Snowy Egret at Cedar Island Beach

A Snowy Egret, Egretta thula, searches for breakfast in a tidal pool along a Cedar Island Beach, part of the Crystal Coast of North Carolina. Located at the western end of Carteret county, this communityis quite remote. Until the addition of a bridge in 1936,

Much of the island is occupied by the roughly 14,000 acre Cedar Island Wildlife Refuge. Roughly 11,000 acres of the refuge is occupied by brackish marsh with the rest consisting of woodland and pocosin acerage.

Located 40 miles from Beaufort, the county seat, the island remains largely off of visiting tourists radar. Emplyment opportunitis are sparse with most islanders being employed in the commercial fishing industry or by the NC Ferry System.