You’d Never Expect to Hear these birds at The Refuge Inn, but we did!
If you’ve stayed at The Refuge Inn, you may have noticed the soft chorus of island life that surrounds us: wrens calling from the pines, robins at dawn, and the chatter of grackles on the summer breeze. But our BirdWeather PUC sensor—tucked quietly among the loblolly trunks—has picked up a few surprises, too. These are the voices you wouldn’t expect to hear just steps from your balcony, but were detected in 2025: proof that even our cozy hotel can be a birding destination in and of itself.
1. Common Loon
That echoing, mournful cry is more at home on a northern lake than beside Beach Road. But every so often, a migrating loon calls overhead in the dark, a reminder that the Atlantic Flyway runs right over our rooftops.
2. Seaside Sparrow
Normally found deep in the saltmarsh, the Seaside Sparrow’s buzzy trill near the Inn means high winds or high tides have nudged it inland. For a few hours, the marsh came to us.
3. Black-and-white Warbler
This little bird creeps along tree trunks like a tiny zebra-striped woodpecker. Its high, squeaky “wee-see” cuts through the chorus of wrens—a rare sound for our island.
4. Merlin
Fast, fierce, and silent until it isn’t. The Merlin’s chatter overhead can send smaller birds scattering. It’s a falcon usually seen on open dunes, not among the pines—unless it’s chasing breakfast.
5. Cape May Warbler
Bright and fleeting, this northern warbler passes through only during migration. Catching its thin, high song is like spotting a postcard from Canada, delivered on the wind.
6. Scarlet Tanager
A flash of red among green needles, this forest bird doesn’t often grace the coast. Its flute-like song carries through the trees like something borrowed from the mainland hills.
7. Acadian Flycatcher
Its crisp “peet-sa!” call is more common along shady streams inland, not here among sandy soil and salt air. When one stops by, it feels like a small, feathered guest from the Appalachians.
8. Whimbrel
A long-billed shorebird with a bubbling whistle that’s unmistakable overhead. Likely just passing through—but what a sound to catch between check-ins.
9. Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Secretive and soft-spoken, the cuckoo’s clucking song is a hidden treasure of late summer. You may never see it, but the BirdWeather sensor hears what we might miss.
10. Blue Grosbeak
With its rich, warbling song, this field-dweller adds a flash of blue to our soundscape. It’s proof that the edges between marsh, pine, and meadow are where the magic happens.
Listening Between the Pines
Our BirdWeather sensor listens for birds 24/7, logging thousands of calls that show how many species share our pine grove each season. From wrens to warblers, and raptors to grosbeaks, the Refuge Inn is more than a starting point for your island adventure—it’s a tiny wildlife destination of its own.
Follow along with our live bird detections at BirdWeather Refuge Inn and see what’s singing today.