The Wings Over Water Encore festival is targeted to birders, specially designed to provide better possibilities of seeing large flocks of migratory birds & waterfowl. Each December, hundreds of thousands of swans, geese, and ducks arrive in eastern North Carolina to take advantage of mild winters and plentiful food availability. Many pass the winter on one or more of the National Wildlife Refuges in the area, which provide food and sanctuary. This festival celebrates the birds, wildlife, and habitats of eastern North Carolina and the National Wildlife Refuges that protect them.
The festival offers field trips to top birding destinations in the area, including Alligator River, Pea Island, Mattamuskeet, Swanquarter, and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuges.