3.18.14 - Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History - Tuesday Tweets

John Wing Trail - Brewster, MA

 

In the hopes of getting our own view of an Osprey...one was briefly seen landing on the nest on the marsh over the weekend, and then perching on the nest camera...and then soaring off.  We did not catch sight of any Osprey on this FREEZING morning...but we did have a few brief moments of birds near enough to see and hear.

 

Our List:

Black-capped Chickadee

Song Sparrow

Northern Cardinal (female & male)

American Crow

Brant

Common Eider (female & male)

Great Black-backed Gull

Canada Geese

 

We heard:

Tufted Titmouse

(double click on images to enlarge)



 

Black-capped Chickadee

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow 

Northern Cardinal (male) singing with a Song Sparrow, SO CLOSE!!!

Ice crystals on a pitch pine needle bunch

American Crow

 

Song Sparrow - do you notice anything different about this bird?

Song Sparrow - her/his right leg is banded! (double click on image to enlarge)

Icy salt panne in the marsh

 

 

I'm guessing the song sparrow that has the band is "one of Sue's".  Sue Finnegan the Master Bird Bander at the Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History starts her day with incredible findings!  If you ever get the opportunity to go to one of her bird banding demonstrations - I cannot recommend it highly enough to any bird lover and it is WONDERFUL for children!  She's so gentle with everyone who is interested!  I will be sure to list here when her next demonstration is going to be on Wing Island.  It's worth getting up with the early birds for!

 

Next opportunity for a bird walk will be 4.8.14 at the Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History 9:30-10:30am.

Happy Birding 'til then!



 

 

3.12.14 - My yard - Bird Nerd Moment

Yarmouth MA

 

Sometimes the best way to begin your day is by hanging out by the bird feeder.  You'll most likely get to see the usual suspects, Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, House Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Juncos (in the winter here on Cape Cod) on the ground hanging with the Mourning Doves...and others.  Sometimes we're visited by the noisiest of the noisy... the spectacular Blue Jay.  I got a very sweet spring-like "Good Morning" from this guy...at least that's how it sounded to my ears...

 

 

Next Opportunity for a bird walk:

Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History, Brewster MA

3.18.14 9:30 - 10:30am

 



 

3.6.14 - Near Sea Street Beach - Bird Nerd Moment

Near Sea Street Beach - Dennisport MA

 

The kids had a half day and after treating them to a rare lunch out... I dragged them to Nantucket Sound to see what we could see. 

Our List:

Common Eiders (male)

Buffleheads (female & male)

Goldeneye (male)

Brants

 

I know it may be silly to pick favorites of specific species of birds... but Brants are my favorite goose.  I remember noticing them for the very first time on Earth Day in 2010 when we went to the beach to do a cleanup, equipped with gloves and trash bags.  I remember thinking that they were Canada Geese at a first glance... but wait, smaller and where was the white cheek?  So I did my best to notice their field marks and came home and grabbed my field guide.  Brants!!!  I feel mentioning "beautiful bird" is so redundant, but sometimes it just happens.  These birds nest on the tundra and we see them as autumn is changing to winter and when winter is changing to spring.  They make me seasonally pleased.

We were at quite a distance, but these were the photos I felt like sharing of the Brants.

(Double click on images to enlarge)

 

Brants

Brants

2.25.14 - Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History - Tuesday Tweets

Brewster, MA

 

I think my hands are still recovering from taking the very few photos I was able to take this morning!  The sun was shining, but the winds were whipping past us.  We did get some feathery visits in though.

 

Our List:

American Crow

Northern Cardinal (female & male)

Black-capped Chickadee

Great Blue Heron

American Black Duck

Brant

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Song Sparrow

Mallards (female & male)

American Robin

Northern Cardinal (male) 

Cape Cod Bay

American Black Ducks & Brants 

Brants 

Brants

Great Blue Heron footprint in the sand 

Can you see the Song Sparrow? 

CAMOUFLAGE! 

Song Sparrow 

American Robin

 

Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets at Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History

March 4 at 9:30am

Happy Birding 'til then!

2.10.14 - Green Briar Nature Center - Monday Morning Bird Walk

Cape Cod Canal - Sagamore, MA

Sandwich Boardwalk - Sandwich, MA

 

 

This winter has been very cold and snowy, but bird nerds can still be found toting binoculars and cameras to the chilliest of locations - the Cape Cod Canal included.  Even though we had to take some time in the van to warm our bones, we had quite a successful showing of birds - mostly floating in those frigid waters.  It's hard to imagine how they thrive and survive in these temperatures, but for a lot of these birds - this is a warmer climate than their nesting grounds in Canada.

 

 

Our List:



American Robin

Song Sparrow

Common Loon

American Black Duck (female & male)

Red-breasted Merganser (female & male)

Common Eider (female & male)

American Crow

Cormorant

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

White-winged Scoter (female & male)

Common Goldeneye (female & male)

Mallard (female & male)

 



American Black Ducks (female & male)

Common Loon (nonbreeding plumage)

Common Eider (female)

Common Eider (female)

Common Loon in foreground

Cormorants in background

Cormorants

Common Eiders on the wing

Red-breasted Merganser (female)

Red-breasted Merganser (male) 

Great Black-backed Gull

American Robin 

Common Eiders (female & male) 

White-winged Scoter (female & juvenile) 

White-winged Scoter (male & juvenile)

 

American Robins 

American Robins 

American Robin 

 

Then we headed to the Sandwich Boardwalk for a look-see over there...

Common Goldeneye (female & male)

Common Goldeneye 

Mallards (female & male)

Common Goldeneyes in distance & Mallards closer

 

Next opportunity for a bird walk will be on Tuesday 2/25 for Tuesday Tweets at 9:30am at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History - Brewster MA

Happy Birding 'til then!

2.4.14 - Yarmouth - Home

Yarmouth MA

 

It's always a bummer when a bird walk needs to be cancelled due to the elements...

 

Yesterday the Wing Island Trail at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster would have been covered in snow during Tuesday Tweets, with a layer of ice underneath. 

I was able to get some outside time though, shoveling our driveway.  As the sun warmed up Cape Cod, the sparkling branches began to melt and I couldn't help myself snapping a few shots with my phone.  Eventually I heard one of my favorite nature sounds, slowly getting louder, in the distance.  It was a flock of Canada Geese!!!  We are lucky enough to live  close to Bass River, the largest river or stream on the Cape.  So, it is not uncommon for the noisy fliers to pass over our neighborhood as they approach their watery destination.  The photos I got of the birds are not great, they're taken with my phone, but I loved taking a break from shoveling to watch and listen as they flapped and honked over my head!



 

Canada Geese

Circling around...

The next bird walk, through Green Briar Nature Center, is the Monday Morning Bird Walk this Monday 2.10.14 at 9a.  Weather depending we meet at 9am at the van in the lower parking lot at Green Briar in East Sandwich.  If I need to cancel due to weather, I will decide by 8am and will post it here.  'Til then, Happy Birding!
-CapeCodBirdNerd

2.3.14 - Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History -

Tuesday Tweets CANCELLED today due to icy trails...

 

 

Next Tuesday Tweets on 2.25.14 at 9:30am.

Happy Birding 'til then!