BIRD WALK! Sunday 5.15.16 - Historical Society of Yarmouth - Botanical Trails Route 6A Yarmouthport, MA 

Hoping for good weather tomorrow Sunday in Yarmouthport and I want to thank the Historical Society of Yarmouth for hosting this event.  There are some wonderful trails surrounding Greenough Pond, Little Greenough Pond & Miller Pond that are located in & around the Botanical Trails there!  I recommend bug spray, a hat & binoculars if you're planning on joining us and dress appropriately for the weather of course. Rain does cancel the walk, so I'll be thinking sunny thoughts until then!  Please join us!

Entrance to Botanical Trails on Route 6A in Yarmouthport

Old Yarmouth Inn - Best Brunch on Cape Cod!

Old Yarmouth Inn

I also suggest the BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH ever following the walk, though you'll want to schedule a reservation at the Old Yarmouth Inn.  Brunch is served from 10-1 and if you've never been... what have you been waiting for?  It's heavenly, award-winning so bring your appetite & let them wine & dine you!  

Happy Birding!

5.13.16 - Bird Nerd Moment - Marshview Room - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History

Brewster, MA

When I get to spend any amount of time in the Marshview Room, I am a happy bird nerd. I get to meet so many different ages of people.  There was a grandmother & her grand daughter visiting today, they knew the place well and when the adults in the room happened to notice a pair of House Sparrows... Umm...err... making more House Sparrows... we all smiled, said nothing, but the young girl said, "OH, piggy back!"  The rest of us burst out laughing.  It was pretty cute.  Also today, a large group of 7th graders were on their last day of their 3 day Cape Cod visit. Miraculously, they missed any of that sort of bird behavior going on outside.  They were VERY enthusiastic about the time they were spending at the museum today, despite being wiped out after their non-stop tourist visits, hikes, whale watches... what a TIME these kids were having!  I asked them about the whales they saw off Provincetown and their hike to the mudflats here at the museum.  They were very chatty and even left some artwork behind (see photo below).  They had questions and stories about birds, and I was able to help one of the chaperones identify a bird she had seen at her feeder after she relayed some of the bird's field marks.  Turns out she'd seen a Yellow-billed Cuckoo!  Way cool!  I never have... which brings up another exciting moment I had. 

We bird nerds get very excited when we spot a species of bird we've never seen before for the first time, a "life bird" or "lifer" they're called.  Well I saw a lifer today!  A White-crowned Sparrow! I was so excited, I pointed it out to anyone who would listen!  I even texted my bird nerd mentor Peter Trull to share!  Not everyone was as enthused as I was, Peter was!, but they listened to me and they did also see the beautiful sparrow.  I got a few photos of him, sadly with my lousy phone camera (boooo.... which cell phone takes the best pictures?  I need an upgrade... taking suggestions) but still, I was SO HAPPY to see a new species of bird today! While I was in the Marshview Room I observed 19 species in about 4 hours.  It's easily my favorite spot in the museum.  Maybe I'll bump into you there someday.

(double click photos below) 

My list:

House Sparrow

Black-capped Chickadee

Song Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow (!!!)

Mourning Dove

Blue Jay

Red-winged Blackbird

American Goldfinch

Hummingbird (I'm guessing Ruby-throated, but s/he was in the shadows)

Osprey

Northern Cardinal

Brown-headed Cowbird

House Finch

Tufted Titmouse

Gray Catbird

Chipping Sparrow

European Starling

Herring Gull

Eastern Phoebe

Osprey observations 2016

Ospreycam monitor in Marshview Room

White-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Size comparison

White-crowned Sparrow (bottom left)

Red-winged Blackbird - female (top middle)

Song Sparrow - (middle right)

Chipping Sparrow

A 7th grade girl left this beautiful sketch behind of the stuffed Great Horned Owl 

Happy Birding!

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

I love presenting this class!  Today I had a smaller crowd & they had great comments and questions as is often the case.  I've come to learn, just one of the universal aspects about birds is everyone has a story about a bird(s), or they have a question... most of the time, it's a bit of both.  Birds are EVERYWHERE and that's a big reason why.  My main objective when presenting this class, which is about an hour long, is to give some tips about how to become a better bird watcher.  Most people already have ideas about what to look for, but when I became completely obsessed with wanting to learn more, I researched it, and fortunately, I get to share that information.  People of all ages have attended BFB, whether it's at the museum, in their classroom at school, at senior centers... I'll bring it anywhere!  
My goal - I just want to get people outside.  I feel that birds are natural attractors; they're beautiful, they make incredible sounds, their capabilities are astounding... they can FLY (most of 'em).  I  hope I get to see you sometime for Birdwatching For Beginners!  If you can't make it to the museum - I know it's an awkward time of day for many (10am on a hursday once a month).  Let me know if you'd like me to visit your classroom or nature center or senior center or adult day care or preschool.  You can reach me via this blog or by emailing me at : capecodbirdnerd@gmail.com.

