Wrightsville Beach is Birding Territory
Abbate & The Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours Aim To Increase Environmental Awareness As It Relates To Endangered Bird Habitats In Cape Fear
Joe Abbate, known around Wilmington, NC as the Cape Fear Naturalist, didn’t set out to become the captain of his own fleet of sightseeing boats, or, for that matter, an entrepreneur with a booming business.
“I never thought I’d end up in the for-profit world,” Joe tells The Buzz. “I started out studying forestry and environmental science at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and thought I’d end up working for some government agency or teaching somewhere.” Then, he discovered birds.
“Birds are so colorful,” he says. “That’s what got me hooked. And there’s such diversity among them. You look into the irises of an oystercatcher and you see these vivid colors.”
Soon after developing his fascination for birds, Abbate realized that their habitat was in danger of disappearing for good, and the birds with it. “Most of the beaches and barrier islands along the Atlantic coast have been developed,” he says. “It’s been slash, burn, put up houses.”
Ten years ago, after stints with the Cape Fear River Watch and avian research projects that took him across the country, Abbate founded Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours with the aim of increasing the environmental awareness of visitors to the Cape Fear region. “Most of my tours revolve around education with a focus on ornithology,” he says. “I try to get people to see nature through the eyes of the birds.”
Wrightsville Beach, where Joe’s tours depart from the Blockade Runner resort docks, is one of several barrier islands located off the North Carolina coast. Like most of its neighbors, it has been developed, becoming a popular family destination just beyond the city limits of Wilmington. The exception is Masonboro Island, the next island south in the barrier chain, which has escaped the concrete invasion.
“Masonboro is the canary in the coal mine,” Abbate explains. “It still has its pristine integrity. Going there is like going back in time. You feel a real energy from this barrier island’s untouched beauty.”
The 8.4-mile island, now part of the North Carolina Coastal Reserve, is a protected nature preserve within the National Estuarine Research system. On the eastern side, wide white sand beaches open on the Atlantic Ocean. On the western, or backside, the island borders the Intracoastal Waterway running through the sound that separates Masonboro from the mainland. Behind the oceanfront sand dunes lie saltwater marshes and tidal flats inhabited by blue heron and egrets. Endangered loggerhead and green sea turtles come onto the beach to lay their eggs, and black skimmers, Wilson’s plovers and least terns, all threatened species, nest here as well.
All this natural abundance was threatened, however, in the late 1970s, when plans were underway for a bridge to connect Masonboro and the mainland. A seawall and residential development would follow, permanently destroying the unique ecosystem, the largest of its kind remaining along this coast.
Joe Abbate believes it was the plight of the sea turtles that saved Masonboro. “The turtles were in serious decline, almost extinct,” he explains. “Masonboro was known to have a lot of turtle nests. The community came to recognize it as an ecological jewel.”
The island, accessible only by boat, was familiar to many people in the region as a getaway for family picnics and days at the beach. Primitive camping is permitted on Masonboro, as long as all trash is carried out and the native species are left in peace. The island is also a traditional party spot, especially on the Fourth of July, when rowdy groups gather to celebrate the holiday.
Capt. Abbate operates daily shuttles to Masonboro, as well as eco-tours and shelling expeditions that explore the island on foot to discover its unique flora and fauna. Joe sees his function as an educational one. “I try to make sure people leave my boat with a better understanding of the area they are visiting,” he says. “My aim is to give people an in-depth look at the environment, more than just a snapshot.”
Other tours offered by Joe’s company include a family scavenger hunt on Masonboro, sunset, starlight and full moon cruises, inshore bottom fishing, and history cruises around Wrightsville’s harbor. Kids can join a hunt for buried treasure led by a pirate reenactor with 30 years of experience in swashbuckling. “It’s one of our most popular tours,” Abbate says. “The kids get to dig up treasure on Masonboro, and collect shells to make a necklace.”
Capt. Joe’s favorite tours are the birding excursions. “I’m constantly birding,” he admits, and the region offers plenty of opportunities. “In summer we have a colony on the southern end of Wrightsville Beach where you can see six different species, including breeding pairs of least terns, common terns, American oystercatchers and black skimmers. It’s a unique opportunity to see a real colonial nesting environment.”
Abbate says that some 35 species of birds have been sighted in the region. “On our birding tours, I help people build their lists. You can see piping plover winter and summer here. Topsail Island in particular has a big plover population.”
In fall and winter, birding focuses on nearby Lea-Hutaff Island, a tiny Audubon sanctuary north of Wrightsville, and the protected waters of the inland waterway, where a variety of sea ducks come to winter over. “The last couple of years we’ve had a lot of seabirds coming in as well,” Joe says. “We’ve even had razorbills, birds that look like little penguins. They usually stay out on the ocean.”
Abbate says he’s also seeing an increased number of sea turtles and bottlenose dolphins these days. “It’s important that we keep the environment safe for these birds and sea creatures,” he says. “We need to preserve what we have left.”
Renee Wright
A graduate of Franconia College in Social Psychology, Renee has worked as Travel Editor for Charlotte Magazine and has written three travel guidebooks for Countryman Press among other writing assignments. She enjoys food and camping.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Wilmington KOA is located just 5 miles from Wrightsville Beach and 8 miles from historic downtown Wilmington. There's something for everyone at this campground from swimming pool and game room to a stocked camping store.