Bird Watcher's General Store

“A Cape Cod Destination Icon For 40 Years”

Cape Cod Weekly Wildlife Sightings

birds-flying

Cape Cod Weekly Wildlife Sightings is sponsored by the Bird Watchers General Store in Orleans and Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.

March 6 – March 12, 2024

A Bohemian Waxwing continued sporadically in Yarmouth Port this week, mostly keeping company with Cedar Waxwings.

A Townsend’s Solitaire continued at High Head in North Truro this week, and the Lark Sparrow continued at the Salt Pond visitor’s center in Eastham.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, a Black Guillemot, 254 Razorbills, 3 Common Murres, a Dovekie, a Thick-billed Murre, a Glaucous Gull, 25 Iceland Gulls, 25 Horned Larks, and 10 Tree Swallows.

Other sightings around the Cape included a Northern Shrike in Falmouth, a Semipalmated Plover in Hyannis, 2 Black-headed Gulls at Dowses Beach in Osterville, a Great Egret and a Tree Swallow in West Barnstable, a Dickcissel in Yarmouth Port, a Willet in Chatham, an American Bittern in Eastham, 2 Red Crossbills in Wellfleet, a Marsh Wren in North Truro, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Provincetown.

February 28 – March 5, 2024

A Townsend’s Solitaire continued at High Head in North Truro this week.

A Painted Bunting was reported from a yard in Dennis on Sunday.

The Western Kingbird and Lark Sparrow continued at the Salt Pond visitor’s center in Eastham this week.

Birds in a complex of cemeteries in Provincetown this weekend included a Snow Goose, a Clay-colored Sparrow, a Chipping Sparrow, and a mixed flock of blackbirds including Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and 2 Brown-headed Cowbirds.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included 5 Harlequin Ducks, a Black Guillemot, 87 Razorbills, a Common Murre, a Glaucous Gull, 7 Iceland Gulls, a Merlin, and 9 Tree Swallows.

Other sightings around the Cape included a continuing Northern Shrike at Crane WMA in Falmouth, 2 Black Vultures in Bourne, a Brown Thrasher and 2 Great Egrets in West Barnstable, a Semipalmated Plover in Hyannis, a Dickcissel and a Blue-winged Teal in Yarmouth Port, a Whimbrel in West Dennis, a Willet and an American Bittern in Chatham, and a Red Crossbill in Wellfleet.

February 14 – February 27, 2024

A Townsend’s Solitaire was photographed at High Head in North Truro this past weekend.

A Tufted Duck has been among the hundreds of Greater and Lesser Scaup at Long Pond in Harwich this week.

The Western Kingbird and Lark Sparrow continued at the Salt Pond visitor’s center in Eastham this week along with an Eastern Phoebe.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included 2 Pacific Loons, 2 Thick-billed Murres, 175 Razorbills, 9 Common Murres, a Black Guillemot, a Glaucous Gull, 11 Iceland Gulls, 20 Tree Swallows, and 23 Snow Buntings.

Other sightings around the Cape included 2 Black Vultures in Bourne and 3 more in Sandwich, a Yellow-breasted Chat in Falmouth, a Northern Shrike in Falmouth, a Semipalmated Plover in Hyannis, a Dickcissel in Yarmouth Port, an American Bittern in Chatham, and a Short-eared Owl and 2 Nelson’s Sparrows at Nauset Beach in Orleans.

February 7 – February 12, 2024

The Western Kingbird and Lark Sparrow continued at the Salt Pond visitor’s center in Eastham this week along with an Eastern Phoebe, and the Western Grebe also continued on Mashpee Pond.

Birds at Great Island in Wellfleet included an overwintering American Oystercatcher, 29 Black-bellied Plovers, 71 Ruddy Turnstones, 420 Sanderlings, and 850 Dunlin. 

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, 2 Thick-billed Murres, 115 Razorbills, 17 Common Murres, a Black Guillemot, 5 Black-legged Kittiwakes, a Glaucous Gull, 24 Iceland Gulls, and 11 Tree Swallows.

At nearby Provincetown Harbor there were 4 Harlequin Ducks, 2 Northern Pintail, a Red-necked Grebe, a Black Guillemot, a Thick-billed Murre, 2 Purple Sandpipers, and a Common Raven.

Other sightings around the Cape included a Rusty Blackbird and 2 Black Vultures in Sandwich, a Northern Shrike in Falmouth, 3 Great Egrets and a Saltmarsh Sparrow at Sandy Neck in Barnstable, a Semipalmated Plover in Hyannis, an American Bittern in Eastham, and a lingering Northern Waterthrush and 25 Pine Siskins in North Truro.

