Cape Cod Art and Nature

Brant geese

2012-02-10T07:28:00.000-05:00

Brant geese are locally common on the Cape throughout the winter and their arrival in our coastal waters in the late fall is a sure sign that the seasons are changing. Found in areas where there is a good amount of eel grass brant can be found in many of our south facing beach areas, especially around estuaries. You may also find them in marshy areas and occasionally grazing in grassy areas. These brant were hanging out with the gulls at the Sandwich Marina on the canal on a recent blustery day.

Many people see brant and just think they are Canada geese but if you look closely you will see they have a dark front whereas the Canada goose has a light front (photo by NaturePhoto.com)

Canada geese are also quite a bit larger which is easy to see if you see the birds together. Imagine a herring gull and a Canada goose standing next to each other and what the medium size bird between them might be and you will have an idea about the size of a brant.

Here you can see them in relation to the gulls around them.

Brant don't nest here but are arctic nesters, like many of our winter visitors. They come here because our coastal waters often stay open and their favorite foods are plentiful They will eat seaweeds, especially sea lettuce if their favored eel grass is in short supply. Back in the 1930s when eel grass crashed the brant population crashed along with it but they have steadily been increasing in numbers and are once again flourishing.

And if you are an old school birder, yes, brant used to be spelled brandt ;-)

Watching an owl released to freedom...

2012-02-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

A large female great horned owl was hit by a Mack truck on December 31 on Rt. 151 in Falmouth but lived to tell the tale. She was pretty banged up but with the help of the Falmouth Animal Control Officer and Cape Wildlife Center she has been nursed back to health.

Over the last few years the Cape Wildlife Center has teamed up with the Mass Audubon Long Pasture Sanctuary to have a few public releases along with informative natural history programs and each release and program attracts more and more people.

Yesterday Ian Ives of the Long Pasture Sanctuary gave a talk and slide show at the Falmouth Library to a house that was so packed some people got stuck listening to it out in the hall. After the program we drove over to the Ashumet Holly Reservation to watch the owl get released.

The almost full moon had risen above the trees as the van arrived and Dr. Bob carried the container that had the owl in it. By keeping the owl confined in a small, dark space she was able to remain calm and not injure herself by flapping around.

We were asked to stand back and give the owl room and we were also told that the owl could be unpredictable when let out of the box...

Everyone's eyes were on the blue box (in the center) to see what would happen when the box was opened...

She may have been in confinement for a month and a half but this lady knew just what to do....fly away! That's her in the center of the photo....

We were told she might land in a tree to assess her situation and her surroundings but she chose the roof of the house in the distance...

At first she kept her back turned to us but then...

she turned to look at all of us as we all looked at her....

As we left, under the light of the rising moon, my little grandsons skipped along singing, "We saw an owl, we saw an owl...." and I think the rest of us sort of felt the same way. Not only that, we saw an owl that had been rescued and released and her release helped educate people about both wild birds and animals but the efforts if takes to rehabilitate and care for them as well.

The greening of January?

2012-01-31T15:22:00.000-05:00

I'm all for greening up stuff. I love green plants and I love green living...

However....something about the warmth and the accompanying plant growth this January just seems wrong...

My strawberries are putting out new leaves and new runners...

Dandelions are popping up in my yard as well...

Tansy is growing...

And maple is budding...

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for spring...but this just doesn't feel right to me...

What a weird winter, huh?

To Provincetown and back...

2012-01-30T16:41:00.000-05:00

We took the day to drive down Cape and see what we could see....

the sky and the light over Fort Hill and Nauset Marsh were just beautiful...

Coast Guard Beach was incredibly windy but gorgeous...

This little tree on the bluff was pretty wind blown...

The view from Marconi in Wellfleet was breathtaking...

And by the time we reached Herring Cove in Provincetown the sun was shining...

There was quite a bit of surf but the gulls didn't mind...

At Race Point the wind practically knocked us off our feet...

We got sandblasted a bit but the view was worth it...

What a day!

Beautiful foggy morning...

