12.16.14 - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History - Tuesday Tweets

John Wing Trail - Brewster, MA

"Off to the bay!" was our motivation today.  What a treat to have the earth so calm without any wind.  The peaceful weather has a calming affect on hikers I feel because I did NOT want to wrap up this walk.  It helped to not have the wind biting us, or the birds!  My photos are less than fantastic, and slightly blurry due to distance - which is why I didn't even attempt to get the Common Eider - he was too far out, and hmmm... solitary.  We got a nice in-flight glimpse of a Red-breasted Merganser female as she flapped madly out of Quivett Creek and onto the bay.  The colors that surrounded us, muted as they were, made me feel as though we were surrounded by a simple serene canvas.  Tuesday Tweets lifts my mood no matter how the day begins.  Photo credits to Rick as listed. (double click photos to enlarge)

Our List:

American Crow

American Robin

Northern Cardinal

Dark-eyed Junco

Blue Jay

Northern Flicker

Black-capped Chickadee

Downy Woodpecker

White-breasted Nuthatch

Song Sparrow

American Black Duck

Herring Gull

Common Eider

Canada Goose

Brant

Red-breasted Merganser (female)

Phragmites

American Black Ducks

Herring Gull

Canada Geese on Cape Cod Bay

Brant

Herring Gull - blurry but looks like a painting to me

Another view of Cape Cod Bay from the John Wing Trail

House Sparrow (male)

Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 1.13.15 $2Members/$4Non-members
Happy Holidays and Happy Birding!

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

This is the time of year when I love heading to the water, as cold as it gets near the coast, in search of seasonal migrants.  The Tuesday Tweets walk did not fail us this morning because we caught some nice glimpses of what I believe was a solitary Common Eider female.  I had a difficult time identifying her because she was alone.  I have seen another solitary Common Eider female on the Cape Cod Canal, and because I'm such a freak, I always worry a little when their behavior may suggest something's awry.  Usually you see Eiders in flocks, the whole safety in numbers theme.  My Bird Nerd Mentor, THE Bird Nerd Extraordinare, Peter Trull once wisely said to me, "Don't worry.  They're wildlife."  I do understand and respect that... it's just the Snow White wannabe in me that pangs with wanting to "help".  Sometimes I do intervene, sometimes I don't, sometimes I can't, sometimes I know I shouldn't. There was seemingly nothing wrong with this bird, save that she was alone... and if I'm going to think too long on that, well, I like to have my alone time too.  Humans and Eiders are very different though, aren't they.  Enough about that... it's merely part of what makes me a nerd. Thanks yet again to Rick for the photos I get to include. They are credited below.  He does a great job, doesn't he?! (double click on photos to enlarge)

Our List: 
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
Northern Flicker
American Black Duck
Northern Cardinal
Great Black-backed Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Song Sparrow
Common Eider (female)

Gulls flying over Cape Cod Bay 

Gulls fishing in a frenzy at the mouth of Quivett Creek

They found something tasty in those chilly waters!

Common Eider (female) *RICK

Common Eider (female) *RICK

Next Opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 1.13.15 $2Members/$4Non-members 
Rain cancels the walk
Happy Birding!  Happy Holidays!

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

Windy, chilly, but sunny... you never know what we're going to get as the weather does what it needs to do here on Cape Cod.  As we walked the trails the day after a wild wet storm, we could clearly see that the trails had recently been transformed into small rushing rivers.  Though we did not see a long list of species today, the views that we had were fantastic of some soaring big birds in particular.  I also get excited when I have my first fall sighting of Brant - who were hanging out at the edge of Cape Cod Bay with many gulls.  My best guess with the three shore birds that we saw on the wing is that they were Sanderlings.  Our list follows below along with the photos.  Thanks to the bundled up souls that joined in on Tuesday Tweets today! (double click photos to enlarge)  Thanks for your fancy lens Rick!

Our List:
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-tailed Hawk
American Crow
American Black Duck
Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Brant
Great Blue Heron

Red-tailed Hawk *RICK

Brant *RICK

Brant *RICK

Great Blue Heron *RICK

American Black Duck *RICK

Great Black-backed Gull flanked by Herring Gulls * RICK

American Black Ducks

Brant, Great Black-backed Gulls, Herring Gulls

Brant

Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 12/2/14 at 9:30am $2Members/$4Non-members
Happy Birding!

11.4.14 - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History - Tuesday Tweets

Lee Baldwin Trail & Museum Trail - Brewster, MA

The tides were not going to cooperate for a long-distance walk this morning, so we adapted like the birds.  We don't always have children on our walks and they always add their unique perspective and share their knowledge - it was refreshing!  Our first sighting this fall of Yellow-rumped Warblers, both male and female.  I feel I've FINALLY learned their call. 

