Blog No 23 Birding on Cape Cod

In December 2015, my brother Alvin, our nephew Ruben and I spent a week birding at Cape Cod and the surrounding area.  Ruben and his brother Victor, recognized as champion birders, won the Big Year Lower 48 in 2022, shattering the previous record by some by 24 species.  Thankfully, our pace was considerably less hectic than theirs.  I was thrilled to observe the Northern Gannet's spectacular method of catching fish.  They begin a dive from high above the ocean and accelerate up to 70 mph, their body now long and slim, as they penetrate the surface of the ocean with a relatively minor splash.  Under water they can swim for a long period of time while they chase down and catch a fish. The gannets were pretty far from the shore, and a telephoto lens was required to document this remarkable feat.

In the summer, Snowy Owls inhabit the high Arctic tundra, preferring coastal tundra with hummocks and rocky outcrops.  Their distribution is circumpolar, meaning they nest in Alaska, Canada, and the Euro-Siberian region--all areas that surround the North Pole.  It's always as special treat when these majestic owls show up in the northern US in the winter, but similar to the morel mushroom, their appearance is unpredictable.  We were most fortunate to see one of these magnificent owls near the Boston Logan Airport, where birders had been reporting their presence.  I was pleased with my photo of this lovely owl, even though it was perched on a building instead of on a snowy field or in a tree.

Ruben verified the identification of the Black-backed Gull and Purple Sandpiper.

I will leave in two days for on a backpacking trip over Easter with my brothers and friends in the Wichita Wildlife Refuge, southwest of Oklahoma City.  My next blog is scheduled in two weeks.

All photos by author

Cylinder-shaped gannet before striking water

Snowy Owl perched on roof of building neat Logan Airport

Great Black-backed Gull

Purple Sandpiper

Canada Geese

Alvin and Ruben

Scene in Provincetown

Male Downy Woodpecker (reliable distinguished from Hairy Woodpecker by a tuft of feathers at base of a small beak)