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Celebrate the Return of the Swan ~
December 5, 6, & 7, 2003
Please join us for Hyde County’s 10th
Swan Days Festival! The Swan Quarter Service Group, in cooperation with
the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service & the Staff & volunteers of
Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge invites you to celebrate the
annual return of thousands of tundra swans & other waterfowl to Lake
Mattamuskeet for this 2-day nature event.
Whether you take a guided wildlife tour, visit the
local arts & crafts vendor displays to make a purchase, or participate
in one of several workshops, there is something for everyone! You can
learn the history of this area of Northeastern NC by attending a live
presentation, looking at the historic displays or watching a video.
Maybe you’d rather strike out on your own around the area & catch a
glimpse of our wildlife, then come back to lunch prepared by a local
civic group, or sample the cuisine offered by the food vendors. Fitness
buffs can walk or bicycle in designated areas. Bring the children, as
there are lots of activities for them, too.
~ The
Location ~
All activities center around Mattamuskeet Lodge on
Mattamuskeet NWR in Hyde County, NC. From the East or West, take US264
to the intersection of NC94N. The entrance to the Refuge is 1.7 mi.
North on NC94. Turn right off of NC94 onto a gravel road. (Go
slow! Enjoy the view!) Travel 2.3 miles to the Lodge. From the
North, enter Hyde County via NC45S & then East on US264 (& continue as
above), or enter on NC94S through Fairfield, turning left at the Refuge
entrance (& continue as above).
~ Arts
& Crafts ~
Art & crafts from throughout the region will be
available for sale. Plan to do your holiday shopping here! A list of
vendors will be available at the festival.
~
Children's Activities ~
Most activities are free unless otherwise
indicated. Check the information booth at the festival for information
on age groups & the location of the various activities.
~ Children's Activities ~
Saturday, December 6
10 am – 4 pm ~ Exploring Nature with 4-H ~ Learn
how to measure wind speed & other things that tell us why the elements
of sun, wind, & rain are important in nature.
10 am – 4 pm ~ One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue
Fish ~ Have loads of fun making fish print tee-shirts. Materials are
provided; participants pay $12/shirt.
10-10:45 am Nature’s Holiday Garland ~ Find out
about nature by making your own holiday decorations from native
materials.
11-11:45 am ~ Birds & Banjo ~ Discover how birds
fly & do other amazing things with some songs to remember the day.
12-12:45 pm ~ Snakes, Snakes & More Snakes ~
Explore the fascinating world of the snakes of Eastern North Carolina.
Find out who’s who – who is venomous & who is harmless.
1-1:45 pm ~ Swim With the Fish ~ Have lots of fun
with games & fish crafts & learn how a fish is much like us.
2–3:30 pm ~ Kids’ Hayride Wildlife Tour ~ Guided
tour down Wildlife Drive looking for white-tailed deer, tundra swan,
great blue herons, bald eagles & more!
~ Children's Activities ~
Sunday,
December 7
10 am – 4 pm ~ One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue
Fish ~ Have loads of fun making fish print tee-shirts. Materials are
provided; participants pay $12/shirt.
2–3:30 pm ~ Kids’ Hayride Wildlife Tour ~ Guided
tour down Wildlife Drive looking for white-tailed deer, tundra swan,
great blue herons, bald eagles & more!
~
Activities ~
Afoot
in the Morn
Join Dr. Phillip Manning, author of "Afoot in the
South" & "Islands of Hope" for an early morning 4 mile nature walk.
Participants meet at the Refuge's Rose Bay Canal gate for this pleasant
wake-up outing along the waterways & waterfowl impoundments. Not for the
weak of foot. Fee Charged. A limited number of spaces are available.
Reservations required. Call 252-926-4021 between Nov. 3-21.
Bird
Observation Workshop
Allen Bryan conducts workshops throughout the
weekend. Fee charged. Reservations required. Call 804-740-8953 or email
statefan@sprynet.com for more information between Nov. 15-30.
Book
Sales & Signings
Featured authors Harvey Brothers, Dr. H. Joe
Liverman, Dr. Phillip Manning, & John Manuel autograph their books. See
schedule for times & places. Open to the public.
Duck
Hunting: The Way It Was
Again, by popular request this year! Take a step
back in time with Fred Bonner, wildlife biologist & syndicated newspaper
columnist as he talks about a by-gone era of hunting in eastern North
Carolina & displays decoys, shotguns & other tools of the trade. On
Sunday, Harvey Brothers, author of “Life, Love & Laughter,” adds
to the discussion with stories of bird dogging, field trials, and his
champion bird dogs. See schedule for times & places. Open to the
public.
Friday
Evening Visits With the Owls & Rails
Note change of day! Mike Legare will host a
visit to see & hear rails from 4:30-6 pm & Allen Bryan will host a visit
to see & hear owls from 8-9pm on Fri. evening. A limited number of
spaces are available. Meet at the Refuge garage. Open to the public.
