The 14th Annual Eastham Turnip Festival On Cape Cod Was A Huge Success!

Yesterday was  Eastham’s 14th Annual Turnip Festival which was a huge success. What a blast! There were hundreds of people there, enjoying everything there was to do from festival vendors selling everything you can think of,  live entertainment, activities and crafts for the kids, a Turnip Cook-Off, and the annual Turnip Shuck-Off. It was a real treat when Suzanne and Scotty from The Dunes Radio asked Phil and me to time the Shuck-Off contest. What a hoot!

In the cafeteria there was a Turnip Cook-Off provided by many of the area restaurants where you could sample a variety of turnip creations from Turnip Bisque, Turnip Popovers, Turnip Slaw, Turnip Bread, Turnip Baklava, Turnip Cannolis and much, much more. Everything was delicious! Jim Russo, Executive Director of the Eastham Chamber, was helping out behind the counter.

The Turnip Festival,  presented by the Eastham Library, was so much fun.  If you didn’t make it there this year, put it on your calendar for next year, but make sure you get there early! What a great event for the whole family!

 

Three Ponds Hike in Orleans On Cape Cod

We’ve had some gorgeous days for fall hiking here on Cape Cod. This Three Ponds hike is really pretty as it takes you along the lake’s edges and through the woods. It is a perfect hike for the whole family!

Phil took this photograph as I was enjoying the beautiful fall day along the trail, lost in my own thoughts…

Lots Of Arctic Terns On The Sandbar On Cape Cod

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.

Salt Pond Trail In Eastham On Cape Cod Was So Pretty

The trail along the Salt Pond by the National Seashore Visitor’s Center in Eastham was so pretty this fall day. You never know what you might see. The sun was shining brightly on Nauset Marsh. We even saw a few Cabbage White butterflies still flying about.

 

White-Winged Scoter At Coast Guard Beach On Cape Cod

As I was walking along Coast Guard Beach the other day, I saw something black swimming on the water, diving in amongst the waves. I thought maybe it was a Black Duck. I got my camera out and clicked away and only got a couple of photos as this bird was floating through the tall waves and diving into the ocean and very hard to see.

When I got home and looked on my computer, I noticed the white “comma” under his eye and knew it was not a Black Duck. To my surprise, it was a White-Winged Scoter which I had never seen before. What a treat!

The White-Winged Scoter is a medium sized duck that is mostly black except for a white eye patch shaped like a comma. It has an orange bill with a black knob and red-orange legs and feet. It dives up to 40 down and feeds primarily on shellfish.

Have you ever seen a White-Winged Scoter?

 

 

Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.