They’re Leaving Now, and Coming Our Way!

“Twenty thousand birds moved away from me as one, like a ground hugging white cloud.”

Michael Pollan, Road’s End Naturalist

By the hundreds of thousands, the Tundra Swans of the Arctic are right now packing their bags to start their months-long journey from their native northern tundra to their warm winter home on the Inner Banks of North Carolina! Of the 100,000 swans planning this trip, more than 75,000 will end up in North Carolina, with a few others ending up in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and New Jersey. Here’s a nifty chart:

We at the Blue Juniper Inn in Columbia welcome you to visit us and experience the uniquely majestic moment as a giant flock of these elegant swans rise as one from a fallow field and then gently alight on the shores of Lake Phelps, Lake Mattamuskeet, or Pungo Lake, all within s short drive from the Inn.

The explosion of energy, sound, and light is truly something to behold. A nature lover’s dream, a photographer’s rare opportunity, an awe-inspiring moment for everyone, young and old. oh, back to the journey, they’re leaving their frigid climes over these next few weeks and will arrive late November-December and early January. Click here track our swans progress, listen to their squawks and honks, and to be blown away by their amazing journey!!

Come stay with us! We’'ll work with our local partners to provide a delicious picnic lunch, driving directions, and connect you with Laura and others with the North Carolina Wildlife federation staff at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, just four short blocks from the Inn. Stay one night and get your second night at half price. Book NOW!

Photo by Allen Phelps Photography