2012-01-24T11:33:00.000-05:00

Last night it warmed up and rained and our snow vanished into mist...

At the beach you could only see the water close up...even the gulls were mostly hidden in the mist

The black ducks in the marsh continued to dabble...

and the overall view was pretty subdued and lovely...

The harbors were socked in...

and even the fishing boats looked like ghosts in the distance

Even as I write this the sun is burning off the fog and soon all this mist and all that snow will be long forgotten...

but for just a little while there was magic at the beach on a January morning....

The first snow....

2012-01-21T10:01:00.000-05:00

We've waited a long time to see more than a dusting of snow here on the Cape but this morning it began as I got to the beach...

There wasn't a single other person around and it was still and silent except for a few gulls....

a small flock of buffleheads...

and the quiet lapping of the water against the frozen sand..

At a different beach along the way there were empty benches and empty docks...

I love these quiet mornings when I can pretend that I am alone and that the beach is here just for me, even if it is for just a short time.

Have a happy snow day today!

Finally....

2012-01-18T07:53:00.000-05:00

some ice and snow! Not much but hey, the way this winter is going....this may be it!

On the south side we didn't get much...just a dusting, really

but when we drove a few miles to the north side we found ice in Barnstable Harbor...

some actual snow on the beach...

and some lovely views....

even the marsh had an icing...

but that didn't keep this guy from heading out to check his lobster pots...

as we were leaving the beach I took this shot...is there anything lonelier looking than an empty lifeguard chair in winter?

Sunny but cold and windy....

2012-01-14T17:15:00.000-05:00

We have been so spoiled by warm weather this winter that a windy cold day like today on the beach is almost a shock. Yesterday was much windier but today was.....brrrrrrrrrr! It was so bright and sunny though that I decided to just head down Cape to see what I could see...

First stop was First Encounter Beach in Eastham. Can we say frigid with a brisk wind blowing off the bay? It sure was pretty though...

Even the dunes and wind blown cedars were pretty....

and I'm a sucker for a pathway that leads to the sea....

then off to Coast Guard Beach...where it was also just plain cold...

There weren't too many long distance beach walkers but there were a few...

The sun was so bright it almost hurt my eyes....

It was low tide in the marsh....

On the way back home I stopped at Corporation Beach in Dennis where the gulls were all hanging out on the sand....

A few came by to see me, hoping I had food I think. The minute I opened the car door about a hundred gulls were on the wing and on the way to see me up close and personal.

This one looked at me from one side and then turned to look at me from the other side...

It was a cold morning, but a beautiful one and well worth venturing out for....

Of Winter Robins....

2012-01-11T12:08:00.000-05:00

Back in the day the robins flew south for the winter and didn't reappear until the first of March, often being the first harbingers of spring....

We rarely saw robins in winter until the late 70s and early 80s when it began to be noted that larger, chunkier robins seemed to be arriving in December and January. After a while it was determined that these were not our own summer robins but robins that traveled down from farther north to feast on our berries and enjoy our usually milder winters. If the winter was very harsh these robins continued south but many years they hung around.

Here on the Cape we have many things northern robins enjoy besides a milder climate. We have tons of berry laden bushes and trees and robins love berries. They especially love cedar but will move on to holly berries as well.

Some years there are so many winter robins that huge roosts of many thousands form, especially in the Sandwich and Barnstable area. Other years, like this year, there are lots and lots of robins around but the roosts are not quite as large. Some people speculate that this is because there is plenty of food available over a broad area so the birds spread out more.

If you have been out this week near any sort of trees or shrubs with berries you know there are lots of robins around. People ask me a lot if they are robins that are back early or what is bringing them here. No, they are not back early--those thinner, smaller and migration weary robins will be back as usual the first week of March. These heftier guys will either hang around while the weather is good for them and return to their own homes in the spring or they will head farther south if the weather hits a cold patch here. Like many wintering species, these birds are pretty opportunistic and will go where the food is and where the roosting is safest and warmest.

In the meantime, enjoy the ongoing robin show for it is in full force right now with dozens and dozens of birds showing up in lots of yards and other places.

