The first Ospreys and Piping Plover were reported this week, including an Osprey trying to reclaim its nest from a pair of Bald Eagles at Cedar Pond in Orleans.

Single, very early Common Terns were reported in Chatham and Mashpee this week, and the first American Oystercatcher was reported from North Falmouth.

Two Black-headed Gulls continued at Craigville Beach in Barnstable along with a Glaucous Gull. Another, or perhaps the same Glaucous Gull was at Dowse’s Beach in Osterville again this week.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included 3 Pacific Loons, 15 Common Murres, 450 Razorbills, 35 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 60 Iceland Gulls, a Glaucous Gull, and 2 Common Redpolls.

Other sightings around the Cape include a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Sandwich, a Semipalmated Plover and a Great Egret in Hyannis, 7 Red Crossbills in Dennis, a Willet and an early Tree Swallow in Harwich, 6 Black Vultures in Orleans, and a Pine Siskin in Wellfleet.

Two Black-headed Gulls were at Craigville Beach in Barnstable and a Glaucous Gull was at Dowse’s Beach in Osterville this week.
Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included 2 Pacific Loons, 480 Sanderlings, 280 Dunlin, 30 Common Murres, a Thick-billed Murre, 190 Razorbills, 150 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 39 Iceland Gulls, a Glaucous Gull, and an American Pipit.
Other sightings around the Cape include, single Marsh Wrens in Mashpee and Eastham, 3 Northern Pintails in Marstons Mills, a Semipalmated Plover in Hyannis, single Great Egrets in Dennis and Orleans, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Brewster, 15 Red Crossbills in South Wellfleet, and a Eurasian Green-winged Teal in North 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.

A Clapper Rail was in Bell’s Neck Conservation Area in West Harwich on the 24^th.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, 7 Common Murres, 240 Razorbills, 15 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 43 Iceland Gulls, a Glaucous Gull, 70 Snow Buntings, 2 Common Redpolls, and 41 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Other sightings around the Cape include 2 Chipping Sparrows in Falmouth, a Marsh Wren in Mashpee, 3 Northern Pintails in Marstons Mills, a continuing Black-headed Gull in Hyannis, a Great Egret in Yarmouth, a Clay-colored Sparrow in Dennis, 3 Killdeer in Harwich, 2 Western Willets continuing at Forest Beach in Chatham, 2 Killdeer and 43 Horned Larks at Chatham airport, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Eastham, 5 Red Crossbills in Truro, and a Thick-billed Murre in Provincetown Harbor.

Cape Cod Weekly Wildlife Sightings is sponsored by the Bird Watchers General Store in Orleans and Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. The following sightings were reported between February 15 and February 21, 2023.

A Townsend’s Warbler, a species of western North America, was photographed in a private backyard in West Barnstable on the 8th.

The first Killdeer have begun to return, with up to three reported from various open grassy places like schools and airports.

Sightings at High Head in North Truro included a Eurasian Green-winged Teal, 50 Greater Scaup, 5 American Woodcocks, a Northern Saw-whet Owl, 2 Gray Catbirds, a Fox Sparrow, an Eastern Towhee, and 2 White-crowned Sparrows

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, 16 Common Murres, 2 Thick-billed Murres, 900 Razorbills, a Black Guillemot, 25 Iceland Gulls, a Glaucous Gull, and 2 Common Ravens.

Other sightings around the Cape include 11 Black Vultures in Bourne; a continuing Black-headed Gull in Hyannis; Great Egrets in Yarmouth; single Baltimore Orioles in South Yarmouth, East Harwich, Falmouth and elsewhere; a Clay-colored Sparrow in Dennis; 2 Western Willets continuing at Forest Beach in Chatham; a Short-eared Owl in Orleans; 20 Red Crossbills in Wellfleet; and an Evening Grosbeak in Provincetown.

Cape Cod Weekly Wildlife Sightings is sponsored by the Bird Watchers General Store in Orleans and Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. The following sightings were reported between February 8 and February 14, 2023.

A Varied Thrush was photographed in a backyard in Sandwich on the 8th.

The Western Grebe continued on Mashpee Pond this week, two Western Willets continued at Forest Beach in Chatham, and a Eurasian Green-winged Teal continued in North Truro.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, 2 Dovekies, 5 Common Murres, 4 Thick-billed Murres, 861 Razorbills, 25 Iceland Gulls, a Glaucous Gull, and 2 Northern Harriers.

Birds at nearby Provincetown Harbor included 7 Purple Sandpipers, a Thick-billed Murre, a Lesser black-backed Gull, and a Peregrine Falcon.

Other sightings around the Cape include a continuing Black-headed Gull in Hyannis, 2 Rusty Blackbirds in Sandwich, a Great Egret in Yarmouth, a Clay-colored Sparrow in Dennis, 2 Short-eared Owls and 2 American Bitterns at Nauset Beach in Orleans, a continuing Painted Bunting at a feeder in Orleans, 2 Marsh Wrens in Eastham, 5 Red Crossbills each in Dennis and Truro, 2 White-crowned Sparrows in North Truro, and 2 Common Redpolls and an Evening Grosbeak in Provincetown.

The Western Grebe continued on Mashpee Pond this week and two Western Willets continued at Forest Beach in Chatham.

A Wood Duck and 4 Northern Pintails were on Marstons Mill Pond.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, 22 Common Murres, 5 Thick-billed Murres, 325 Razorbills, 52 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 2 Glaucous Gulls, 17 Iceland Gulls, and 75 Snow Buntings.

