Back to the OBX—Winter Birding at its Best!

Thursday through Sunday, January 21–24, 2027

By John Hammond and Marc Ribaudo

The Carolina Bird Club invites members and guests to the Outer Banks for a full weekend of winter birding. The area's barrier islands, sounds, refuges, and other public lands attract wintering waterfowl, waders, seabirds, and passerines. A full slate of half- and full-day trips on Friday and Saturday ranges from Corolla to Ocracoke. Two Sunday morning trips will search for unusual species observed during the preceding days.

Four half-day trips have been planned specifically with wheelchair users in mind. Their birding locations have boardwalks or trails designated for wheelchair users, offering sound-side and oceanside viewing with good footing. These trips are open to all attendees. See the field trip schedule and descriptions for trip-specific terrain, facilities, fees, and other instructions.

Headquarters and lodging

Comfort Inn South Oceanfront
8031 South Oregon Inlet Road
Nags Head, North Carolina
Telephone: (252) 441-6315

The Comfort Inn South Oceanfront is meeting headquarters. Guest-room amenities include a private balcony, refrigerator, and microwave. The hotel does not have a restaurant, but a buffet breakfast included in the room price begins at 6:00 a.m. Nearby dining and grocery options are available; because some restaurants close for the winter, a list of open restaurants will be available at the registration table.

Fresh Market on NC 158/Croatan Highway just north of the hotel offers prepared lunches, fresh pizza, and hot meals to go, with more grocery options farther up the beach. CBC appreciates participants using the host hotel; the club benefits when attendees stay there.

Call the hotel and ask for the Carolina Bird Club – January 2027 group rate. The published rates are $92 per night for an ocean-view room and $69 per night for a street-side room, plus 12.75% tax. The special rate is guaranteed through midnight on December 21, 2026. Hotel check-in begins at 4:00 p.m.; check-out is by 11:00 a.m.

Meeting registration

Registration is not yet open. Online registration opens at 2:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, December 12, 2026 and closes at noon EST on Sunday, January 10, 2027. The registration system will remain unavailable before the opening time.

Advance registration is $45 for an adult CBC member and $50 for an adult non-member. Registration for a Carolina Young Birders Club member age 8–18 is $15. A child age 7 or younger may register free. Meeting registration at the door is $45. There is no banquet; dinners are on your own.

For the best field-trip availability, register online after registration opens. The print registration form in the December 2026 newsletter may instead be mailed with a check payable to Carolina Bird Club to CBC, 2404 Bristers Spring Way, Apex, NC 27523. Friday and Saturday field trips are selected during registration. The two Sunday trips are coordinated at the meeting and are not available for online registration.

Cancellation and refund deadline: January 10, 2027 at noon EST is the last time for a CBC registration cancellation refund. If you must cancel, cancel online or notify the Headquarters Secretary so that your field-trip place can be offered to someone on the waiting list.

After registering, you will receive an email with field-trip directions and trip-leader telephone numbers. Bring that information for every trip: registration packets are no longer distributed at the meeting, and caravans sometimes become separated.

Agenda

All meeting activities are at the host hotel, and all field trips depart from the host hotel.

Check-in and field-trip instructions

Meeting check-in: Visit the conference registration table in the lobby at the entrance to the ballroom as soon as you arrive and sign in for the meeting. It is open Thursday from 4:00–9:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 6:45–7:45 a.m. and 12:30–1:30 p.m.

Field-trip sheets: Check your name on each trip sheet at the information tables so the leaders know you are present. If you cannot attend, cross out your name so someone on the wait list can take your place.

Departure: Published times are when trips leave the hotel. Arrive at least 10–15 minutes early, find the sign displaying your trip number, and tell the leader you are present. Carpooling is encouraged; please consider contributing toward fuel expenses. If you cannot attend, advise the trip leader, meeting coordinator, or another participant so the group does not wait for you.

All-day trips: Bring lunch, snacks, and water. Many destinations are remote and have no nearby restaurants. Morning trips should return by noon; afternoon and all-day trips should return by 5:00 p.m.

Participant responsibility: Club policy requires every field-trip participant to comply with the leader's assessment and requests concerning the participant's physical ability to make or complete the trip.

Important refuge restriction

South Pond at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is absolutely off-limits to casual birding except when viewed from the NC 12 shoulder. Do not enter posted areas at South Pond or any other site without specific, explicit permission. Trespassers are being charged and fined. The event is registered with the refuge, and trip leaders will know where participants are permitted. If you are unsure, do not enter.

Weekend notes

For advance study and travel planning, consult The North Carolina Birding Trail—Coastal Plain Trail Guide, John Fussell's A Birder's Guide to Coastal North Carolina, and Mike Tove's Guide to the Offshore Wildlife of the Northern Atlantic.

The club will hold a raffle to benefit the Young Birders camp scholarship fund. Attendees are invited to bring bird-related items to donate. Bird books and magazines will also be available for a small donation to the same fund.