All posts by Mel

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Hiking, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildflowers

Pretty Pink Water-Willow Wildflowers On Cape Cod

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If you go hiking near a fresh water spring or marsh such as The Spring Trail at the  Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary or the marshes on Red Maple Swamp Trail at Fort Hill, the chances of seeing a Water-Willow are very good. They like to grow in shallow water in July and August.

Water-Willow wildflowers are an  aquatic shrub with magenta flowers whose 5 petals grow in whorls where the leaves join the stem. They are native to this area. The flowers are small, only 1/2″ to 1″ while the plant grows from 3-9 feet. You can see in the 2nd photograph how the flowers grow almost where the leaves join the stems.

This is such a delicate little flower…so pretty. Have you ever seen a Water-Willow?

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Butterflies, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildflowers

New Wildflower Garden At The Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary On Cape Cod

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The new wildflower garden at  the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is just spectacular! The wildflower species are numerous and the butterflies are everywhere! There are even walking paths through the garden so you can get “up close and personal” with the flowers and get that perfect photo-op of a Monarch butterfly.

If you haven’t been to the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary lately, it’s well worth the stop. Not only are the wildflowers and butterflies gorgeous, the shore birds are abundant out on the beach at low tide.

Cape Cod Birding, Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Photography

Baby Bluebirds Outside Our Bedroom Window On Cape Cod

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We bought another birdhouse for the summer, hoping that a Bluebird would settle in right outside our bedroom window. We had a few “lookers” but a Chickadee finally moved in, had their babies and then left. We thought that was it. We had Bluebirds in 2 of our other 3 birdhouses, but this one was special. We could sit on our bed and watch the little ones in the house. Oh well, maybe next summer.

 

Then, about 3 weeks ago two morer Bluebirds started checking out this birdhouse. We thought they were done. But Stephanie, the  Executive Director of Wild Care on Cape Cod, assured us that sometimes Bluebirds have 2 clutches, so maybe they were going to stay.

Well, they did and we have been treated to daily treats of watching them build their nest and then feeding and raising their young. We fill our bird feeders with dried mealworms at least 3 times a day so they can feed their 3 little chicks and are they cute! I am amazed at how hard the parents work to feed their young almost hourly.

It has been a beautiful summer treat to watch these little ones grow. I can’t wait to see them at the feeders themselves!

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Hiking, Cape Cod National Seashore, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildflowers

Beautiful, Yellow Common St. John’s Wort Wildflowers On Cape Cod

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Common St. John’s Wort wildflowers are blooming all over Cape Cod. You can see them along the trails and roadsides. I took this photograph at Fort Hill on the side of one of the hiking trails. I loved how the sunlight caught it.

They are a bushy branching plant with many 5-petaled dark yellow  1″ flowers and many prominent stamens. They grow to about 1-2 1/2 feet from June through September.

Have you ever seen a Common St. John’s Wort wildflower?

Cape Cod Beaches, Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Photography

Another View From Rock Harbor On Cape Cod Is Spectacular!

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When you think of Rock Harbor, you always think of the channel and the iconic markers leading out to the bay.

I stopped at Rock Harbor the other day just for a minute nand the view from Rock Harbor…the other way… was spectacular! You can see the “rock” in the distance  with Wellfleet way beyond. The 2 beach chairs belonged to a couple who were most certainly enjoying the gorgeous day!

Pretty, don’t you think?

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildflowers

Beautiful, But Poisonous, Yellow Common Tansy At Fort Hill On Cape Cod

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If you park in the first lot at Fort Hill, you can see this beautiful Common Tansy by the side of the lot. I have never seen it before, so it was a big treat to take some photographs and then do some research.

Common Tansy are tiny, yellow button-like flowers which grow in flat-topped clusters. They grow to about 3′ erect and are colony-forming. The leaves are dark green and fern-like and aromatic. The scent is similar to that of camphor with hints of rosemary. They grow from July to September.

Caution: They are poisonous so observe them from a distance! The leaves and flowers are toxic if consumed in large quantities; the volatile oil contains toxic compounds including thujone which can cause convulsions and liver and brain damage.