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In January 2015, while on a field trip in eastern North Carolina in a quest for reference materials for my paintings, I found myself at the Pungo Unit of Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.  This sprawling 12,350 acres coastal refuge located in North Carolina’s Inner Banks region on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula is an overwintering home to vast flocks of migrating waterfowl like snow geese, red-winged blackbirds and my favorite, the tundra swan.

By chance and blessed with some guidance from those familiar with the Pungo Unit, we found ourselves literally standing in the center of the waterfowl’s story - 100,000 Snow Geese and 20, 000 Tundra Swans, with natural orchestration, simultaneously converged on the same field, for an evening snack and overnight accommodations.  That day our unexpected stop was, and continues to be, one of the most spectacular occurrences that I have ever experienced in nature!  It was on that evening, sharing the field with these exquisite birds, that I began to understand the true emotional connection between my heart and the art I paint on canvas. Every year I now plan a trip to the Pungo Unit to capture more photos, but mostly to visit old friends.