Cedar Island Marshes
Location: Carteret County Total
Size: 12,300 acres
Map
Site Description: Cedar Island is located on the northeastern tip of the
Carteret County peninsula. The site consists of thousands of acres of
saltmarsh and adjacent woodlands bounded by Pamlico Sound and Core Sound.
Highway 12 runs through the middle of the site ending at the Cedar Island Ferry
terminal, a popular destination for travelers continuing northward by ferry to
Ocracoke or the outer banks.
Habitats: saltmarsh, shrub/scrub, coniferous forest
Land Use: wildlife conservation, hunting, residential development
Primary Threats: no primary threats
Protection Status: Much of this site is part of the Cedar Island National
Wildlife Refuge, protected and managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Conservation Issues: none
Birds: The marshes of Cedar Island are probably most well-known among
birders for Black Rails, which can be heard call from the marsh during late
spring and early summer months. The marsh also holds Seaside Sparrows, Marsh
Wrens, Clapper Rails, Virginia Rails, Common Yellowthroats, Northern Harriers,
and waterfowl, among other bird life. This is the only site in North Carolina where Northern
Harriers have been found nesting. Songbirds are abundant in shrub thickets
and forest on the refuge. Black Ducks and Gadwall breed on the refuge and
on nearby marsh islands. A small colony of wading birds and laughing gulls is
present on Tump Island.
Key Bird Species
|
Criteria |
Season |
Number |
||
| 2 | Black rail | B | -- | |
| 4a | Seaside Sparrow | all | -- | |
| 4a | Marsh Wren | all | -- | |
| 4a | Sedge Wren | all | -- | |
| 4a | Black Duck | B | -- | |
| 4a | Northern Harrier | B, W | 1pr., 5-7 | |
| 4g | diversity and abundance of landbirds | all | ||
| waterfowl | W | 700-10,000 |
B=Breeding FM=Fall Migration
SM=Spring Migration W=Winter
Sources:
Cedar Island NWR