Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary

Free Conference Examines State of Wellfleet Harbor

Each year the State of Wellfleet Harbor conference highlights issues that are important to the entire Cape as well as to Wellfleet Harbor and nearby natural resources. The conference draws experts from the Cape and beyond who cover subjects about which they have special knowledge and experience. This year's conference will be held at the Wellfleet Elementary School on Saturday, November 6, with registration beginning at 8:30.The conference is free and open to all; advance registration is not required.

Subjects to be included in this year's conference include:
    * What filter feeding bi-valves really eat
    * Important diseases of oysters and quahogs
    * Mercury Contamination in Wellfleet Ponds
    * Sand Transport on Beaches
    * Sediment Transport in Salt Marshes
    * Some Causes of Salt Marsh Dieback in Wellfleet
    * Herring River Restoration Alternatives and Modeling Results

There will also be poster sessions. Ample time will be allowed for questions and the voicing of citizen concerns about the health of the harbor.

We encourage you to make time in your fall schedule for this interesting and informative conference! You can see the full agenda here (sign in to Google documents required).

The Much-Loved Bluebird

Mass Audubon's Ashumet Holly Wildlife Sanctuary in East Falmouth near Rt. 151 is well known for its 65 varieties of holly trees planted throughout the sanctuary and rare wildflowers that bloom in late summer. You’ll find a flurry of activity near the small barn in August with resident barn swallows and colorful bluebirds. The Eastern Bluebirds can be found around the many nest boxes on the western side of the sanctuary.  Bluebirds are known for singing a melodious series of soft whistled notes.

The bluebird is a very popular and beloved sight on Cape Cod.  This brightly colored bird with its vibrant blue and chestnut colored body is most frequently seen in open woodlands, meadows, and grassy fields.  They often make their nests in man-made nesting boxes and natural tree cavities.  A hundred years ago when the Cape was covered with farm fields, bluebirds had plenty of habitat, but those meadows were erased with the return of forests.  Thanks to many local efforts, bluebirds are returning to Cape Cod with a growing number of bluebird trails with a series of nest boxes mounted on fence posts.

The Cape Cod Bird Club (CCBC) has volunteers that monitor eastern bluebird nestbox trails in four locations on the Cape. Their monitoring does help the bluebirds and other native cavity-nesting species succeed.  CCBC monitors nestbox trails at Crowes Pasture in East Dennis (14 boxes), and at Thompson’s Field (24 boxes), Bank Street Bogs (44 boxes) and Texeira Field (8 boxes) in Harwich, amounting to more than 80 boxes in total!  All sites are also being surveyed for bird and other animal species, as well as plants.  The Harwich Conservation Trust and CCBC have combined to create a bluebird trail in Harwich at the Bank Street Bogs which features 44 nest boxes on 60 acres of conservation land just south of Route 39. 

Enjoy,

Craig Gibson
Woods Hole

The Sparrow of Cape Marshes

For most birders, the task of identifying Sparrows is daunting and challenging!  However, only a small handful of sparrows are typically found in grassy marshes.  The Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow is a common summer breeding bird in Massachusetts.  This sparrow is mostly found in coastal salt marsh habitats.  The images below are from a recent trip to South Beach in Chatham.  Saltmarsh Sparrows are known to be quite secretive as they forage in the marsh for food.  Their song is made up of a series of sweet, soft gurgling notes.

According to The Sibley Field Guide for Eastern North America, the Saltmarsh (Sharp-tailed) Sparrow is “a rather long-billed sparrow with a bright orange triangle on its face, usually distinct dark streaks on its breast, relatively dark gray-brown back with white stripes, and gray crown.”  The Mass Audubon Breeding Bird Atlas mentions that “most migrant Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows arrive during the last week in May. Nesting starts almost immediately in the wide, flat swales of the soft green Salt-hay.  They tend to form loose colonies with little or no courtship behavior prior to nesting. The nests are neat, cup-shaped structures placed on the ground or tucked under tufts of grass.”

This sparrow is a "species of conservation concern" for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well for a number of coastal states.  The Saltmarsh Sparrow's limited range and shrinking habitat concern conservationists. A National Audubon report states that “on top of habitat losses caused by commercial development, the Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow is impacted by toxic environments and the invasion of exotic plant species.  Extensive, healthy marshlands dominated by grasses are essential for the Saltmarsh Sparrow.  The Mass Audubon online Cape Cod Weekly Bird Sightings recently reported 11 horned larks, 300 tree swallows, and 18 saltmarsh sparrows at South Beach in Chatham.

Enjoy,

Craig Gibson
Woods Hole

Jewel of Cape Gardens - Ruby-throated Hummingbird

August is perhaps the most exciting time to feed and observe Hummingbirds as their southward migration is at its peak this month.  The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the most common hummingbird on Cape Cod and is seen in gardens and at nectar feeders.  Hummingbirds are attracted to bright red flowers like the perennial cardinal flower in the photo. 

This  young male has a glittering emerald green crown and upperparts, grayish white underparts, a red gorget feather and a lot of reddish wash on the flanks, as well as the typical long slightly downcurved bill.  These hummingbirds typically are about 3.5 to 4 inches in length with a 4.5 inch wingspan.  Hummingbirds use their long bill and tongue to probe blooming flowers for nectar and sweetened water from backyard feeders.  They also feed on small insects and spiders.  If you listen closely, you may hear its call which consists of a series of rapid squeaky chipping notes. 

The Ruby-throated is the only hummingbird to breed east of the Mississippi River.  It is usually found in open, mixed woodlands and backyard flower gardens from May until September.  These feather-weight avian creatures are known to fly as fast as 60 miles an hour with wing beats as fast as 80 beats per second.  This young male ruby-throated hummingbird was observed in a beautiful garden overlooking Falmouth Harbor.

Enjoy,

Craig Gibson
Woods Hole

A Prized Cape Resident--the Least Tern

On many protected barrier beaches you may find Least Terns feeding and raising their new chicks alongside Piping Plovers.  Their nests usually consist of a shallow scrape on a sandy beach. Least Terns are the smallest terns and have gray upperparts, white underparts, a black cap and nape, a white forehead, and an orange-yellow bill with a dark tip.  Stay clear of their nests as they are very protective and will take a sharp dive directly at any and all intruders while making lots of screeching noises.

According to the Mass. Natural Heritage Endangered Species program, the Least Tern breeds along the Atlantic coast and also in inland locations along major rivers. On Cape Cod, Least Terns arrive in early May to nest in coastal locations and typically depart in early September for their winter grounds in Central and South America. In Massachusetts, the Least Tern is considered a species of special concern along with many other bird species that face of a variety of threats and risks to their natural habitats.

In a recent Cape Cod Times article, Vern Laux notes that “terns have recently fledged young and are appearing in greater numbers than a week ago on Cape Cod beaches. The young terns are learning to fly and how to dive into the water and capture live fish. It takes years to learn how to "plunge-dive" and decades to perfect the technique. This image from Black Beach in Falmouth shows an adult Least Tern returning to the nest with a live fish.

Enjoy,

Craig Gibson
Woods Hole