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!