Keep your eyes and ears open for often they are accompanied by other berry eating birds like the lovely cedar waxwings...

I hope this helps answer some of those robins in winter questions....

Of Ducks and Swans....

2012-01-07T15:09:00.000-05:00

Winter is a great time to get close up looks at many of our more common ducks and swans and some of the less common ones, too...

like these gadwalls...

These swans and mallards are much friendlier...

in fact they hurried right over--probably hoping for a handout...

as they got closer, however, they ran into an obstacle...

There was a thin sheen of ice at the edge of the pond and you can see the swan above checking it out--great reflections, too!

I had a lot of fun photographing the various combinations of birds and reflections...

the one above is probably my favorite--it has such an abstract quality about it.

but then there's the simplicity in this one above and the one below....

and just think, when I got there this is all I expected...

What a beautiful day it's been today--I hope you got to get outside for some of it!

Unseasonably...

2012-01-03T13:50:00.000-05:00

sluggish around here....

I photographed this live slug yesterday morning--on January 2! Unheard of here on Cape Cod for this time of year. There have been lots of unseasonable sightings this year due to the warm weather. What all have you been seeing?

Picture Perfect Morning

2012-01-02T15:27:00.000-05:00

at Sandy Neck...

Ever since I was a little girl it has been one of my favorite beaches...

Even back in the day the snow/sand fences were there to keep the parking lot separate from the beach. You can walk along the beach into Sandwich toward the canal or you can walk back toward the tip of the neck to the point that protects Barnstable Harbor. In either direction you can walk for miles. The towns of Barnstable and Sandwich co-own this beach and I remember sitting up late at night waiting for my mother to come home to see if Barnstable had bought the land that extended out into the dunes and behind the great marsh. It was a long and hard battle and an expensive purchase and no one knew for sure which way the votes at town meeting would go.They had bought it! It was the largest piece of conservation land Barnstable had bought and managed at that time and today it is a true jewel in the Barnstable conservation and recreation system.

Even in winter the mystery and romance of the dunes lures walkers, horseback riders and hikers out to explore. The area is great for birding and other sighting of wildlife. Beware of hunters at certain times, however, for the area is also open to certain kinds of hunting. It is open as well to overland vehicles and campers, an agreement that irks some but has made huge supporters of the area in the larger community.

When I was in high school and college I spent untold hours roaming in the dunes, sitting in the sun with friends sharing bad poetry and hopeful dreams. We talked, we napped, we drew pictures, we rolled down the dunes in the warm sand. In winter we hid in the dunes to stay warm on sunny but cold days, days we should have been in a math classroom or history classroom but we were out in nature's classroom instead. At least that's what we told ourselves and in many ways it was true. The dunes are wonderful in the summer of course but they take on a very different quality in the winter, a quality that reminds young minds of quests and queries and questions about the meaning of life, survival and death.

Every time I walk on Sandy Neck there are layers and layers of memories of previous years, months and days spent walking here. And yet, as all good beach walkers know, no walk on the beach is quite the same as the one before, the one last year or 20 years ago....Like the birds flying above and the crabs buried below the beach is a living, breathing, ever changing thing....

Every visit is special but some days, like today, the morning is just picture perfect....

Happy New Year...

2012-01-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

from the beach...

form Arlo and me at Kalmus Beach this morning (with hubby John who took the photo) to usher in the first morning of the year....

Looking back on my Cape Cod nature year....

2011-12-29T09:27:00.000-05:00

Yep, it's that time of year when everyone is compiling lists and making promises and all that jazz and I have to admit I thought it might be fun to look back on some of my favorite pictures and nature experiences from the last year....

Every January I walk around Kalmus Beach in Hyannis whenever it is warm enough that the wind won't rip my face off....Last January was ridiculously warm and we saw lots of snow buntings on our morning walks. My little friend, Arlo, got lots of sniffing done as well and here is a shot of his cute fluffy pantaloonies. I think they add to the overall landscape, don't you?

In February the ocean often is shining and glittery on sunny days....this view is at Coast Guard Beach in Eastham...

