How to Best Capture the Beauty and Sparkle of Spring
It is almost spring!!!! That wonderful season full of the brilliant return of blooms to welcome our winter-weary eyes. A season filled with stunning sunshine gladdening our skin that is longing for some Vitamin-D. And a season full of the return and birth of magical coastal creatures!
That is right - spring is a season of rebirth on all fronts: the return of migratory birds, the birth of baby animals such as deer and Logger Head sea turtles. Spring can be the rebirth of your zest for life, too, when you take one of your dreamed of North Carolina vacations. While on your rejuvenating vacation, here are the best ways to renew yourself with nature while capturing the beauty and sparkle of spring!
Snag a Picture of a Brown Pelican!
Brown Pelicans are powerful, unique birds. These fascinating creatures with their long wingspans (up to 7ft!), short legs, and large beaks, are both goofy and graceful to watch. Able to precisely catch fish with their accurate dives (up to 40 miles per hour!), these birds are one of the world's most intriguing creatures! Brown Pelicans can be found in only a few locations in the world with the North Carolina coast being one of those places! These beautiful waterfowl were once on the endangered species list but have made a comeback due to wildlife conservation efforts.
Check out the Logger Head Sea Turtles
These inspiring animals are on the threatened species list, but can be viewed at the rescue center on NC’s coast! Female Loggerheads only nest every 2-3 years and the eggs must be undisturbed for 60-70 days if the turtles have any hope of survival. Nesting grounds are highly fragile and disturbing/touching them is detrimental to the baby turtles safety. Thankfully, the Topsail area’s 26 miles of beaches are surveyed every morning for turtle nests and tracks! Adults can grow up to 3 feet long, be between 250-500 pounds and live for over 50 years! North Carolina is home to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation center with visiting hours/tours expected to resume in May. Experience first hand these incredible, protected creatures!
Indulge in the Twittering of Song Birds
Imagine being peacefully woken to the beautiful melody made by a myriad of a coastal songbirds! North Carolina is the home to several enchanting feathered singers found in Topsail, NC!
For those who have never witnessed a Northern Cardinal these birds are an unforgettable sight and sound! Both male and female cardinals sing! Males are bright red in color while females are a muted brown/red. Northern Cardinals have dark beady eyes, short bright orange beaks and can be spotted easily in the NC Topsail area (especially in spring when they make a stunning contrast to the new green leaves on the trees). Though they have multiple calls, their two-toned song almost mimics the sound of laughter as it fluctuates in pitch. These bright, beautiful birds are the North Carolina state bird for good reason!
Another songbird you will likely hear is the male Carolina Wren! While female Carolina Wrens do not have calls, their male counterpart do plenty of talking. The Carolina Wren’s three-part song pattern adds variety to the chorus and they have multiple distinct whistles. These small, brown birds are sometimes not noticed because of their small size but they have one of the louder calls you will hear, which they use to defend their territory. The stripe of white above their eyebrow gives these birds a distinctly curious but cute appearance!
From the preservation of the longevity of the Loggerhead Turtle, to the powerful preciseness of a Brown Pelican or the chirping chorus of a Carolina Cardinal, Topsail, NC has many fascinating creatures to impress every visitor. Renew yourself in nature and book your coastal Topsail vacation today!