Lodge &
Lake Drainage History
Dr. Lewis Forrest, Jr. presents the history of Lake
Mattamuskeet & Mattamuskeet Lodge. His book, “New Holland, Lake
Mattamuskeet, Hyde County, NC,” personally autographed by the author,
will be available. Two presentations, see schedule for times & places.
Open to the public.
Meeting
the Night Sky: Introduction to Midwinter Constellations, Stars, &
Planets
Following the Saturday evening program & weather
permitting, Ernest Marshall will lead a group outside for a brief survey
of the midwinter constellations & 1st magnitude stars. 8 pm
at the Refuge Garage building. Open to the public.
Nature
Through the Viewfinder
The North Carolina Wildlife Federation
www.ncwf.org presents a photography workshop with noted Raleigh
photographer Sol Levine
http://naturpix.home.mindspring.com . Learn how to capture nature
images for a lifetime of memories. Includes classroom sessions & actual
photo-taking opportunities in one of NC’s most bountiful wildlife
habitats. Fee charged. A limited number of spaces are available.
Reservations required. Call 919-676-3740 or email
naturpix@mindspring.com between Nov. 15-30.
Nature
Through Words
John Manuel, author of recently released “The
Natural Traveler Along North Carolina’s Coast,” will host a nature
writing seminar with reviews of nature writing past & present, & a
discussion of how to find a subject & how to pitch your story idea to an
editor. Bring paper & pencil for the actual writing exercise. There is
no charge; however, a limited number of spaces are available.
Reservations required. Email
john.manuel@gte.net between Nov. 15-30.
Refuge
Open House/Wildlife Tours
This is Mattamuskeet NWR’s
http://mattamuskeet.fws.gov/ traditional open house weekend. Refuge
Staff & volunteers conduct guided tours of remote areas of the refuge
each morning. Hop in one of our vans & for a great chance to see tundra
swans, Canada & snow geese, & many kinds of ducks. You might even
encounter a deer, a black bear, or other wildlife. Be sure to check-off
the wildlife as you see it on your Festival Wildlife Guide. The tour fee
is $7.00 per person. A limited number of spaces are available.
Reservations are required. Call 252-926-4021 between November 3-21.
Do not call before these dates!
Swan
Days Bike Ride
Bring your off-road mountain bike & join the East
Carolina Velo Bike Club from Greenville, NC for a Sunday ride at the
Rose Bay Canal area of Lake Mattamuskeet from noon until 3 pm.
Participants should bring their own food/water, dress appropriately &
meet at the Rose Bay Canal gate. Call 252-355-4554 or email:
lulivermon@earthlink.com for more information.
Swan
Days Birdathon
For the second year, birdwatchers, amateur to
expert, will form teams to tally bird species on Saturday. Prizes for
team(s) reporting most species tallied. All pre-registered teams will be
entered into a grand prize drawing for a guided behind-the-gates tour of
Mattamuskeet NWR. Fee Charged & includes participation in evening Chili
Supper. Pre-registration required no later than Dec. 2.
Click here for a
printable registration form.
Swan
Days Theater
Visit our theater tent & sit a spell while you
listen to one of our featured speakers or view videos & learn about this
region & nearby attractions. Check the posted schedule for each day's
venues. Open to the public.
Swan
Days Volkswalk
Qualify for a beautiful Swan Days patch by joining
the Rowan Roamers Volkssport Club from Salisbury, NC as they participate
in a Saturday 10km ‘people’s walk’ on the New Holland Boardwalk & down
Wildlife Drive. Pre-registration is recommended, but not required. Call
704-279-5011 or email:
Brgood13@cs.com for more information
The
Legendary Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Karen Baldwin’s Saturday evening illustrated
program on the legendary Ivory-billed woodpecker is a cultural look
inside the recent search for the probably extinct species. Register for
door prizes. Refreshments served. 7 pm at the Refuge Garage building.
Open to the public.
~ Swan
Quarter Service Group Raffle ~
Your donation for a raffle ticket for a grand prize
of a Remington shotgun & other prizes donated by our vendors helps
defray the costs of renovating & restoring Mattamuskeet Lodge & is much
appreciated. Thanks! We hope you have a great time while visiting Hyde
County!
~ Our
Appreciation ~
Our thanks to artists Duane Raver
of Garner, NC and David Towns of Nova Scotia for their generous
contributions of the artwork shown on this year’s program. During Swan
Days, Raver’s work can be seen at the Hyde County Watefowl Association
booth & Towns pen & ink drawings are available at the Swan Quarter
Service Group booth.
~
Update on Mattamuskeet Lodge ~
Please stop by the Hyde County Chamber of
Commerce’s information booth for the latest developments on the repair &
renovation of the Lodge.
~ Swan Days Festival Stamp
Cancellation ~
Hyde County’s Festival of
Flight
To mark our 10th Swan Days
Festival, artist Duane Raver has designed a special cache and stamp
cancellation that will be available in limited numbers.