In March I keep watch for the first sight of skunk cabbage....

In April I keep watch for mayflowers....

In May the first blossoms of red or swamp maple make me swoon...

In June it begins to feel like summer may actually arrive....

In July I can't get enough sightings of butterflies...

In August it seems like whales are everywhere...

In September sunsets are often spectacular...

In October skies are often dramatic....

In November there are few people on the beaches....even on nice days....

and in December young hawks are easy to see in leafless trees...

Sot there's a very quick and far from complete spin through my nature year....I will post more over the next few days...including more about the highlights that I put aside today for a more in depth look.

What was your favorite nature sighting or experience in 2011?

One Fat Squirrel

2011-12-22T13:55:00.000-05:00

Many people are telling me they are worried about the squirrels, that there aren't enough acorns for them all and I just want to say....

This squirrel is not suffering....

All the squirrels in my neighborhood look like this right now--fat and happy.

This view looks across the street into my neighbor's driveway but you can see several of my feeders here--and the NEW baffle I put up to keep the fat and happy squirrels off my feeders. The squirrels have all been looking in the window at me since I put it up...

I think they may be plotting against me....in the meantime I don't think any of them are in danger of starvation, do you?

I think this one is the fattest one I've seen....

Giving a gift of nature....

2011-12-13T08:19:00.001-05:00

The following piece, written by me, Mary Richmond, was published in the Cape Codder on December 9, 2011.

This piece has had a lot of positive response and since it is not posted online by the Cape Codder I am posting it here.

Every year we hear the same complaints about the over commercialization of our winter holidays and yet every year folks still head off to the mall and fill bags full of all sorts of things they hope will make their friends and loved ones happy, even if it is only for a minute or so. We all hope to find a gift that is meaningful and that will stand the test of time but it seems to get harder and harder to do so.

Maybe we’re just looking in the wrong places. It really isn’t all that hard to find long lasting, meaningful gifts, especially if we just look outside our own back doors instead of in the advertising flyers.

It’s true that technological gifts are tops on many people’s lists but these days most of the nature guides come in an “app” or application form that can be loaded up on a phone, tablet or laptop. Many birders carry all sorts of reference materials on their phones these days, including e-books that help them find great places to hike and look for birds. Young people love these sorts of things and since many of them are doing their learning on computers and tablets in school they are more likely to look for info there than in books. I know, I know, we old school-ers love our books and thumbing through pages but as a now aging man once said, “The times, they are a changing…”

For those looking to give nature books as gifts there are many good ones to choose from, whether you are looking for a classic like Henry Beston’s “Outermost House” or Bob Finch’s wonderful new pocket sized book “A Cape Cod Notebook” there’s lots of good fireside reading out there.

But what about a gift that actually includes getting out in nature instead of reading about it or watching a video about it? Family memberships to any of our nature related organizations and museums make great gifts and are often something young families put off because they can’t afford it. Don’t forget that many local land trusts also offer memberships and also offer free walks for families throughout the year.

There are books filled with maps for bike riders and walkers, kayakers and hikers as well. Why not add a gift certificate for a walk or bike ride once a month? A friend of mine does something like this for her parents with home cooked meals and I thought, what a great excuse to get together once a month and have a great meal as well as a nice visit. Why not do the same sort of thing with a grandchild or other child? Imagine if they were taken on a different nature walk with a favorite adult throughout the year? That would be fun and enriching for everyone.

Nature is filled with free gifts right outside our doors and windows. You can buy a family, child or older friend a bird feeder or bird house or better yet, make one with them to hang outside their window. Teach a child how to make prints from leaves, grasses and seeds or learn together to make pictures with seaweeds, using their natural glues to adhere them to paper. Make a calendar using photos of your favorite outdoor places, plants, butterflies or birds. This would be especially nice to do with photos of your year’s walks so maybe plan this sort of thing for next year.

While you’re at it, why not make plans to take a special walk in a new place each month with your sweetie? Leave the phone at home and enjoy a special time together. Take your mom or dad, your grandma or your uncle. Explore a town conservation area you’ve never been to. Exploring nature together is truly a gift that keeps on giving. And, it’s free. Imagine that.

