Cape Fear Bird Observatory

08/09/2026

Yesterday was a great morning for hummingbird and Painted Bunting banding! We got to talk about our favorite subject - Birds! - with nearly 200 of you across our programs at Airlie Gardens, Carolina Beach State Park, and Hammocks Beach State Park! Over 100 people (and six beautiful Ruby-throated Hummingbirds) came to Susan’s event at Airlie Gardens, and at Carolina Beach Chelsea caught 39 buntings! Wow! A magnificent morning!

Special thanks to the staff at Airlie Gardens and the state parks, and to Barret, Megan, and Allison our enthusiastic Cape Fear Bird Observatory volunteers. There is one more Painted Bunting banding demo planned this season (September 12th) and we hope to see you there! 🐦

*All banding is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.

07/07/2026

Join us this weekend for public Painted Bunting banding demos! We will be at two of our wonderful state parks this Saturday for your visiting pleasure. Find us at Carolina Beach state park in the marina area below the flagpole from 7-11 am and at Hammocks Beach state park at the gazebo by the visitors center also from 7-11. Join us at any point in that window of time. Bring your friends!

All banding is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.

06/18/2026

Hope to see you there!

Welcome to the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium website, operated by the Ocean Isle Museum Foundation, Inc.

06/07/2026

Thanks to everyone who came out for our pride 🏳️‍🌈 bird walk this morning at Ev-Henwood nature preserve! We had such a fun time and saw some amazing wildlife including a Ruby-throated Hummingbird on her nest! 🤩 We can’t wait to see you glorious nature lovers again!

06/04/2026

Our next public banding demo at Hammocks Beach State Park is on Saturday June 13th! We hope to see you there!

All banding is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.

06/01/2026

05/24/2026

We wrapped up our spring 2026 migration banding season this week. This season was a little slow and a little windy but company was always a 10/10. Our site at the Black River had its first burn in 3 years just before banding started and it was so amazing to see it come back to life! Thank you so much to our amazing crew of volunteers and interns, you guys are the best! See you all in the fall! 🐦

All banding is being conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey’s BBL.

05/21/2026

There is just over a week till the Bird Bonanza on May 30th at the Arboretum! Get your raffle tickets ASAP! Top prize is a pair of Vortex Viper binoculars 👀! You can get raffle tickets ahead of time at Wild Bird & Garden on Oleander Dr. 1 for $5 or 5 for $20 🎟️

05/19/2026

It’s almost time for the Bird Bonanza! 🎉Swipe through this post to find all of the logistic information and event details you need leading up to the event, and feel free to drop any questions in the comments below!!

05/16/2026

Just 14 days until our second annual Bird Bonanza!!! It’s time for another bird of the week!

Meet the Gray catbird, one of three native mimics we can find here in the Cape Fear region. The Gray catbird is known for its cat-like mewing sound, often followed by a long, irregular and mechanical melody.

Gray catbirds can be identified by their gray body, black cap, long tail, and rusty feathers under the tail. They are often seen on the edges of dense shrubby areas, or ground foraging for insects.

Stay tuned for more details leading up to the event! 🎉🐤