 



2. Although these young hooded mergansers sport their dark 

 winter clothing, their crests make them easy to distinguish. 



A subfamily of the duck order, mergansers feed by diving for fish. 

 In the spring and summer, watch for the vivid crest 

 of the adult male. It's bright white with a black border. 



3. Snow geese fill the sky, their snowy-white bodies accented 



with black wing tips, pink feet and pink bills. 

 Costings have dingier bodies, darker feet and dusky bills. 



4 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1995 



