gR O W I N G U P I N W R I G H T S V I L L E B E A C H ,
Walker Golder has been surrounded by birds and wildlife all of his life.
Early on, he developed a fascination with the seasonal comings and
goings of local wildlife — the summertime, when terns and skimmers
nested on remote beaches; the cooler months that brought ducks to the
marshes and shorebirds to the beaches. Bluefish, Spanish mackerel and
speckled trout each had their seasons of abundance, and each captured
his attention. This intrigue led to degrees in biology (BSc) and marine
biology (MSc) from UNCW. Fresh out of graduate school, he landed a
job with the National Audubon Society as the first manager of the newly
created North Carolina Coastal Islands Sanctuary program. Later on, he
launched the North Carolina Important Bird Areas Program and became
deputy state director when the state office was formed. Today he serves
as the director of the National Audubon Society’s Atlantic Flyway Coast
Strategy, where he works with organizations worldwide to advance con-servation
of coastal areas that are important to sustaining populations of
seabirds, shorebirds and marsh birds.
“I get excited when the terns and skimmers come back to nest, when
shorebirds from the Arctic arrive on our beaches, hearing the whistling
of ducks’ wings in the winter, and the moment a redfish takes a fly
crafted by my own hands,” Golder says. “Through it all I have stayed
connected to my roots and the rhythms of the coast. Whether pursu-ing
fishing, surfing, sailing, boating, or walking on the beach, any time
spent in the proximity of water refreshes me.”
Migration in the region varies depending on the species. For some
From top to bottom: Laughing gulls, royal and
Caspian terns cast sunset silhouettes at Rich
Inlet. American bittern. Bonaparte’s gull.
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WBM january 2019