Every May, millions of horseshoe crabs lay their eggs along the Delaware Bay and tiny birds arrive mid-migration to eat them. Now this natural wonder is threatened by climate change and Big Pharma. Can science save this symbiotic spectacle?
Red knots, which stopover on Ocracoke during their spring migration, has a been a source of concern due to a rapid decline of its population linked to a drastic decrease of their food source, horseshoe crab eggs.
Red Knots of Ocracoke May 22, 2023. Text and photos by Peter Vankevich Those spending time on Ocracoke beach and other areas of the Outer Banks this spring may have been pleasantly surprised to see flocks of binge-foraging Red Knots, the rufa supspecies (Calidris canutus rufa). Transitioning from the drab basic or winter gray/white plumage…
Restorative efforts along the Delaware Bay to protect the ecosystem seem to be paying off, as studies indicate the number of red knots stopping to feed on horseshoe crab eggs