Saturday, October 28, 2017

10.28.17   Green Halloween - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
Brewster, MA

Thanks to ALL who came out in costume to celebrate Green Halloween, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History's Halloween celebration...No Tricks, All Treats.

There was record-breaking attendance, more than 675 folks showed up, most of them in costume and all of them in great spirits!  I finally dressed up as my favorite bird - a CROW!!! A recurring theme I hear when visiting with guests at the museum, is that the kids I get to meet, are the third generation of museum visitors and that the wonderful place it is, has become a family tradition.  There is always something to learn, to see with new eyes and to enjoy over and over again.  I was stationed in Bird Alley, and as some of the kids were playing the recorded bird calls over and over, some of the younger guests just stared in amazement, thinking that the big dark bird at the end of Bird Alley was making those sounds.  I wish I had video of their expressions! 

The BEST treat for me is when I get surprise visits from young Bird Nerds I know!  I get to see how they've grown and if I'm lucky, I hear about their latest bird encounter.  (double click photos to enlarge)
Happy Halloween!  








Wednesday, October 25, 2017

YARMOUTH PARKS & RECREATION FLAX POND BIRD WALK 
CANCELLED FOR TODAY.  

It's no fun cancelling a bird walk, but between the unpredictable nature of the wind & rain, to the possibility of falling limbs, it just seems like the right thing to do for today.  Bummer.  The good news is that now we have three Wednesday Flax Pond Bird Walks in a row : )  
11.1, 11.8 & 11.15 all beginning at 9am, $10per participant.  Click here to register.
Happy Birding!  
Mourning Dove

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

10.24.17  Tuesday Tweets - Lee Baldwin Trail - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
Brewster, MA

"Birds In The Distance" - seems to be our theme this October.  Just the other day, it was very much the opposite though.  After my presentation Birdwatching For Beginners, I headed toward the salt marsh, because Rick, one of the museum's workers had just seen a Great Blue Heron there.  We saw several on that day, thanks to the high tide, which made for great herons' breakfast!  This morning however, we were at dead low tide for our Tuesday Tweets walk, which is necessary to hike either of the trails.  Suddenly we heard a Belted Kingfisher, who seemed to be on the other side of 6A, where we have seen them before... so we headed to the Lee Baldwin Trail.

No sign of the kingfisher... no sound of him/her either, but we had plenty of sightings of active birds, though they were mostly in silhouette.  We were also in pre-storm mode on the Cape.  The birds know when inclement weather is approaching.  They don't need to listen to any weather forecasts, they're well aware.  It was a breezy day as well, so I'm not surprised that we didn't get many close encounters.  Hanging out on the platform over the salt marsh is always rewarding because it seems you spot species after species, doing their thing.  it's rewarding to watch.

We also enjoyed a peaceful walk through the Beech Forest on this south side trail.  It was mostly quiet, sprinkled with muted lovely fall colors.  We did catch some brief glimpses of both a Great Blue Heron flying over the marsh, as well as a Northern Harrier (AGAIN!).  The weather is still warm & humid on Cape Cod this fall...temperatures that are hard to believe!  There was a discussion about what so many acorns on the ground might mean as far as future weather casting... 
What do YOU think?  I'll be quite pleased with another mild winter.  I'm a summer girl.  We'll see.  (double click photos to enlarge)

Our List:
American Crow
Northern Cardinal
American Robin
Belted Kingfisher
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Ring-billed Gull
Northern Flicker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Common Grackle
Northern Harrier
Great Blue Heron
Great Black-backed Gull
Mourning Dove


Northern Flicker

Bird Nerds on the marsh platform

We saw so many different species, as usual from
this well-placed lookout over the marsh

Common Grackles silhouetted against the overcast sky

Mud Fiddler Crab

The welcoming entrance of the Beech Forest section
of the Lee Baldwin Trail south of Route 6A

Poison Ivy entangling a Pitch Pine trunk

The remaining scarlet leaves of this Tupelo that reaches
from the forest out over the salt marsh

Our decorated trail
Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 11.7.17 at 9am $4Members/$6Non-members
Happy Birding!

Thursday, October 19, 2017

10.19.17  Birdwatching For Beginners - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
Brewster, MA

I've been presenting this class for several years now to folks of all ages and I LOVE to do it.  It's interactive and encouraging, and we head out weather-permitting at the end of the presentation to look and listen for birds.  When we headed out this morning, as we approached the trail, Rick who works at the museum let us know that there was a Great Blue Heron on the marsh.  These magnificent birds are commonly on the salt marsh, though they are not always in sight.  When we got to the boardwalk, there s/he was!   The big bird was only about 40 feet away, and was hunting for breakfast, like a statue.  We were able to see a few fish devoured and soon along came another Great Blue Heron... and then a pair were flying in, and then another pair, and another heron!  It was CRAZY!  We saw at least SEVEN Great Blue Herons within a 10 minute span of time.  

We just stood there sharing the moment, watching those spectacular birds, which was why we were together in the first place.  Another natural reward!  Thanks Rick for the head's up!  The photos I got were all on my phone camera, so they are not so close up.
(double click photos to enlarge)

Great Blue Herons
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron in flight
Birdoculars being put to the test
Next opportunity for Birdwatching For Beginners: 11.16.17 Members: Free, Non-members: Price of museum admission.
Happy Birding!