January 31 – February 6, 2024

The Western Kingbird and Lark Sparrow continued at the Salt Pond visitor’s center in Eastham this week along with an Eastern Phoebe.

The Western Grebe also continues on Mashpee Pond.

One of the Western Tanagers wintering at the Sandwich end of the canal was reported from the Sandwich Marina this week.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, a Sooty Shearwater, 25 Razorbills, 3 Common Murres, 6 Iceland Gulls, and 3 Tree Swallows.

At nearby Provincetown Harbor there were 4 Harlequin Ducks, a Thick-billed Murre, a Common Murre, and a Black Guillemot.

Birds in the Hyannis area included 2 Black-headed Gulls, a Semipalmated Plover, a Black Vulture, and a Palm Warbler.

Other sightings around the Cape included a Rusty Blackbird in Barnstable; single Glaucous Gulls in Barnstable and Wellfleet; a Western Willet in Chatham and another in West Dennis; a Short-eared Owl and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Chatham; a Yellow-breasted Chat and a Baltimore Oriole in East Orleans; other Yellow-breasted Chats in West Yarmouth and Wellfleet; 3 Long-billed Dowitchers at Fort Hill in Eastham; a Clay-colored Sparrow elsewhere in Eastham; and 2 Orange-crowned Warblers in North Truro.

January 24 – January 30, 2024

A Greater White-fronted Goose was at the head of Muddy Creek in Chatham on Monday.

The Western Kingbird and Lark Sparrow continued at the Salt Pond visitor’s center in Eastham this week.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included 3 Pacific Loons, a Pomarine Jaeger, 4 Thick-billed Murre, 950 Razorbills, 442 Common Murres, 95 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 28 Iceland Gulls, and 20 Snow Buntings. At nearby MacMillan Pier there were 4 Harlequin Ducks and a Black Guillemot.

Birds in the Hyannis area included a Black-headed Gull, a Semipalmated Plover, a Black Vulture, and a Palm Warbler.

Other sightings around the Cape included 2 Rusty Blackbirds in Sandwich, a Western Willet in Chatham and another in West Dennis, 2 Piping Plovers at Seagull Beach in Dennis, a Short-eared Owl in Chatham, an American Bittern at Fort Hill in Eastham, a Clay-colored Sparrow and an Orange-crowned Warbler elsewhere ion Eastham, another Orange-crowned Warbler in Brewster, a Killdeer in Orleans, a Lincoln’s Sparrow at Wellfleet Bay sanctuary, and 3 American Woodcocks in Truro.

January 17 – January 23, 2024

A Golden-crowned Sparrow was discovered in a private yard in Chatham this week, representing just the second Cape record of this west coast species and the first since 1980.

The Western Grebe continued at Mashpee-Wakeby Pond this week.

Despite the freezing weather, two Rufous Hummingbirds continue to be seen at Town Cove in Orleans as well as a nearby house with a heated feeder.

Two Western Tanagers continued this week near Scusset Beach reservation and Sandwich Marina, while another continued near Highland Light in Truro and yet another was discovered in Eastham near Coast Guard Beach.

The Western Kingbird and Lark Sparrow continued at the Salt Pond visitor’s center in Eastham this week.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, a Thick-billed Murre, a Common Murre, and a Glaucous Gull.

Birds in the Hyannis area included a Black-headed Gull, a Killdeer, a Semipalmated Plover, and an Orange-crowned Warbler.

Other sightings around the Cape included up to 20 Rusty Blackbirds in Sandwich, an Indigo Bunting at a feeder in Forestdale, a Great Egret at Sandy Neck in Barnstable, a Western Willet in Chatham and another in West Dennis, a Short-eared Owl in West Dennis, a Dickcissel in a private yard elsewhere in Wellfleet, single American Woodcocks in Wellfleet and Truro, 25 Tree Swallows in North Truro, and a Bohemian Waxwing in Provincetown.

January 10 – January 16, 2024

The Western Grebe continued at Mashpee-Wakeby Pond this week.

Up to two Rufous Hummingbirds continue to be seen at Town Cove in Orleans.

Two Western Tanagers continued this week near Scusset Beach reservation and Sandwich Marina, while another continued near Highland Light in Truro.

The Western Kingbird, Lark Sparrow, and Yellow-throated Warbler continued at the Salt Pond visitor’s center in Eastham this week along with an Eastern Phoebe.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, 3 Harlequin Ducks, a Thick-billed Murre, 128 Razorbills, 5 Common Murres, 2 Dovekies, and 28 Iceland Gulls.

