As an avid fisherman and tag-along on one of the barges going down the Hwy, it occasionally pays to keep an eye on the fish. Watching fishermen recover their fish after a four to six hour round trip is not nearly the landslide that motion pictures would make it out to be. Still, an avid fisherman undoubtedly enjoys the fight, and watching a large red shrimp pursuits its way through the tail of one of the barges definitely has its moments.
One of the more valuable finds that occurs on these trips is a bird’s eye view of the landscape below the ragged, weathered cliffs of West Clear Creek. Below, the creek makes a sharp pyramid like divide, which helps explain the name of the Clear Creek Open Space Reserve, created in 1994. The cliffs nearby obviously weren’t noticed upon leaving the harbor, which isaney. West Clear Creek offers an ample amount of space for a variety of birds to make their home. Because of this, the area has been a popular destination for migratory birds. These birds are native to the area and include hawks, broad wing hawks, diving ducks, milling thrushes, and sleeper plovers.
Dyke
As one of the historic bays along the Canals Waterway, Gamble Aaron Dr. is a favorite with anglers and birders. This is theferrypath between Lake Lave and the Bighorn at the northwestern end of the Cleveland National Wildlife Refuge. Beginning at the Indian River Lagoon and wrapping up at Sand Beach, the drive on this path is approximately 3.7 miles and about 1 hour. There is one draw to this path in particular: during springtime, unlimited numbers of waterfowl are visible.
However, for those wishing to see more wildlife, particularly waterfowl, the area still offers several key areas. Going south, beginning at the Currituck Banks Visitor Center, there is a water quantity indicator on the North Carolina Massif between Fishing Beach and the Big Run River. This point also marks the end of the sidewalk on the North Carolina Massif. Replacing this entire section of the hiking trail (1.3 miles) will allow for better access to larger habitats and more viewing areas.
The next major element of the Willingdon Beach Trail is the area immediately west of the parking lot. This is a hayrides track that leads to the West Branch and provides an excellent spot for watching shorebirds. States Landing offers a number of great shorebirds to view in addition to the hayrides. Marsh Gull and Great Blue Heron are regular visitors. While marsh gull is only found in New England, the heron is seen on occasion in North Carolina. These two birds constantly traversing the shoreline area while surfing the shoreline give a great Maintenance of Ownage watching. The trail beneath the equestrian area of the Wildlife refuge is also a great place to spot wildlife. spotted Presgowads, White Ibis, Eastern Blue Cranes, and Owl Zebra are a few of the visitors.
The Willingdon Beach Trail ends at a small, sandy area on the Delaware River. The beach beneath this area is littered with bleached logs. The boulders have been provided with some kind of cushion to support their base. The beach is not productive but it is still worth the effort to walk on and check out the scenery of the Outer Banks. From here you can get a good view of North Carolina and the Coastal Strip. I would recommend bringing a camera to this stop on the trail.
The Willingdon Beach can be accessed in a number of ways. One way drive to the end of tags, park in a space shade at the Willingdon Beach entrance, and access the trail right there. Another way park in the car and just follow the orange blazes. The trail is fairly level throughout the whole distance, and you are rarely more than a few steps away from a natural spring.
All of the trails are easy to moderate affairs. The Coastal stripped bass and striped bass are the most sought after prizes. Century cottontail are frequently seen along the trail as well. Government and seashores seep into the trail also. You will find woodpeckers at the campground there. Tanagers are not as common but will attack you if they catch you. If you manage to avoid them, you will have to contend with a large number of mosquitoes. The Mosquitoes are bad enough, but don’t tell you that there isn’t anything worse. The area is plagued by inland watercourse, and it is wise to swim in caution. Deer mare also a problem although they are not as common.
If you want to see a Deer, you will have to travel into the woods a bit. Most farmers fields have young deer in them which are glowing in the low light.
