We got up and out early so we could go birding yesterday morning at low tide, knowing it was supposed to rain all weekend. Our first stop was Boat Meadow Beach and it ended up being our last stop. There was so much to see!
Besides the skies being spectacular, the shore birds kept flying in. We saw a flock of Brants in the distance. Along the far shore were 2 Oystercatchers rummaging around in the sand and grass. They were the first Oystercatchers that we’ve seen this year, and never at Boat Meadow. I love their black heads and their bright orange bills.
While we were checking out all of the 12-15 Greater Yellowlegs scurrying along the shore, a flock of about 20 Sanderlings flew in and landed on the shore. All the while the 6 black and white Buffleheads dove in and out of the water looking for food.
I’d say it was a pretty awesome morning. What do you think?
I kept seeing glimpses of yellow feeding at the Mealworm feeder that is usually only used by the Bluebirds. Hmmm… It looked very much like a American Goldfinch but they don’t eat at that feeder and the coloring was a bit off.
Phil and I had downloaded the IBird Pro app on our phones a while back which we love. A few weeks ago we discovered that it has a new feature called Sleith Photo Recognizer. You open the app, take a photo of the bird and it will recognize it for you. Many times I will have a photo on my camera or my computer, so I take a photo of that. It is awesome! And it has identified all of the birds that I did not know.
So, I went to the Sleuth Photo Recognizer and it identified it as a Pine Warbler. Amazing! I had never seen one here on Cape Cod before, so I added it to my iBird Pro Backyard List.
I can’t wait until it gets a bit warmer and we can head up to Provincetown for a picnic on Beech Forest Trail, part of the National Seashore just outside of the center of Provincetown. It is such a pretty trail over a boardwalk where you can see many different species of birds, through the forest and around Blackwater Pond. It’s a “must” if you’re in the Provincetown area!
And there, at the end of the trail is the perfect picnic table to relax and enjoy nature.
This Black-capped Chickadee was enjoying a drink at the little birdbath which we put in our yard last summer, thinking the little chipmunks and squirrels would like it to get a drink. Little did we know that birds of all sizes from the little Chickadees to the Northern Flickers love it too!
It was such a treat to see both the male and female Brown-headed Cowbirds in our yard searching for seed. I haven’t seen them since last summer. You can see in the 2nd photograph how different the male and female look.
The male Brown-headed Cowbird is a small blackbird with a glossy brown head, a thick bill, and dark eyes. Its black body has a slight green sheen. It walks on the ground foraging for food. The female is all brown with a thick bill, as you can see in the 2nd photograph.
Have you ever seen a Brown-headed Cowbird?
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
