Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Dare County, North Carolina. It sits roughly 18.8 km (11.7 mi) SSE of Wanchese.
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge located on North Carolina's Pea Island, a coastal barrier island in Rodanthe, and part of a chain of islands known as the Outer Banks, adjacent to Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The sanctuary is located 10 miles (16 km) south of Nags Head, North Carolina on NC 12. The refuge's objectives are to provide nesting, resting, and wintering habitat for migratory birds, including the greater snow geese and other migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, raptors, and neotropical migrants, as well as habitat and protection for endangered and threatened species. Objectives also include providing opportunities for public enjoyment of wildlife and wildlands resources. Public use programs focus on interpretation, environmental education, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and fishing.From the Wikipedia article “Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 60° ENE | 8:22 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 119° ESE | 4:53 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 44m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:40 PM | 10h 00m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 34m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 21m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:43 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 45m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:50 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:55 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:55 AM – 4:55 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:01 AM – 4:11 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:04 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:27 PM – 12:27 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 10:27 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:23 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.84 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 53% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (74%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 70 | 69 | 70 | 76 | 84 | 89 | 89 | 89 | 87 | 83 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | 25 | 22 | 32 | 43 | 49 | 63 | 70 | 71 | 62 | 47 | 38 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.2 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this national wildlife refuge
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Beach
LighthouseBeach
BeachBeachBeach
LighthouseBeachBeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge from Wanchese?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.