The baby Terrapin turtles are hatching along the beaches and trails at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. You can see the nests which have been marked in the photograph below with a cage to keep predators out. The blue tape lets the staff know that the incubation period is right around that time.
Staff at the sanctuary make 2 trips a day out to all of the nests to see if there are any hatchlings. The baby Terrapins cannot survive by themselves in the first hours of their life due to many factors which include ants, maggots and dehydration from the sun.
After they have absorbed their yolk and regained their energy back at the sanctuary, they are then set free out by their nest. They do not need to eat for quite a while. They never seen their mothers again and will spend most of their life in the water.
The story of the Terrapin turtle is quite fascinating and so interesting to learn about!
I rode my bike down to First Encounter Beach in Eastham so I could get a photograph of the beautiful beach early in the morning.
I loved this photograph. I laughed when I saw that I got my long shadow and those of the signs and beach fence as I photographed the beautiful beach. Funny, don’t you think?
It makes me think that summer is almost over as the shadows are getting so much longer this time of year.
This Black Swallowtail butterfly was pretty elusive as I was chasing it at Fort Hill on Cape Cod. I would see it flit around and land and, by the time I got to it, it flew away again.
The Black Swallowtail is a large butterfly, measuring 2 1/2 to 3 1/2.” It is overall black with iridescent blue, yellow and orange markings.
I was only able to get one photograph of it. What a beautiful butterfly!
These two paddle boarders were certainly enjoying the gorgeous weather while paddling on Nauset Marsh in Eastham on Cape Cod.
I took this photograph from the Hemenway Landing on Nauset Marsh. It was a spectacular day with little wind and lots of sun. Perfect day for anything on Cape Cod!
Phil and I were walking down to Coast Guard Beach the other day when we saw this Song Sparrow right in the tree above us. He’d sing a bit and then look at us and then sing again. It was pretty cool.
He was so close, I didn’t even have to zoom in!
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
