Category Archives: Cape Cod Birding

Red-Tailed Hawk Enjoying A Meal In Our Yard On Cape Cod.

The other morning when I went out to feed the birds, I noticed a huge splat of bird poop on the wood chips. I thought that that must have been one big bird that had come by. (Click on blog link to see other photo.)

I looked way up in the trees but didn’t see anything until… I went inside and looked out the window. And there, about 15 feet above my head, was a huge Red-Tailed Hawk sitting on a branch. He must have been there when I walked by and that was probably his mess on the ground.

As we watched him for over an hour, we couldn’t understand why he wasn’t trying to get the numerous birds, squirrels and turkeys in our yard. And then he opened his beak and regurgitated two big balls of fur. You can see them in the photo. They are about 2-3″ each. He must have just finished his meal, thus not wanting anything more from our yard.

Wow! I didn’t know that hawks regurgitated pellets just like owls. Surely a learning experience for me! (I did not know that I had gotten a photograph of him with his beak open, ready to expel, until I looked on my computer!)

As a sequel… the following day I saw the hawk get another squirrel and bring it up into the tree. He must think we have great pickings!

Beautiful, White Cattle Egret At Fort Hill On Cape Cod.

Phil and I were finishing a hike at Fort Hill the other day when we saw something white in the tall grass among the yellow flowers. It looked like an Egret, but what was an Egret doing in the middle of a meadow? We usually see them on the salt marsh on near the shore. (Click on blog link for other photos.)

We clicked away and then went home and did some research. It was a  Cattle Egret which we had only seen once before in a little overflow pond a few years ago here on the Cape. “Cattle Egrets stalk insects and other small animals on the ground in grassy fields. They are much less often seen in water than other herons.”

An interesting fact is how it got its name:  “The Cattle Egret forages at the feet of grazing cattle, head bobbing with each step, or rides on their backs to pick at ticks.” Pretty cool, don’t you think?

The Baltimore Orioles Are Back On Cape Cod!

It seems like we wait all winter for the Baltimore Orioles to come back in the spring. In April we start picking dates for them to arrive… and the winner gets a prize. It is so much fun! Last year they arrived on May 3rd and this year they arrived on May 2nd.

The Baltimore Oriole is such a beautiful, vibrant orange and black bird that we are so lucky to have in our yard… to watch them eat their beloved grape jelly and to listen to their distinct calls… and maybe raise a family?!

Beautiful Great Egret At Nauset Marsh On Cape Cod.

There were four beautiful Great Egrets on the edge of Nauset Marsh looking for food. It was interesting  watching them as they stalked their prey and then made a dash for the fish.

Such a gorgeous bird, don’t you think? They look so regal as they stand in wait for their next meal to come along.