At Great Pond in Eastham there were 4 Bald Eagles, 30 Common Mergansers, 3 Double-crested Cormorants, and a Red Crossbill.

Other sightings around the Cape include a continuing Semipalmated Plover and Black-headed Gull in Hyannis, a Rusty Blackbird in Sandwich, single Great Egrets in Yarmouth, West Dennis, and Mashpee, 2 Red Crossbills in Brewster, 2 Marsh Wrens in Eastham, single Chipping Sparrows in Brewster and Chatham, 2 White-crowned Sparrows, a Eurasian Green-winged Teal in North Truro, and an Evening Grosbeak in Provincetown.

The Western Grebe continued in Mashpee and both the Tufted Duck and Tufted Duck x scaup hybrid were rediscovered in Harwich this week.

A Marbled Godwit continued at Forest Beach in Chatham along with two Western Willets.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, a Sooty Shearwater, a Pomarine Jaeger, 225 Sanderlings, 320 Dunlin, 31 Common Murres, 2 Thick-billed Murres, a Dovekie, 725 Razorbills, 110 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 40 Iceland Gulls, a Glaucous Gull, a Great Cormorant, a Double-crested Cormorant, a Bald Eagle, a Merlin, a Lapland Longspur, and a Common Redpoll.

Sightings in North Truro included a Northern Shrike, 2 White-crowned Sparrows, and a Eurasian Green-winged Teal.

Other sightings around the Cape included 3 Killdeer in Centerville, a continuing Semipalmated Plover and Black-headed Gull in Hyannis, a Short-eared Owl and a Rusty Blackbird in Barnstable, single Great Egrets in Yarmouth and Chatham, a Yellow-breasted Chat in Harwich, a Common Yellowthroat and 14 Double-crested Cormorants in Eastham, an Evening Grosbeak in Provincetown, and flocks of up to 14 Red Crossbills several locations.

The Western Grebe continued in Mashpee.

A Marbled Godwit was discovered in Chatham along with two continuing Western Willets.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included 2 Pacific Loons, 18 Common Murres, 900 Razorbills, 22 Iceland Gulls, and a Lapland Longspur.

American Woodcocks have already been displaying in select places, with reports of two in Barnstable and two in Mashpee.

Other sightings around the Cape included a Black Vulture in Sandwich, 3 Killdeer in Centerville, a continuing Semipalmated Plover and Black-headed Gull in Hyannis, single Great Egrets in Chatham and Yarmouth, 3 Short-eared Owls in Barnstable, 3 American Bitterns at Fort Hill in Eastham, a White-crowned Sparrow and a Eurasian Green-winged Teal in North Truro, an Evening Grosbeak in Provincetown, and flocks of up to 12 Red Crossbills several locations.

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.

Cape Cod Weekly Wildlife Sightings is sponsored by the Bird Watchers General Store in Orleans and Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. The following sightings were reported between January 11 and January 17, 2023.

A Western Tanager continued along the bike path at Scusset Beach State Park and the Western Grebe continues in Mashpee.

Storm blown seabirds noted from First Encounter Beach in Eastham included 13 Pomarine Jaegers, an Atlantic Puffin, 4 Dovekies, 5 Thick-billed Murres, 89 Black-legged Kittiwakes, and a Northern Fulmar.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, a late Sooty Shearwater, 10 Dovekies, 62 Common Murres, 3 Thick-billed Murres, 915 Razorbills, 120 Black-legged Kittiwakes, a Common Raven, a late Tree Swallow, 47 Snow Buntings, and 75 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Other sightings around the Cape included single Baltimore Orioles in Harwich and Falmouth, 2 Chipping Sparrows in Falmouth, 3 Killdeer continuing in Centerville, a Semipalmated Plover and a Black-headed Gull continuing in Hyannis, a Ring-necked Duck x scaup hybrid in Dennis, single Great Egrets two places in Chatham, 2 Western Willets continuing elsewhere in Chatham, a Common Yellowthroat in Eastham, and flocks of up to 11 Red Crossbills several locations.

Cape Cod Weekly Wildlife Sightings is sponsored by the Bird Watchers General Store in Orleans and Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. The following sightings were reported between January 4 and January 10, 2023.

A Western Tanager was found along the bike path at Scusset Beach State Park this week. Another continues at a feeder in West Barnstable. A Rusty Blackbird was also photographed at Scusset.

Both a Tufted Duck and a Tufted Duck x scaup hybrid have been on Hinckley’s Pond in Harwich, and the Western Grebe continues on Mashpee-Wakeby Pond, along with 3 Canvasbacks and 8 Redheads.

Painted Buntings are visiting feeders in Sandwich and Orleans and an out-of-season Rose-breasted Grosbeak has been visiting a feeder in Wellfleet.

Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, another late Great Shearwater, 9 Common Murres, and 240 Razorbills.

Other sightings around the Cape included a Great Egret and two Eastern Phoebes in Falmouth, single Orange-crowned Warblers in Mashpee and West Barnstable, a Glaucous Gull at Sandy Neck in Barnstable, 5 Long-billed Dowitchers and 3 Killdeer continuing in Centerville, a Semipalmated Plover and a Black-headed Gull continuing in Hyannis, an American Woodcock in Barnstable Village, a Thick-billed Murre in Yarmouth, a Snowy Egret in West Dennis, 4 Pomarine Jaegers at Skaket Beach in Orleans, single American Bitterns in Eastham and Orleans, flocks of up to 12 Red Crossbills several locations, and single Short-eared Owls in Eastham and Barnstable.