Category Archives: Cape Cod Wildlife

Cape Cod Beaches, Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod News, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildlife

Harp Seal At Boat Meadow Creek On Cape Cod!

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Boat Meadow Creek has frozen over in the past few days. When we  were driving by yesterday morning we saw something large on the ice and we had no idea what it was.  I got out of the car to investigate (hope you enjoy the whole story with photographs).

It was a Harp Seal that was resting on the ice. According to volunteer Andrea Spence, soon to be an intern at IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), Harp seals migrate from the Arctic and are very comfortable on ice and ice packs. As long as they are moving and stretching, they are fine. This seal was doing both. It must have made its way  up the creek from Cape Cod Bay, maybe before it was frozen over.  (We’ve kayaked this part of Boat Meadow Creek in the summer and this is a long way up the creek from Cape Cod Bay.)

“IFAW is a global non-profit organization that protects animals and the places they call home.” Andrea is based out of IFAW in Yarmouth Port, MA and helps to monitor marine mammal rescue and research. She was very informative as I clicked away.

You can see by the photos that this guy was quite at home on the ice. I especially like the photo where his back flippers form a heart.

Quite a surprise for a Sunday morning as you can see me photographing the seal from the bridge! Have you ever seen a Harp Seal?

 

 

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildlife

Beautiful White-Tailed Deer In Our Yard On Cape Cod

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Every once in a while we see some deer or other wildlife in our yard here on Cape Cod. It is such a treat! This deer was with 4 others and hung out for a while.

I guess we got pretty spoiled when we lived in Colorado with the Elk and Bighorn Sheep grazing in our yard. Sometimes they would fall asleep on our driveway. What a sight to behold.

We are thrilled when we see any wildlife here on the Cape. Last night we saw 2 huge Coyotes saunter through our yard. Maybe they’ll come sometime during the day so I can get a good photograph!

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Hiking, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildlife

Yellow-Legged Meadowhawk Dragonfly On Doane Rock Trail On Cape Cod.

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I’ve seen quite a few of these Yellow-legged Meadowhawk dragonflies in the past few weeks, but they have never landed long enough for me to get a photograph. This one was on the side of the trail going from Doane Rock to Coast Guard Beach. It’s a gorgeous hike.

This Yellow-legged Meadowhawk is reddish-brown with a reddish-orange thorax. It’s wings are clear and its legs are yellowish. They are very common late in the season.

Look at that little face! Wow!!

 

 

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod National Seashore, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildlife

Funny Seals At Coast Guard Beach On Cape Cod.

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There were so many seals 2 days ago in the shallow waters along the shores of Coast Guard Beach, part of the National Seashore. They were hanging out in pods of 5-10 seals, either swimming around or relaxing together.

This guy made his “seal sound” just as we clicked away.  Phil got the best photograph!

Funny, don’t you think?

Cape Cod Beaches, Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod National Seashore, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildlife

Lots Of Seals Along The Ocean Beaches On Cape Cod

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If you walk along the ocean beaches on Cape Cod, you are sure to see seals swimming along the shore, diving in and out of the waves. I’ve seen a lot of seals at Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Beach in the past few days.

If you walk all the way to Nauset Spit at low tide from either Nauset Beach or Coast Guard Beach, you can see what I call “seal island.” It is a sand bar, not too far from shore, that the seals pile on at low tide. You can hear their distinctive sounds from quite far away.

This 2nd photograph was taken from the end of Coast Guard Beach a few days ago.

 

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildlife

Very Interesting Snail At Fort Hill In Eastham On Cape Cod.

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I have seen snails such as this one at Fort Hill before, but always on the ground near the trail. This one really caught my eye as it was high (about 5’up) in one of the bushes on the side of the trail. I wondered how it got there, but then I saw that it was attached to the leaf. It must have made its own way up. Wow!

In the 2nd photograph, can you find the snail on the leaf in the center of the picture? Amazing that it was able to make its way up there on such small branches and leaves.

Have you ever seen one of these land snails?