This morning two of the participants were very young & they were able to name some of the species I have photos of.  Weather permitting, we head outside for the last 15 minutes of the presentation to see and hear the birds using the tips I mention.  This morning we were outside for 10 minutes and we either saw or heard these species:

Our List:  
Black-capped Chickadee
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Great-crested Flycatcher
Gray Catbird
Osprey
Blue Jay
American Robin

Also - don't miss the roly poly bug one of the young ladies wanted to be sure I saw... "bug food" I called it!  (double click photos to enlarge)

Roly Poly (Pill Bug) "bird food"

Garden Troll... looking good!
Happy Birding!
Next Opportunity for Birdwatching For Beginners: 6.9.16 Price of admission to museum
Cape Cod Museum of Natural History Members: Free

5.9.16 - Bird Nerd Moment... though not my own... Beech Forest (a magical place)
Provincetown, MA

When you have school age children, if they are athletes, you'll find yourself at a chilly ice rink, on the side lines of a windy soccer field, or in the wobbly bleachers next to a baseball field on many a weekend morning.  This is how I spent my Saturday morning, cheering on our son's baseball team.  One of the benefits to spending so much time watching your kids play sports that they love to play, is that you get to meet some dedicated families sitting in the stands with you, supporting their own young athletes!  The fact that I get to work in the school district our children attend is so rewarding because I not only get to know so many great students, but I also get to meet their parents.  

Saturday morning, I saw the mom of one of my former bird nerd students.  As I was noticing Osprey occasionally soaring & squealing over our heads, I couldn't resist asking her if her daughter ever mentioned birds, or seemed to notice birds at all.  I had to know...
"Not really.  Well, wait a minute..."  she changed her mind...  "She has been saying some things about different birds she hears & sees outside, and we did get a bird feeder..."

Can I tell you I had jack-o-lantern SMILE FACE!!!  I was THRILLED to hear all of this!!!  
So, the very next day, Mother's Day, I was happily surprised to receive some very sweet photos of this very same young bird nerd (& her siblings!) reading bird guides on the way to the Beech Forest in Provincetown.  They wisely visited the Birdwatchers General Store in Orleans on their way; an EXCELLENT destination in its own right!. They were trying to beat the rain, and they did.  Wait 'til you see the photos below!  This great mom said they "had to drag the kids out of there".  (THANKS FOR THE PHOTOS!)

PLEASE check out the photos she sent me, especially the last one.  THANK YOU!!!

Northern Cardinal

You NEVER forget the feeling when a wild bird (Black-capped Chickadee) flies

right at you, and lands gently on your hand, to enjoy a snack of bird seed.

The sound their tiny wings make flying at you and away from you is like magic, 

and the feel of their tiny claws and feet when they land on your hand is a tremendous gift!

Thanks young Bird Nerd!  I'm SO very proud of you!

Happy Birding!

5.3.16 - TUESDAY TWEETS CANCELLED due to weather.  

Bummer.  It's another rainy day here on Cape Cod.  I'm wondering when we're going to get some warmth.  We had a tease of it a couple of weeks ago and the sun has made some appearances.  The birds in my yard are happy for a full seed feeder, and the azaleas are blooming nicely.  Here's hoping for some sunny rays... soon please!

Song Sparrow (top) & House Sparrow (below)

Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 5.17.16 $2Members/$4Non-members

Happy Birding!

4.26.16 - TUESDAY TWEETS CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN

White Ibis - from a rainy day on Tom Sawyer's Island in Disney

Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 5.2.16 $2Members/$4Non-members
Happy Birding!

4.24.16 - Bird Nerd Moment - At the edge of my neighborhood
Yarmouth, MA

The last day of school vacation, there is often a last gasp for something different, fun & hopefully outdoorsy, to do.  It was brisk but sunny so I decided a bike ride should be in order. My daughter agreed, even though we both had a slightly different agenda.  We are very VERY lucky to be able to say that the Cape Cod Rail Trail is being extended into Yarmouth... as we SPEAK! (type, read... really, it's causing traffic issues and everything).  We are THRILLED to have this cutting through our town and we'll be able to access it through our own neighborhood - which is just tremendous!  My goal was to show my daughter how easy it'll be for us to hop onto the Rail Trail as soon as it's good to go & without riding on any dangerous main roads.  I can't WAIT!  Her agenda was to show me how beautiful an area we have at the other end of our neighborhood.  It's a puddle of sorts, a GIANT puddle, turned vernal pool, turned secluded wetland.  It's kinda fairy tale-ish when you get up close to it, which is what she wanted to show me.  She was right.  Once when we visited this little known, save bordering residents and wildlife, spot - I couldn't help but take some photos and agree with her.  It is truly a special spot.  It was quiet & peaceful and green, with little sturdy moss islands protecting the base of each submerged tree trunk.  Yes, in the back of my head, my mommy voice screamed "MOSQUITOES!!!  TICKS!!!  BACTERIA!!!", but my curious kid voice just said, "Cool.  What a cool spot."  Which is why my little monkey wanted to show me in the first place.  She knew I'd appreciate it as a precious wetland habitat worth visiting and having quiet time in... (while wearing DEET in season.)  Unfortunately there was human garbage here and there, car tires floating in the water, and some scrap metal discarded in the wood's edge.  Upsetting, of course, but also a reminder to her how terrible humans can treat the earth, particularly when there's an inconvenient problem... tire disposal.  Sigh... what'cha gonna do?   It can't be good for the tire chemicals to be slowly seeping into the water.

Carelessly discarded car tire trash

Back to the good part though, it was awfully quiet at this time of day in this little hidden wetlands so nearby.  We have seen a mallard couple paddling through the roots and hideaways when we visited another time.  This time, my little monkey climbed up on a strong tree, appreciating the space for it's sights, sounds, smells... peace.  

We didn't quite make it to the Rail Trail.  This spot & moment was too quiet & special.  I hope you have a place, or placeS to visit such as this.  I like to believe we can preserve them to share them.  The spring peepers know how to share their appreciation come dusk.
(double click photos to enlarge)

My nature-loving monkey

Hidden wetland

Happy Birding!