December begins....

2011-12-03T15:00:00.000-05:00

and the year winds down....but it is still fall for a few more weeks. There's still time to take long walks on sunny mornings looking out over the marsh to the sea...

and to sit and enjoy the view without freezing half to death....

There are old nests to discover, left over from last summer. This one is most likely a catbird nest since they have a fondness for bushes surrounded by briers and they like a bit of shiny cellophane to liven things up a bit..

Oriental bittersweet is invasive but the bright orange berries against an azure sky are still quite lovely....

Winterberries are abundant and give the landscape a red hue where they are most plentiful...

There's a familiar gray creeping into the landscape everywhere we turn....

And young red tailed hawks can be seen watching the ground below from their perches in nearby trees....

and at the end of the day....the sun sets with the intense colorful drama that only this time of year seems to bring...

By the end of the month winter will have set in....but until then, we can enjoy more days and evenings like these...

these photos were all taken on December 2 in various parts of the lower and mid Cape....

In search of a snowy owl....

2011-11-29T10:24:00.000-05:00

In the last few weeks there have been many reports of snowy owl sightings along the northeastern coast of the US including sightings in Massachusetts. Duxbury Beach was the closest area where a snowy owl had been reported from so a little over a week ago my sister and I headed off Cape to see what we could see.

I'm sort of embarrassed to admit that I'd never been to this beach before but I had not--and what a beauty it is! Snowy owls spend most of their time in the arctic tundra where they can watch for passing lemmings from atop low hills and grassy hummocks and our barrier beaches seem to offer a similar habitat.

Unlike many of their relatives, snowy owls are diurnal, meaning they hunt and hang out in the daylight, hence their light coloration. Well, there is that snow thing, of course, as well, but even without the snow they blend in extremely well.

We walked on the beach side and also along this dirt road that ran along the backside of the dunes and along the harbor. We knew the owl would most likely be way out and when we saw someone with a big scope and camera coming off the trail from up ahead we asked if they had seen the owl. Indeed they had. It was on the beach side and down about a mile or so. He said we'd see the people watching it.

We walked and we walked and we walked but we eventually saw the people standing in a group looking at something and we were pretty sure it was probably the owl so we picked up our pace and headed in that direction. By the time we got within a close distance the group dispersed and the owl seemed to have left. We headed up that way anyway, ever hopeful but alas, the owl was indeed gone. The view above is looking back from where it seemed the owl had been perching.

We were pretty discouraged...we had come a long way for....not much. Well, to be fair it was an absolutely beautiful day for beach walking and we saw a marsh hawk as well as many loons and other birds. We saw lots of people clamming, too.

Because we didn't know where to park we ended up parking way, way, way far away from where we ended up....like about 3 miles away so we decided to walk back along the dirt road. I was trying very hard to be cheerful and upbeat but I was very disappointed....I have seen snowy owls before but this one had been so close!

In a move that will no doubt go down in family history as a true Mary bird nerd moment I stopped, stretched my arms out and spun around saying, Okay, owl, where are you?

And then I saw it.....it wasn't in the dunes...it was on a tiny spit of rocky sandy mud sticking out into the harbor...this photo is with my full zoom so you can see it was quite far away. The shape was too hunched over and the head too wide and rounded to be a gull....

I got a bit closer to be sure it really was the owl....

and then it turned to look at me and there was no doubt! It flew a while later and landed in the dunes nearby.

I have to say....it was a long but joyful 3 mile walk back to the car....it was indeed a day well spent!

The snowy owl was still there as of yesterday so if you get a chance to go see it, please do!

Showing our thanks....

2011-11-23T07:45:00.001-05:00

The following is my most recent "Nature's Ways" column for the Cape Codder and Register newspapers and since they don't post it online I thought I'd post it here for Thanksgiving.

