9.27.17  Yarmouth Park & Recreation Bird Walks - Flax Pond
South Yarmouth, MA

I was wondering how much the fog would affect our walk this morning.  I was prepared for it to affect whatever photos I was lucky enough to get, learning from yesterday's Tuesday Tweets.  I take the photos primarily to help with identification upon further investigation when I can enlarge them later at home.  They also are a nice visual reminder of our time. 

We had a great walk through the Flax Pond Trails, looking and listening for feathered friends while in the woods.  We were quickly treated to a few species immediately and soon after that, to both a Northern Flicker and an pair of Eastern Phoebes.  I had originally identified the birds as a type of Flycatcher (which they ARE in the same family as Eastern Wood-Pewees, Willow Flycatchers & Alder Flycatchers).  The particular Phoebes we saw were exhibiting their tell tale behavior of tail flicking, along with utilizing the top of the fence to perch as they searched for bugs to feast upon.  They were fun to watch!

The woods were lovely in the fog, and even though I am no spider enthusiast...I do appreciate the artistry of their webs... as long as a giant one is not positioned anywhere I can see it!  The fog and moisture in the air allowed for spotting spider webs of different design, shape & position in every direction.  We have had a LOT of humidity here on the Cape with these hurricanes doing their thing, thankfully for us... most of it off shore this past week.

When we arrived near the end of our walk at the beach area of Flax Pond, we couldn't even see the other side of the pond's edge!  We could barely make out the edge of the tree tops.  It was eerie and cool at the same time!  The photo I took shows the crazy white-out condition (see below).  I'm looking forward to seeing & hearing new species as we continue this series of walks next month on 10.11.17.  (double click photos to enlarge)

Our List:
Blue Jay 
Tufted Titmouse
Downy Woodpecker
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
White-breasted Nuthatch

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Eastern Phoebe

Slug!

Northern Flicker

Eastern Phoebe

Can you spot the upside down silhouette
of the White-breasted Nuthatch?

Another nuthatch silhouette...
best I could do with the fog affecting the light

Love this upside-down one!

Bird Nerds in the fog!

Such pretty trails no matter what the weather!

FOGGY!

Dainty flowers beneath the lifeguard tower at the beach

I've been seeing so many types of mushrooms the past month or so!

Next opportunity for the bird walk at Flax Pond: 10.11.17 $10/person: click to register
Rain cancels the walk - I will decide by 8am if necessary
Happy Birding!

Join me this morning as I team up with 

Yarmouth Department of Parks & Recreation...

I'll be leading a bird walk beginning at 9am for about an hour.  Learn these wooded trails as we search for both local and migrant birds throughout the autumn months.  

$10/person click here to register

Strongly recommended: comfortable shoes for hiking, a hat, binoculars and bug spray

See you at Flax Pond!  We will meet at the gazebo...

Happy Birding!

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

We have been VERY fortunate on Cape Cod to have faired the hurricane season well...thus far.  What's been interesting, certainly in my yard, has been the quiet due to lack of birds last week while we were dealing with winds.  Sunday was one of those incredible & hard-to-believe-so-gorgeous-outside type of days!  There were birds all over our yard, grazing, feasting, bathing... They knew that particular storm had passed after five days of rain, mist & gusts.

We were certainly treated to several species on this Tuesday Tweets as well, and talk about a gift...we bumped into Sue Finnegan a Master Bird Bander!!!  I explained that the pouches around her neck each contained a different bird!  I felt like I could hear jaws dropping.  Sue generously shared an Alder Flycatcher with us on hand, IN HAND!!! (see photo below)  She does amazing work and I always get excited when we sneak in a quick visit with her in the field.  

Cape Cod Bay was showing of her shades again this morning and we decided to take a peek towards Quivett Creek as an alternative to looping around through the woods.  The mosquitoes have been numerous wherever I seem to go lately, so I didn't feel like swatting them away.  There was not much beach shore activity today when we reached the sands, but the sun came out and suddenly we had a summer bird walk in autumn...perfect.  (double click photos to enlarge)

Our List:

House Sparrow

American Crow

Northern Cardinal

Carolina Wrens
Black-capped Chickadee

Gray Catbird

Blue Jay

American Robin

American Goldfinch

Alder Flycatcher (!!!)

