Thursday, August 23, 2018


Thank you Katharine of Lower Cape TV!

We have been recording Cape Cod Bird Nerd Reports together for over a year now!
She always makes me feel comfortable on camera... even though, I'm so not.  I get to talk about birds, we get to see each other, and I like to believe the birds benefit.


Here is our latest collaboration about a specific migrant, 
Swallows and how to tell three common swallows apart: 

Click here to watch:

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

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

We had the perfect sized group for our Tuesday Tweets this morning: eight.  I like that size because we are not too big to scare away all of the birds, and we can have mini conversations along the way.  It's also a great to have others spotting birds when I'm looking the other way, or talking too much.  I can't help it when I'm talking about or listening to a story about birds!  I am easily distracted, much like most humans.  The heat was a bit less hot this morning, and I like to believe that allowed for seeing as many species as we did.

Gray Catbirds are heard every direction this time of year, and they did not disappoint in the woods.  We also lucked out in that we ran into Sue Finnegan, the Wing Island Bird Bander.  If you ever have an opportunity to see one of Sue's demonstrations, do not miss it!  She is fantastic and that up close and personal touch is what bumping into Sue means!  We got to see a young Song Sparrow as well as a juvenile Gray Catbird.  I love her ease with the birds and that they are so trusting of her.  It's amazing to watch.  It is a gift in the middle of our bird walk.

We made it to the beach today and though there were not as many birds on the shore as we may have liked, the breeze was perfect, the air was salty, the sand was hot... it was a PERFECT beach day.  Sometimes a bird walk can be a tease, particularly when part of your destination is Cape Cod Bay.  It is tough to beat! Thank you Shirley for sending such great photos for me to include here.  Your photos are given credit of course! 
(double click photos to enlarge)

Our List:
Gray Catbird
Osprey
Song Sparrow
Barn Swallow
American Goldfinch
Great Blue Heron
Blue Jay
American Crow
American Robin
Northern Flicker
Carolina Wren
Eastern Towhee
Ring-billed Gull
Laughing Gull
Eastern Kingbird
Belted Kingfisher


Bees busy at work on the Salt Reed Grass

Osprey

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

I know it's blurry, but it was a treat seeing a Great Blue Heron
PHOTO CREDIT BELOW: SHIRLEY - much better photo!

Add caption






Fiddler Crab

Osprey in flight

Thanks to Sue Finnegan, we snuck in
close ups of a Song Sparrow
PHOTO CREDIT: SHIRLEY
Juvenile Song Sparrow

...and a juvenile Gray Catbird
PHOTO CREDIT: SHIRLEY
Cape Cod Bird Nerd & Cape Cod Bird Bander!

The silhouetted leaves look so pretty.
This happened when my lens focused on the leaves
instead of the bird in the background

Magic tree!
Eastern Kingbird, Northern Flickers & European Starling

Eastern Kingbird (lower left)
Baltimore Oriole (upper right)
PHOTO CREDIT: SHIRLEY


Several European Starlings

Southward facing Eastern Kingbirds
Add caption

Great Blue Heron preening her/himself
PHOTO CREDIT BELOW: SHIRLEY
Hers is much better! : )



Bird Nerds

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch
PHOTO CREDIT: SHIRLEY

PHOTO CREDIT: SHIRLEY

American Goldfinch

Cormorants in flight

Canada Geese

Rump of an Eastern Towhee

Barn Swallow darting over the salt marsh

More Swallow acrobatics!
Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 9.4.18 9am $4Members/$6Non-members
Happy Birding!

Friday, August 10, 2018

8.10.18 - KidSummer - Birding 101 - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
Brewster, MA

It was nice to have those crazy storms behind us from Thursday, which ended up taking a bit of the humidity away, so the beach was the plan.  I knew we'd be racing the incoming high tide... but we did it anyway. What a bunch of tough Bird Nerds.  We were rewarded by birds over and over, especially once we arrived at the meadow.  We'd heard an Eastern Towhee, but I didn't honestly think we were going to get a private song show from him.  When he showed up, over our heads... he perched there for a few minutes.  It felt like he was singing JUST for us.  I was so proud of everyone!  Not only were they so quiet, but they were also just taking in the moment, and realizing that this was special.  It truly was.

We did reach the beach, which is a tease when all you want to do on a perfect summer day is run right in.  There were beachy treasures discovered and birds this way and that.  Most of all, we absorbed the sunshine, we felt the sand beneath our feet, the seabreeze kept us cool enough and the salt air reminded us of what a perfect spot Cape Cod Bay can be.  We were able to get a brief visit inside the aquarium in the museum as well, because I always get requests.  I will miss these Bird Nerds!  They were so enthusiastic and smart and they asked great questions and knew so many of the answers.  I'm confident they will continue admiring the birds, and I believe they'll pass along their knowledge and compassion for nature.  We need more Bird Nerds like these!  (double click photos to enlarge)


Our List:
American Crow
Song Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Northern Flicker
Carolina Wren
Cedar Waxwing
Gray Catbird
Eastern Towhee
Northern Flicker
Great Black-backed Gull
Laughing Gull
Mourning Dove
Yellow Warbler
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Kingbird
Least Tern
Double-crested Cormorant
Osprey
American Robin
Black-capped Chickadee


Eastern Kingbird

Sea of Lavender

Gray Catbird

We found a magic spot! 
Birds just kept showing up and announcing themselves...

Eastern Towhee - male
This guy was singing up a storm for us and
the Bird Nerds were SO QUIET so they could hear. 
It was an amazing moment.


Northern Flicker - you can see the golden-shafted
tail feathers showing off that bright yellow... just barely

Northern Flicker - male

Northern Flicker

Eastern Kingbird


We just kept seeing bird after bird after bird!

Laughing Gull

Yellow Warbler - male

Yellow Warbler - male

Song Sparrow striking a pose on a comfy limb

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Kingbird checking US out

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Kingbird

Great Black-backed Gulls & Herring Gulls, both mature and juvenile

Found mermaid purse

Cape Cod Bay charms them all

Taking in the scene


Enjoying the moment

Snail shell


Double-crested Cormorant


We can see you...




Song Sparrow

Butterflies on the Goldenrod



We ALL got our feet wet thanks to the tide!

The Osprey posing nicely on the nest

Song Sparrow bidding us farewell



Mezmerized by the jellies

Everyone loves the organism quiz board





REMEMBER... IT'S COOL TO BE A BIRD NERD!

Happy Birding Bird Nerds!