It’s easy to find things to be thankful for when out in nature. There’s all that air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and all those trees, flowers and grasses. There are beautiful birds making beautiful music, deer posing like svelte models in sunlit meadows, squirrels flicking fat furry tails and whales leaping out of the waves to name a few. There is the salt air upon our skin, the first summer rain, the quiet night filled with stars in the sky and bats over the pond and the silky sand squishing up between our toes. There is the silence of the first winter snow, the mystery of an autumn fog and the drama of a thunderstorm full of lightning shows as well as whimsical rainbows following summer afternoon sun showers. With all this beauty and bounty around us, how could we not be overflowing with gratitude?

And yet, sometimes we forget to show how grateful we are. We litter the landscape with trash, we clog the ocean with plastics and we poison the air, water and land with careless abandon. We forget to use what we are given so freely with reverence and respect and sometimes treat nature with disdain and disrespect instead. Most of us do not do this deliberately but more like absent minded and self-centered children that don’t mean to be wasteful and take advantage but who make a big mess anyway.

As Thanksgiving approaches in what seems to be an onslaught of holiday commercialism by businesses that would probably like to just eliminate a holiday without gifts altogether I have been reminded more than ever this year that the real joys in life are not in cardboard or plastic packages but in the connections we make and have made with ourselves, each other and with nature. We all know this, we all talk about it and yet the mall parking lots are always full and trucks full of garbage barrel down the highway each day. Something like only 10% of us actually recycle anything and if that’s true here on the Cape where so many seem to be environmentally aware then over the bridge must be even scarier….The majority of people use some sort of fertilizer, weed killer or pesticide at least now and then and most homes have bug killers, bleach and other toxic cleaners or pest eliminators in their closets or basements. We use strong laundry detergents and take clothes to the dry cleaners and according to recent articles we flush a lot of left over medicines down the toilet. And let’s not forget what all the cars and trucks do, not only with their emissions but with the effects of tires and oils on the roads that eventually wash into our waterways and ground water. There are all sorts of toxins in TVs, computers, cameras and cell phones, especially in their batteries and that doesn’t even begin to count the possible effects of radiation emanating from all these things, all the time, all around us even if we don’t own a single one of these items.

I know, it feels a bit overwhelming and discouraging but what if as we give thanks this year we also pledge to say thanks with an action or two. If you already do many things that help rather than hurt nature and the environment, perhaps volunteer in a capacity that will help teach others the advantages of living without toxins and poisons. Maybe as we give thanks for all that we have we could pledge to accept clothes that aren’t bright white, gardens that have a few weeds and food that is smaller and has a few spots.

It really doesn’t take much to make a difference. We can start small and it will still add up. Just as that famous journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so can being truly thankful begin with our small individual actions.

As our annual day of national ‘thanks giving’ approaches, wouldn’t it be great to make giving thanks a daily thing with our own conscious actions? Nature would be very grateful indeed. Happy Thanksgiving,

Craft show at Green Briar Nature Center tomorrow!

2011-11-18T17:04:00.000-05:00

and I'll be there--It was sort of a last minute invitation so I've been crazy busy getting ready and finishing holiday orders and meeting early holiday writing deadlines and phew! I'll catch up here next week.

If you're in the area please stop by and say hi tomorrow--I'll have lots of cards, watercolors, my new pendants and some ornaments. A percentage of all sales goes to Green Briar's educational programs and we will be in the Ed Building!

What's up in my studio....

2011-11-10T13:18:00.001-05:00

for the holidays? All sorts of things....

I am now making pendants from some of my watercolor birds and bunnies

there are round ones and square ones

and even some oval ones

There are ornaments with bunnies, too

and ornaments with birds...

For those of you who are local I will have a table selling these and more at Green Briar Nature Center's annual holiday sale on Saturday, November 19 from 10-4. They are also available in my Mary Richmond Design Etsy shop.

Early morning walks....

2011-11-09T07:54:00.000-05:00

are really my favorite. I love seeing the sun rise and filter through the trees

and seeing the patterns on the ground made by shadow and light

I love the color of still water under the early morning sky

the color of berries in early morning sun

Early morning frost gives texture to already fuzzy plants as well as silvery glow...