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

10.11.17  Yarmouth Park & Recreation Bird Walks - Flax Pond
South Yarmouth, MA

I was excited to see both familiar faces and some new ones at our walk this morning.  The weather was still warm & not quite as foggy as our last visit through the trails at Flax Pond.  I was pleased to hear that the mosquitoes were not too terrible in the cedar swamp, so we headed in that direction first.  If you've never been to a cedar swamp, there is something eerie and other-worldly about it.  It's typically very quiet and the forest floor is very damp, if not covered in puddles.  The majority of the trees have branches much higher up and I've always been curious as to why there are not more birds found in these areas.  The times I've visited both this cedar swamp, as well as the fancy boardwalked one near Marconi Beach, I have always noticed the lack of birds.  It's weird.  Maybe that's why it feels a little creepy almost when you're walking through a cedar swamp.  I know there's wildlife there, but there is not much of a trace of anyone.  It's kind of like a tree cemetery... I dunno.  We did hear some nuthatches in there and two or three curious Black-capped Chickadees as well, and I believe a frog.  It's very cool in there.

When we checked out Flax Pond this morning we first heard and then saw a Belted Kingfisher.  We were too far away to get a decent photo, but I was so pleased that we all got to see him, and hopefully everyone got to hear the tell tale call of a kingfisher in flight.  They are not shy about saying they are flying here and there, near the water's edge!

As we were near the end of our time together, I wanted to check out another area of the woodsy edge.  I kept hearing a peep coming from the low shrubs... when out popped not one, but two Chipping Sparrows.  SO cute!  We were able to get fairly close to them so I was able to get a few photos... though they were very well camouflaged, which the photos also reflect.   Just at the very end of our time together, we discovered a flock of blackbirds; Common Grackles & Red-winged Blackbirds.  They were providing the "Safety In Numbers" demonstration.  I was in for one last surprise though... one of the walkers, who I KNEW looked familiar, re-introduced herself as my CCD teacher from 40 years ago!!! It was a big treat, having my former teacher on a bird walk.  I LOVE SURPRISES!!!  It was wonderful to see you Barbara!

I also received one of the best compliments I have ever had.  Pat, one of the new comers this week said, "Even if I didn't like birds, I would love them after your walk."
Thank you Pat!  That meant so much to me and I like to believe the birds thank you too!  (double click photos to enlarge)

Our List:
Blue Jay
American Crow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Downy Woodpecker
Black-capped Chickadee
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Mourning Dove
Chipping Sparrow
Common Grackle
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird


Bird Nerds in the woods!

We visited the cedar swamp - which looks
much darker in person

Looking upward at the cedar tree tops

Many forms of vegetation are thriving in this cedar swamp, and
the nurse trees help feed the forest floor.

A distant, fuzzy (terrible) photo of a Belted Kingfisher.
I had to include this photo though...we were all SO excited to see & hear him/her!

Pointing out the Belted Kingfisher across Flax Pond

It is FUN to share the outdoors through birds!

Snail trails in the sand underwater in Flax Pond

Flax Pond mirrored upon itself this calm cloudy morning

I know it looks like a poop emoji, but it's a freshwater snail shell
When I looked it up to identify, the best I could find was
that it is probably a Chinese Mystery Snail

A photo of a mushroom, two weeks later...

This mushroom matched Loruso Lodge

Indian Pipe in its dark cold season colors

TOUGH to spot the two Chipping Sparrows in this photo...
See next photo for help

Chipping Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Reminds me of a beautiful Beatles song...

Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds

Can you spot the Red-winged Blackbirds mixed in with the Common Grackles?
See the next photo...


Common Grackle


You can see the different iridescent feathers if you
look closely at this Common Grackle

Hydrangea, still blooming in October!
SO PRETTY!
My surprise - BARBARA!!!
Next opportunity for the bird walk at Flax Pond: 10.25.17 at 9am $10/person
Click here to register.
Happy Birding!

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

10.10.17  Tuesday Tweets - John Wing Trail - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
Brewster, MA

We had the perfect-sized group today for a bird walk, though the birds were doing a great job dodging my camera.  It didn't help that I'd dropped it right before our walk though... woopsie.  Most of the photos I have from our morning are from the various landscapes we  experienced in just 90 minutes, which is part of our time together.  We're so spoiled with the different habitats we walk through on Tuesday Tweets, and when these locations are combined with the various bird sounds and sights... we get to share a unique natural morning.  It helps when nice people show up to share it as well, which is what just happens!

Blue Jays seemed to rule the skies this day, and we heard them everywhere we were.  We did spot a Northern Harrier gliding across Quivett Creek.  We've been so lucky with harrier sightings the past few Tuesday Tweets, so clearly there's hawk food around.  I would say that's good news for the ecosystem.  A raptor sighting is always a bonus, especially when the Ospreys have already migrated.  What a warm fall we've had so far and TONS of foggy conditions lately.  It was clear this morning though, and the bird nerds spotted a pair of Great Blue Herons on the marsh.  It's so very often we get a surprise finale bird or two... I feel it's our reward for our interest in the birds.  (double click photos to enlarge)

Our List:
Gray Catbird
American Goldfinch
Tufted Titmouse
Blue Jay
American Crow
Northern Cardinal
American Robin
Northern Flicker
Black-capped Chickadee
Eastern Towhee
Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Northern Harrier
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Downy Woodpecker
Beautiful blue skies ahead

Poison Ivy sure looks pretty this time of year

Looking south on Paine's Creek
We heard a kingfisher, but s/he flew out of sight, across the creek




Horseshoe crab shell marking the head of the trail 



Ring-billed Gull


Great Blue Herons on the salt marsh

Northern Flicker
Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 10.24.17 at 9am $4Members/$6Non-members
Happy Birding!