You are invited to attend a special
ceremony at the Swan Quarter, NC Post Office on Friday, December 5, 2003
as Postmaster Celeste Brooks unveils the 2003 Swan Days Festival cache
and cancellation celebrating “Hyde County’s Festival of Flight.”
Envelopes bearing the special cache
and cancellation will go on sale at that time, and will also be
available during the 2003 Swan Days Festival. You are sure to want one
of these beautiful collector treasures!
~ Other Nearby
Activities ~
River Town Christmas on the
Scuppernong in Columbia, NC. Dec. 4-7.
Historic Columbia, one of 32-sites on the Historic Albemarle Tour (www.historicalbemarletour.com),
is host to this holiday event on the banks of the Scuppernong River.
Stroll the streets in the historic district and enjoy everything from a
Christmas parade, arts and crafts, regional cuisine, to a visit with
Santa. Visit one of the quaint shops, the Pocosin Arts studio, the
Columbia Theater Cultural Resources Center, or attend one of the many
holiday activities. Call 252-796-0723 for more information.
www.tyrrellchamber.com
Somerset Christmas Open House
at Somerset Plantation in Creswell, NC. Dec. 7, 1-4 pm.
Built in the late 1700s, Someset became one of the south’s largest
plantations. Today, this North Carolina State Historic Site, one of
32-sites on the Historic Albemarle Tour (www.historicalbemarletour.com
), offers an interpretive tour that explores the lives of the
plantation's owners, enslaved community, employed whites, and free
blacks. Somerset will be decorated for the holiday season with
traditional festive decorations with live music and refreshments.
Call 252-797-4560 for more information.
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/somerset/somerset.htm
~ Dates, Times & Locations for Swan Days Activities ~
~ Friday, December 5 ~
Friday Evening Visits With The Rails
4:30-6 pm Refuge Headquarters
Friday Evening Visits With The Owls
8-9pm ~ Refuge Headquarters
~ Saturday, December 6 ~
Swan Days Birdathon
12:01 am—5:30 pm—Throughout County
Afoot in the Morn
7:00—9:30 am ~ Rose Bay Canal Gate
Nature Through the Viewfinder
7:00 am—2:30 pm ~ Location TBA
Bird Observation Workshops
7:00—9:30 am & 2:30—5:00 pm ~ Various Refuge Sites
Guided Wildlife Tours
8:00-11:15 am ~ Refuge Headquarters
Swan Days Theater
8:00 am—3:45 pm ~ Theater Tent
Swan Days Volkswalk
10:00 am—4:00 pm ~ Meet beside Refuge Headquarters
Nature
Through Words
10:30 am - 12:00 noon ~ Location TBA
Arts & Crafts Sales & Demonstrations
8:00 am—4:00 pm ~ Courtyard & Tents
Food/Drink Vendors
8:00 am—4:00 pm ~ Outside along walkway
Duck Hunting: The Way It Was
10:30—11:15 am & 1-:30 2-15 pm ~ Theater Tent
Lunch/Swan Quarter VFD
11:00 am—2:00 pm ~ Refuge Garage Building
Book Signings
Dr. Phillip Manning/”Islands of Hope” & “Afoot in the South”
12:00—1:00 pm ~ Vendor Tent
John Manuel/”The Natural Traveler Along North Carolina’s
Coast”
1:00-2:00 pm ~ Vendor Tent
Dr. H. Joe Liverman/”Scenes From a Tyrrell County
Childhood” &
“Taking Stock: Life & Death at Juniper Bay”
2:00-3:00 pm ~ Vendor Tent
Lodge & Lake Drainage History
3:15—4:15 pm ~ Refuge Garage Building
The Legendary Ivory-billed Woodpecker
7:00 pm ~ Refuge Garage Building
Meeting the Night Sky: Introduction to Midwinter
Constellations, Stars, & Planets
8:00 pm ~ Refuge Garage Building
~ Sunday December 7 ~
Bird Observation Workshops
7:00—9:30 am ~ Various Refuge Sites
Guided Wildlife Tours
8:00-11:15 am ~ Refuge Headquarters
Swan Days Theater
8:00 am—3:45 pm ~ Theater Tent
Arts & Crafts Sales & Demonstrations
8:00 am—4:00 pm ~ Courtyard & Tents
Food/Drink Vendors
8:00 am—4:00 pm ~ Outside along walkway
Swan Days Bike Ride
12:00 noon—3:00 pm ~ Rose Bay Canal Gate
Duck Hunting: The Way It Was
1-:00 – 1:45 pm ~ Theater Tent
Lunch/Engelhard Rotary Club
11:00 am—2:00 pm ~ Refuge Garage Building
Book Signing Sessions
Dr. H. Joe Liverman/“Scenes From a Tyrrell County
Childhood” &
“Taking Stock: Life & Death at Juniper Bay”
1:00-2:00 pm ~ Vendor Tent
Harvey Brothers/“Life, Love & Laughter”
2:00 – 3:00 pm ~ Vendor Tent
Lodge & Lake Drainage History
3:15—4:15 pm ~ Refuge Garage Building
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