Cape Cod Weekly Wildlife Sightings

Cape Cod Weekly Wildlife Sightings is sponsored by the Bird Watchers General Store in Orleans and Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
March 28 – April 4, 2023
The Western Grebe continued on Mashpee Pond this week.
Santuit Pond in Mashpee has hosted some nice early spring migrants this week including 15 Wood Ducks, a Northern Pintail, a Blue-winged Teal, 111 Ring-necked Ducks, 7 Black-crowned Night-Herons, a Red-shouldered Hawk, a Purple Martin, a Cliff Swallow, several Barn Swallows, 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows, and many Tree Swallows, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and 7 Eastern Phoebes.
Birds at Bell’s Neck conservation area in West Harwich included a Clapper Rail, 2 Whimbrels, a Virginia Rail, a Lesser Yellowlegs, 35 Greater Yellowlegs,15 Great Egrets, a Snowy Egret, 54 Black-crowned Night-Herons, 16 Ospreys, and 2 Bald Eagles.
Sightings from Race Point in Provincetown included 2 Thick-billed Murres, 2 Common Murres, 8 Razorbills, 11 Piping Plovers, and 9 Iceland Gulls.
Other sightings around the Cape included 5 Snowy Egrets in West Dennis, a continuing Willet at Red River Beach in Harwich, 8 Red Crossbills in East Harwich, and a Clapper Rail in Brewster.
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.
March 22 – March 28, 2023
The Western Grebe continued on Mashpee Pond this week.
Two early Barn Swallows were reported in Chatham and a very early Purple Martin was in Mashpee on the 28th.
Birds at Bell’s Neck conservation area in West Harwich included 2 Wood Ducks, 39 Green-winged Teal, a Virginia Rail, a Lesser Yellowlegs, 28 Greater Yellowlegs, a Laughing Gull, 7 Great Egrets, 9 Black-crowned Night-Herons, 12 Ospreys, and 4 Bald Eagles.
Sightings from Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, a Thick-billed Murre, 6 Common Murres, 200 Razorbills, 30 Iceland Gulls, 220 Northern Gannets, an American Pipit and a Common Redpoll.
Other sightings around the Cape included a Black Vulture in Sandwich, a Black-headed Gull in Hyannis, a Baltimore Oriole in Dennis, a continuing Willet in Harwich, a Yellow-breasted Chat in Harwich Port, single Snowy Egrets multiple places, 15 Red Crossbills at Wellfleet Bay sanctuary, 2 White-crowned Sparrows in North Truro, and a Glossy Ibis in Provincetown.
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.
March 15 – March 21, 2023
An Atlantic Puffin passed First Encounter Beach in Eastham on the 15th, along with 790 Black-legged Kittiwakes and an impressive 59 Northern Fulmar.
Two King Eiders were found in North Chatham on the 20th.
One or two Black-headed Gulls continued in Hyannis Port and a Glaucous Gull continues at Dowse’s Beach in Osterville this week.
Sightings from Race Point Beach to Herring Cove in Provincetown included 2 Pacific Loons, 7 Northern Fulmars, an American Oystercatcher, a Dovekie, 27 Common Murres, a Thick-billed Murre, 450 Razorbills, a Black Guillemot, 50 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 30 Iceland Gulls, a Glaucous Gull, 205 Northern Gannets, 6 Great Cormorants, a Black Vulture, an American Pipit, 10 Snow Buntings, and 10 Common Redpolls.
Other sightings around the Cape include a Glossy Ibis in Mashpee, a continuing Willet in Harwich, Great Egrets several places including two in Chatham, a Red Crossbill in Wellfleet, 2 White-crowned Sparrows in North Truro, and a Palm Warbler in the Beech Forest in Provincetown.
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.
March 8th – March 14th 2023
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.
March 1 – March 7, 2023
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.
February 22 – February 28, 2023
A Clapper Rail was in Bell’s Neck Conservation Area in West Harwich on the 24th.
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.
February 15 – February 21, 2023
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.
February 8 – February 14, 2023
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.
February 1 – February 7, 2023
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.
January 25 – January 31, 2023
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.
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.