Northern Mockingbird

Cedat Waxwing

Tree Swallow

Double-crested Cormorant

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Mourning Dove

Eastern Towhee

Norther Flicker

House Sparrows

Salt Reed Grass / Big Cordgrass

Glasswort   AKA "sea pickle"

Empty Osprey nest with exterior greenery

Alder Flycatcher - THANK YOU
Sue Finnegan!!!

Sue Finnegan - Master Bird Bander

Old Man's Beard Lichen - a tell tale sign of healthy fresh air!

American Crow...communicating...

Song Sparrow

American Robin - juveniles (not one of my best photos...)

Enjoying our walk

Found feather covered with dew from the fog

Herring Gull

Asian Shore Crab

Gulls on the sandbars

Checking out Quivett Creek

Double-crested Cormorants

Colors get along nicely when the sea meets the shore

Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 10.10.17 9a  $4Members/$6Non-members
Happy Birding!

9.20.17  Flax Pond Bird Walk

I'm afraid we've had to cancel this walk due to the weather for this week... bummer.  Our next opportunity is only a week away though!  Hope to see you at Flax Pond in South Yarmouth in a week, 9.27 at 9am.

Stay safe during this storm, and don't forget feed the birds!

Happy Birding!

9.18.17  Bird Walks with Yarmouth Park & Recreation - Flax Pond Recreation Area

South Yarmouth, MA

I'm excited to be teaming up with the Town of Yarmouth for bird walks at Flax Pond this fall...Wednesdays: September 20 & 27, October 11 & 25, November 1 & 15.  Walks begin at 9am & are $10 per person.  Please register through the town by clicking here: BirdWalkRegister.

The walk this Wednesday may be in jeopardy due to weather, as rain cancels the walk.  I will make the decision by 8am and post it here on capecodbirdnerd.com, as well as capecodbirdnerd.org.  

Learn these trails, listen to the birds and see how alive these woods are!

Happy Birding!

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

It's not every bird walk I get a bonus assistant!  The trail we hike at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History is remarkable on its own.  When I get to share it with this many Bird Nerds for about an hour and a half, well, it just makes our experience that much more exceptional. The weather was pleasant, with little to no breeze, nice sunshine and perfect temperatures.  As we walked along the salt marsh boardwalk, we noticed that the Glasswort has turned its purpley autumn hue.  We could smell the leaf litter giving off a natural fertilizer scent and the birds shared their lovely songs and flighty moments with us.

I have never seen so many Eastern Phoebes on a bird walk before, and I had to believe, most of them were juveniles.  They seemed to be everywhere we paused on our brief journey.  We paused near the Groundsel trees, Goldenrod & Asters to listen to the busy bees buzzing along with their pollination business.  

Not one, but TWO Great Blue Herons gave us a graceful view across the shoreline of Cape Cod Bay and we walked along the sands discovering beachy treasures.  I also had the perfect surprise, because one of my aunties showed up for the walk as well.  Getting to share this walk of unique habitats with nature loving people really is the highlight of my morning.  September Tuesday Tweets tend to be some of the best of the year. (double click photos to enlarge)

Our List:
Gray Catbird
Tufted Titmouse
Osprey
Northern Cardinal
American Crow
European Starling
Blue Jay
Eastern Phoebe
Belted Kingfisher
American Goldfinch
Tree Swallow
Double-crested Cormorant
Canada Goose
Great Blue Heron
Herring Gull
Northern Mockingbird
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-winged Blackbird

Bird Nerds on the salt marsh

European Starlings flocking on the powerlines

Mud fiddler crab

Glasswort or "sea pickle" on the marsh, showing of its magenta fall color

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe

Bayberry, with berries

Rabbit on the trail

We heard buzzing bees at many spots throughout our walk this morning

Arriving on the dunes

Great Blue Heron & Canada Geese

Juvenile gull

The mudflats were calm, quiet & mostly empty today

Great Blue Heron - looks like something's up with
his/her leg the way it's dangling in flight

Auntie & me!

Beachy treasures, including a vertebrae!

Eastern Chipmunk desperately trying to camouflage

Eastern Phoebes

Red-winged Blackbird

My assistants for the morning!

Next opportunity for Tuesday Tweets: 9.26.17 at 9am. $4Members/$6Non-members
Happy Birding!