Cape Cod RBA
June 21, 2006
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2006 13:32:34 -0400
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From: Dan Berard <dberard@massaudubon.org>
Subject: [BIRDEAST] Cape Cod, MA - 21 June 2006
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- RBA
* Massachusetts
* Cape Cod
* June 21, 2006
* MACC0606.21
-Birds mentioned
American Bittern
Snowy Egret
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Piping Plover
American Oystercatcher
Whimbrel
Lesser Yellowlegs
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Little Gull
Sandwich Tern
Roseate Tern
Black Tern
Great Horned Owl
Orchard Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Salt-marsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Song Sparrow
-Transcript
hotline: Cape Cod Natural History Hotline
date: June 21,2006
number: 1-888-224-6444 ext. 3
to report: 508-349-2615 (sightings@wellfleetbay.org)
coverage: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
compiler: Melissa Lowe and/or Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary Staff
As spring turns into summer, mating rituals and nest building turn into
young birds running around entertaining humans and annoying their avian
parents. Young PIPING PLOVERS that nest on the beaches of the Cape are
growing to become medium sized cotton balls and some should start flying
soon. Other young that have been seen are many fledgling RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRDS around Goose Pond on the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. As
reported last week, the young GREAT HORNED OWLS are still out and about on
the sanctuary, however, they have grown tired of being harassed by crows and
are now becoming quite skilled at hiding.
To continue the trend of young birds seen, on a Mass Audubon trip to North
Monomoy on June 21 a young GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL was following around one
of its parents and offered excellent views to all present. Of even more
interest to many was a young AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER trying to make its way
up a sand bank to join its parents at the top, who were whistling
encouraging remarks. An immature bird also seen on North Monomoy today was
an immature BALD EAGLE that made several passes over the gull and tern
colony and was promptly mobbed by gulls and terns. Non-young or immature
birds seen on North Monomoy today include: one whimbrel, four SALT-MARSH
SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS and two SNOWY EGRETS. An interesting trait of the
SALT-MARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW was observed today. SALT-MARSH SHARP-TAILED
SPARROWS are often not seen because they prefer to run rather than fly, and
one individual was seen running from the grasses down to the ocean and
started bathing. To complement his unique running style a SONG SPARROW
joined him, and all were able to see that the SONG SPARROW has a “hoppy” way
of running while the SALT-MARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW has more of “shorebird”
way of running.
North Monomoy wasn’t the only place that had interesting sightings. At
Pilgrim Heights in Truro an AMERICAN BITTERN was seen on June 21. On June
18, also in Truro, a BLACK GUILLEMOT was seen very close to shore. Two
ORCHARD ORIOLES, one LESSER YELLOWLEGS, two BALD EAGLES, and a male NORTHERN
HARRIER were seen on June 17 at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. A
SANDWICH TERN was also seen from Tern Island and two times from Provincetown
this week. Also from Provincetown this week were an adult LITTLE GULL,
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, ROSEATE TERN, and BLACK TERN.
The Cape Cod Natural History Hotline is sponsored by the Bird Watcher's
General Store in Orleans and the Massachusetts Audubon Society's Wellfleet
Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. You may reach the hotline directly by phone at
1-888-224-6444 or through the Internet at
http://www.massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay
- End transcript
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