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

Rain typically cancels Tuesday Tweets... but it was lightly raining and the bird enthusiasts who decided to come were anxious to get on the trail, rain or no rain... so we did!  The forest gave enough of a canopy for rain protection, although we had a slightly quiet walk, bird-wise.  Heavier rains were in the forecast for later and the following day so perhaps the birds were laying low and finding shelter.  The photos are all from the trail.  The brief glimpses of birds that we encountered were not long enough for me to get photos, but one of the Tuesday Tweeters, who had a MUCH fancier camera than mine, said he would send me photos.  (double click on photos to enlarge)

Our List:
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Grey Catbird
Blue Jay
Tree Swallow
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
American Crow

Poison Ivy vine

Cedar trees on the trail

Looking southward over the marsh

 

Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 10.14.14 $2Members/$4Non-members

Happy Birding!

9.26.14 - Private Walk - Massasoit State Park
East Taunton, MA

It's pretty cool when you can meet an old friend for lunch and work a hike in the wilderness into the deal.  That's exactly what I did with my friend Lisa... We used to co-own a pet sitting company (Pawsitively Purrfect Pet Care) many years back.  When people ask me how I became so interested in birds, one of the reasons I give them, among many, is from this time frame in my life.  Lisa & I also had daily walks for dogs incorporated into our business, and I would see and hear SO MANY BIRDS on those walks!  It would frustrate me that I didn't know some of the species' names.  So I got myself some bird guides and when I had the time, I simply sit and read them.  Being outside with the birds is the best way to learn though I feel.  It was on this particular walk that we saw a VEERY!!!  (photo below) My first on a bird walk! (double click on images to enlarge) 

Upcoming class: Birdwatching For Beginners 10.9.14 at 10am
Upcoming walk: Tuesday Tweets 10.14.14 at 9:30am
both at Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster, MA

Our List:
Blue Jay
Eastern Towhee
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Veery!!!

Autumn hues at Massasoit State Park

Made me think of Monet

 Veery

Veery

 

Wood Frog

 

Next opportunity for Birdwatching For Beginners: 10.9.14
Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 10.14.14
Both offered at Cape Cod Museum of Natural History - Brewster, MA

Happy Birding!

9.21.14 - Cape Cod Bird Festival - Cape Cod Bird Club - John Wing Trail
Brewster, MA

Heading out on the bird walk, we heard several "customers"(birds) as I like to call them, and lots of busy songs and calls filled the thickets surrounding the John Wing Trail.  We were fortunate to also catch a decent glimpse of a Red-tailed Hawk who was resting and perhaps hunting over the edge of the marsh. (double click photos to enlarge).  Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets is 9.30.14 at 9:30am. 
Our List:
Gray Catbird
Eastern Towhee
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
Turkey Vulture
Black-capped Chickadee
American Crow
Northern Flicker
Red-tailed Hawk

Eastern Towhee

Eastern Towhee

John Wing Trail - on the island

John Wing Monument

Nest along the trail

Red-tailed Hawk 

Red-tailed Hawk

 

Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History is 9.30.14 at 9:30am $2Member/$4Non-member

Happy Birding!

9.16.14 - Cape Cod Museum of Natural History - Tuesday Tweets

John Wing Trail - Brewster, MA

 

It was a Rain or Shine kind of morning... and thankfully, there was plenty of SHINE!  If you've never been to the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, do not underestimate the wonder of the trails.  Birds are always there, not always in the same number each day, but they are there.  When it comes to foliage, it can often work against the most avid bird nerd, and today was one of those days.  We heard more than we saw, although, we DID make it to the water - always a goal, but not always attainable due to the birds along the way.  It was a VERY quiet morning, although our bird watching, turned mostly into bird listening.

 

Our List:

Northern Cardinal

Blue Jay

American Crow

Song Sparrow

Gray Catbird

Eastern Towhee

Black-capped Chickadee

Great Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Cormorants

 



John Wing Trail

 

Song Sparrow

Cormorants & Gulls on the distant sand bar at the mouth of Quivet Creek

 

Next Opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 9.30.14 9:30am $2Members/$4Non-members

Happy Birding!

9.9.14 - Bird Nerd Moment

Yarmouth, MA

 

I know that not everyone appreciates House Sparrows...they were introduced from Europe in the mid 1800's and basically have taken over.  They are considered invasive and so an annoyance to many.  Human beings are pretty good at screwing up local ecology, often unwittingly...

Even so, our felines do so enjoy the goings on of the House Sparrows that visit our yard, along with Song Sparrows, Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinals, Downy Woodpeckers, American Goldfinch, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, Dark-eyed Junco, Mourning Dove, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Eastern Towhees and the occasional Coopers Hawk.  Having a feeder is great entertainment, yeah... no doubt frustration, for indoor cats.  Here they are getting their feline fix...

Leeland & Krejci

I believe "Happy Birding" would mean something entirely different to these two...

9.8.14 - Private Walk - Crowes Pasture



East Dennis, MA

 

Even though an afternoon walk may not be the most prolific when considering bird sightings, being outdoors and walking towards Cape Cod Bay, is nothing to be disappointed about.  We were fighting the breeze on this hike, which means the birds were either fighting it too, or resting to conserve energy.  We did manage to get brief visits along our woodsy - beachy way. (double-click on images below to enlarge)

Our List:

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Downy Woodpecker

Eastern Kingbird

Gray Catbird

American Robin

Mourning Dove

Double Crested Cormorant

Semipalmated Plover

Great Black-backed Gull

American Crow

Greater Yellowlegs

American Goldfinch

Northern Flicker

Song Sparrow

 

Mourning Dove

  

         Semipalmated Plover

Double-crested Cormorants & Great Black

American Goldfinch (female or juvenile)

Gray Catbird

Song Sparrow

 

Happy Birding!

9.5.14 - Private Walk - Bayside Beach

Dennis, MA

 

Living on Cape Cod allows you to bask in the glory of September.  There are fewer places I treasure more than Cape Cod Bay, and having an opportunity to spend some time identifying shore birds (tricky stuff) that visit and/or live there... well, it's the definition of delightful for me.  One of the best ways to learn to ID shore birds is by habitat foraging choice.  Some prefer to dash about at the edge of the waves, while others prefer to be on the sandy beach, although today we saw several species wading in the mudflats on the sandbars, probing with their wild beaks.  We got SO close sometimes!  The next time you walk at low tide and carefully scan the rocky parts of the tidal flats.. .you will be AMAZED at how many birds you will see!  It's like a tiny natural gift, once you realize they are all around you waiting to be discovered.  Not to mention, their beautiful calls and songs will fill you with beach-y happiness.

 

Our List:

Semipalmated Plover

Herring Gull

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Laughing Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

American Crow

Ring-billed Gull

Ruddy Turnstone (!!!) - my first!

Sanderling

 



Sanderlings & Semipalmated Sandpipers

Semipalmated Sandpipers

Sanderling

Sanderling

Ruddy Turnstone & Herring Gull

Ruddy Turnstone

Sanderlings & Semipalmated Sandpiper

CAMOUFLAGE!

How many birds can you count in this photo?

Ruddy Turnstone

 

Herring Gull & Sanderling

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Sanderling (top) & Semipalmated Sandpiper

 

Ruddy Turnstone

 

Happy Birding, on the shore, or wherever it is you are!