The Carolina Bird Club’s annual winter meeting was held at Emerald Isle, NC this past weekend. Folks enjoyed field trips to Cedar Island, Shackleford Banks, Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve, Calico Creek, and other birdy spots on the Crystal Coast. And it was nice to bask in relatively warm weather between these outbursts of cold arctic air! Participants located about 165 species (full list on the website).
Good birds (I know, they are all good 😉) include Snow Bunting at Harkers Island, three Long-billed Curlews on Shackleford, a 2nd calendar year “Kumlien’s” Iceland Gull at the Cedar Island ferry landing, three Sandhill Cranes near the Beaufort Airport, Nashville and Prairie Warblers at Ft. Macon, and an “in the wild” (i.e. one away from feeders) sighting of Western Tanager at Calico Creek.
The three annual seasonal meetings are a great way to explore new parts of the Carolinas, and at least in our case, sample some of the iconic restaurants that serve tasty local specialties. We hit four of these between trips from and back to Raleigh, and while on the coast.
The first was a stop at King’s BBQ in Kinston, a classic serving Eastern style Q with all the expected sides. The pork was top notch and the cole slaw perfect. The puppies might have been a touch over fried, but did not take away from that smoky chopped goodness on the other side of the plate.
Visitors to Salter Path who are not averse to seafood should not miss a famous shrimpburger from Big Oak Drive-in. There are no restrooms, no tables, and no silverware. But what there is is the best combination of delicately breaded and lightly fried shrimp, cole slaw, and ketchup ever to be put between the halves of a steamed bun. Yours will come wrapped in wax paper and stuffed into a white paper bag. Bring a big appetite as you will want more.
Anyone tired of $45 fish plates at the local seafood restaurant can breathe a sigh of relief when walking through the swinging door at Bogue House restaurant in Cedar Point. I suspect that they bought the blue plastic letter/white plastic background menu board from the same supply store used by King’s. And when you see a menu in movable letters with prices ending in three, four or seven (in order to make prices come to even amounts once tax is applied) you suspect you might be in for some good eating. Bogue House serves heaps of perfectly fried fin and shellfish on Bakelite plates in an unpretentious atmosphere. For the price of a sub from the place Danny DeVito frequents, you can enjoy oysters, shrimp, collards, fried okra, and French fries with enough left over to share with the dog.
And since King’s was on the way down, we stopped at Wilber’s BBQ in Goldsboro on the way home. It’s worth the detour along business 70 for a plate of Q served in a dining room that looks straight out of 1965. If pressed, I would say the pork here was better than King’s, but neither will hurt you.
All of the above are, admittedly, simple, basic eateries serving great food at great prices. But for a touch of class, we repaired to the 1957 cocktail bar in Emerald Isle for understated, elegant atmosphere, an excellent selection of whiskey, and a perfectly made smoked Old Fashioned served in a bell glass to preserve just as much smoke as you like. There are no TVs, no running kids, just dark wood, a quiet burble of conversation, and well-made drinks. Just the thing after a great day of birding!