Other sightings around the Cape included 2 Black Vultures in Bourne, a Northern Shrike in Falmouth, a Black-headed Gull and a Semipalmated Plover in Hyannis, 2 Killdeer at Barnstable Airport, a Snowy Egret and a Great Egret at Barnstable Harbor, 2 American Woodcock and 3 Rusty Blackbirds in West Barnstable, a Glaucous Gull in West Dennis, a Western Willet in Chatham, a Lincoln’s Sparrow at Wellfleet Bay sanctuary, a Dickcissel and a Sora in a private yard elsewhere in Wellfleet, and 2 Tree Swallows in Truro.

January 3 – January 9, 2024

A Western Grebe was discovered at Mashpee-Wakeby Pond this week.
A Rufous Hummingbird was seen briefly on Friday in Orleans, then it turned out two had been visiting a nearby feeder for at least a month.

The onslaught of Western Tanagers continues, with two seen together near Scusset Beach reservation and across the canal at the Sandwich Marina, plus another continuing near Highland Light in Truro. Most sightings of these rare visitors have been in cedars where they are feeding with robins.

The Western Kingbird, Lark Sparrow, and Yellow-throated Warbler continued at the Salt Pond visitor’s center in Eastham this week along with an Eastern Phoebe.
Highlights from the Truro Christmas Bird Count held on the 2nd included the aforementioned Western Tanager from Highland Light area, an American Oystercatcher at Great Island in Wellfleet, a Northern Waterthrush at High Head, 2 Sora along the Pamet River, and at least 130 Tree Swallows.

The Nor’easter over the weekend brought some seabirds close to shore in the bay, including 6 Pomarine Jaegers, an Atlantic Puffin, 3 Thick-billed Murres, 86 Dovekies, and 600 Black-legged Kittiwakes at First Encounter Beach in Eastham.
Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included an amazing 4 Pacific Loons, a Harlequin Duck, 430 Razorbills, a Thick-billed Murre, 18 Common Murres, and 12 Tree Swallows.

Other sightings around the Cape included a Thick-billed Murre in Sandwich, a Black-headed Gull and a Semipalmated Plover in Hyannis, 2 Killdeer in Centerville, a Snowy Egret and a Great Egret at Barnstable Harbor, a Glaucous Gull in West Dennis, a Western Willet in Chatham, an American Bittern in Nauset Marsh, 4 Chipping Sparrows in Eastham, late House Wrens in Eastham and Truro, a Dickcissel at a feeder in Wellfleet, and a Blue-headed Vireo in Truro.

January 3 – January 9, 2024

A Western Grebe was discovered at Mashpee-Wakeby Pond this week.

A Rufous Hummingbird was seen briefly on Friday in Orleans, then it turned out two had been visiting a nearby feeder for at least a month.

The onslaught of Western Tanagers continues, with two seen together near Scusset Beach reservation and across the canal at the Sandwich Marina, plus another continuing near Highland Light in Truro. Most sightings of these rare visitors have been in cedars where they are feeding with robins.

The Western Kingbird, Lark Sparrow, and Yellow-throated Warbler continued at the Salt Pond visitor’s center in Eastham this week along with an Eastern Phoebe.

Highlights from the Truro Christmas Bird Count held on the 2nd included the aforementioned Western Tanager from Highland Light area, an American Oystercatcher at Great Island in Wellfleet, a Northern Waterthrush at High Head, 2 Sora along the Pamet River, and at least 130 Tree Swallows.

The Nor’easter over the weekend brought some seabirds close to shore in the bay, including 6 Pomarine Jaegers, an Atlantic Puffin, 3 Thick-billed Murres, 86 Dovekies, and 600 Black-legged Kittiwakes at First Encounter Beach in Eastham.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included an amazing 4 Pacific Loons, a Harlequin Duck, 430 Razorbills, a Thick-billed Murre, 18 Common Murres, and 12 Tree Swallows.

Other sightings around the Cape included a Thick-billed Murre in Sandwich, a Black-headed Gull and a Semipalmated Plover in Hyannis, 2 Killdeer in Centerville, a Snowy Egret and a Great Egret at Barnstable Harbor, a Glaucous Gull in West Dennis, a Western Willet in Chatham, an American Bittern in Nauset Marsh, 4 Chipping Sparrows in Eastham, late House Wrens in Eastham and Truro, a Dickcissel at a feeder in Wellfleet, and a Blue-headed Vireo in Truro.

If you have questions about these sightings, or want to report a sighting, call the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary at 508-349-2615 or send e-mail to cape.sightings@massaudubon.org.