I haven’t been able to get a really good photograph of a Swan since we moved to Cape Cod 2 years ago. They are usually too far away to get a good shot or the lighting isn’t right. When hiking a couple of weeks ago, there was a male, a female and a juvenile swan swimming in one of the little kettle ponds along our hike. I thought, “This is my lucky day!”
I clicked away and when I got home , it was the juvenile Swan who stole my heart. I just loved this photograph of the younger, not quite white Swan with similar coloring of the water.
As Phil and I were taking a walk down Coast Guard Beach a couple of weeks ago when the temps were in the lower 70s, we saw something lying on the sand. Hmmm….
As we got closer I could see that it was a Common Eider just relaxing in the sun and not bothered by anyone. We clicked away. After a little while, he got up and sauntered back down to the water.
A Common Eider has a white back and black undersides with a black crown. They have a very distinctive bill, as you can see. I’d only seen them a couple of times last year in the water, so this was a big treat!
There were so many birds flying over the water and then diving in off of Nauset Spit the other day. The fish must have been very plentiful right there. It looks like there were many different species of birds enjoying their feast!
This photograph only captures a small percentage of the birds diving and feeding there. Have you ever seen anything like this?
The sandbar off of Coast Guard Beach, part of the National Seashore in Eastham, was filled with Arctic Terns. They would stand there for a bit and then all fly off and then all fly back again. I’d never seen so many congregate in one space like that. It was pretty cool. Maybe they were migrating from the Arctic on their way to points further south.
Arctic Terns are grey and white with a black head and a red bill and short red legs and feet. They are very distinct looking.
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