I shall have to rely on Rick's spectacular photos - see below(THANK YOU RICK!!!) for the Belted Kingfisher sighting.  I just couldn't take my eyes off that bird! (double click photos below to enlarge)

Our List:

House Wren

Black-capped Chickadee

Downy Woodpecker

Blue Jay

American Crow

Coopers Hawk 

Mourning Dove

Yellow-rumped Warbler (female & male!)

American Goldfinch

Belted Kingfisher (!!!)

High tide waders

Yellow-rumped Warbler (photo credit: RICK)

Monkshood.  Aconite (Thanks Janice!)

Red-tailed Hawk

Belted Kingfisher (photo credit: RICK)

Belted Kingfisher (photo credit: RICK)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (photo credit: RICK)

Yellow-rumped Warbler (photo credit: RICK)

Downy Woodpecker

Thanks for the gorgeous photos Rick!
Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 11.18.14 at 9:30am $2Member/$4Non-member

Happy Birding!

 

10.28.14 - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History - Tuesday Tweets

John Wing Trail - Brewster, MA

 

It's always nice when there are new-comers to Tuesday Tweets!  So nice to meet you Alice! It also gives me a great feeling when folks return for the hour long bird walk, so thanks so much Rick & Marty!  When it is low tide on the marsh, I don't have to worry about our feet getting too wet, but we were not treated to any waterfowl that we might have been able to view had Quivett Creek been full.  Still, it was a lovely morning and there are a few photos to share.   Two photo credits to Rick, a repeat Tuesday Tweeter with a fancy schmancy camera & lens (THANK YOU RICK!!!)  A new species for Tuesday Tweets as well - see list and photos below.  Periodically we're also treated to Mammal watch on our walks - how lucky for us - THREE White-tailed Deer went bounding through the marsh in the distance.  SPECTACULAR!  

Also, thanks to museum staff &/or volunteers who recently installed a mini-boardwalk next to the mud puddle near the beach at one end of the John Wing Trail.  It is a HUGE help! (double click photos to enlarge)



Our List:

Blue Jay

Northern Cardinal

Tufted Titmouse

Great Blue Heron (only heard it though!)

House Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow (!!! a first for Tuesday Tweets!)

Northern Flicker

American Goldfinch

Black-capped Chickadee

White-breasted Nuthatch

House Sparrow (female)

 

White-crowned Sparrow (juvenile)

White-crowned Sparrow (juvenile)

House Sparrow (males)

 

House Sparrow (males) PHOTO CREDIT: Rick

 

White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer PHOTO CREDIT: Rick

Red Admiral Butterfly

John Wing Trail - looking south

Butterfly shadow

 

Next Opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 11.4.14 at 9:30am $2/Member $4/Non-member

Binoculars & shoes that can get muddy recommended! 

Happy Birding!

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

It's kind of funny when you wrongfully assume you may not see or hear many birds due to the weather, which is what I did this morning. It's as if I had a reverse jinx on our walk today. It didn't hurt that even though it was cloudy at the start of our walk - it was warm, and that warm sunshine broke through.  Many Fish Crow sightings this morning which makes me happy every time!  Something the Tuesday Tweeters can smile about: when I was headed back to the museum, I bumped into Sue, who does the bird banding: Check out her beautiful blog:CapeCodBander.  We had heard an unusual song when we paused at the calendar on Wing Island, and Gretchen, who assists Sue said they'd seen Myrtle Warblers... 
Well, when I asked Sue about it, they were using the Myrtle Warbler call on their devices to lure other birds!!! So we DID hear that song - but it was probably not the actual bird.  Sigh...
(double click on photos below to enlarge)

Our List:
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Sparrow
European Starling 
American Goldfinch
Great Blue Heron
American Crow
Downy Woodpecker (female)
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
Coopers Hawk
Fish Crow (!!!)
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Song Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
I feel guilty about the next one, because I saw them when I was just getting back to the museum... Cedar Waxwing (juveniles)

House Sparrow (male)

House Sparrow (female)

House Sparrow

House Sparrow (female)

House Sparrow (female) balancing in the marsh reeds

Northern Flicker silhouette in the distance - note the white rump

The boardwalk over the marsh to Wing Island

Welcoming trail

Staghorn Sumac, so pretty this time of year

Virginia creeper

Virginia creeper, creeping up the pitch pine

View of Cape Cod Museum of Natural History from the marsh

European Starling flock

Deciduous holly

 

Cedar Waxwing (juveniles) - sorry we didn't get to see them as a group!

Cedar Waxwing (juvenile)

Cedar Waxwing (juveniles)

Not sure why I love the moon so, but I do.

I'm still feeling guilty for spotting the Cedar Waxwings when I was just arriving back at the museum.  They weren't exactly posing for anyone, I was happy to get a tiny glimpse.  Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets 10/28: $2Members/$4Non-members

Happy Birding!