Starting my day this way gives me a peaceful feeling all day as well as energy to face whatever challenges the day may bring...

Enjoy your day, everyone....and get outside if you can!

Migrating sea ducks and more....

2011-11-02T05:43:00.000-04:00

Just after the recent storm I went looking for ducks. Sea ducks, that is. Each winter our bay area beaches are host to thousands of diving ducks, including various scoters and eider ducks as well as loons and grebes. Most come from farther north and west and visit our area for the warmer, more open waters.

At Sandy Neck the other day there were thousands and thousands of scoters and eiders. They were pretty far out and it was hard to really get a good picture of them.

Mostly all you could see for miles in either direction were thousands of these little dark dots on the water....

Many of these birds blew in with the storm and probably found shelter here. Many will disperse and spread into other areas but for this one day it seemed as if all the sea ducks on the east coast were hanging out at the neck.....a pretty amazing sight.

At the canal there were still some young cormorants--note their light necks and chests--

There were some brant--note their dark chests--and they are smaller than Canada geese, which they can resemble from a distance...

and there were about half a dozen loons--some of which were still in between their summer and winter plumages,,,

getting ready for a dive--check the back--

another view

sorry the pictures aren't better but if you head out in that direction yourself you may be able to get better views!

Blackbird time...

2011-10-29T08:24:00.000-04:00

Everywhere I look I am seeing huge flocks of blackbirds....

They fill the treetops, they mob the ground. You can see them along the side of the highway, around bird feeders or in fields....

Most of the flocks are mixed--with lots of starlings such as the ones above, grackles, red winged blackbirds and cowbirds....

Every fall about this time I will suddenly hear a huge ruckus out in my back yard and find hundreds of blackbirds gathering in my holly trees....

They sometimes strip them but usually, like this year, they leave plenty behind for the winter birds....

Blackbirds will hang around for a few more weeks but one morning we will wake and the sky and trees will be strangely silent and all the utility wires will just look like strings between poles...

Some helpful info about reporting strandings....

2011-10-19T08:36:00.001-04:00

Autumn brings all sorts of changes to the Cape Cod landscape...

one of the changes of course is that there are fewer people on the beaches....

which means there are fewer people to find stranded birds and animals that might need help. Please copy down the following phone numbers to carry with you in case you come upon stranded sea turtles, dolphins, etc. over the next few months...a timely phone call can often mean the difference between life and death. Also, reporting dead animals helps researchers determine many things to help them understand why and how certain animals get stranded or strand themselves.

If you find a sea turtle....please call Mass Audubon at 508-349-2615 and please read the information they have provided here ahead of time so you know what to do....

For marine mammal strandings, please call the Cape Cod Stranding Network at 508-743-9548

For stranded birds please call either Cape Wildlife Center at 508-362-0111

or Wild Care Cape Cod at 508-240-2255

Please do not leave injured animals at the doorstops of nature centers or museums. They are not equipped to deal with injured animals and it is best to contact the places that do directly.

The phone numbers and website links are also on the blog sidebar for easy access.

Watercolor Bird Cards

2011-10-14T10:42:00.000-04:00

Every now and then I like to remind folks I am an artist that sells my work as well as a writer and blogger who wanders around taking pictures....

These card sets make great gifts and can be used for all sorts of occasions....the grouping below seemed to fit well with a gray blue sort of theme....perfect for late fall or winter thank you notes, etc.

I have put these together in sets of 4 but can easily arrange and rearrange them....here are some warblers and other songbirds...

and this group of colorful songbirds is cheerful enough to use for thank you cards or birthday greetings, congratulations and so forth....

Thanks for taking a look at some of my birds.

It's that seedy time of year again....

2011-10-13T09:46:00.000-04:00

when Mother Nature takes out her seed spreading bag of tricks...

Milkweed and other plants add a touch of fluff to their seed packet to help them fly away on the wind...

others, like the pokeweed put forth juicy berries that get eaten and spread by the birds and animals who then, well, poop them out elsewhere....

Some, like this dock plant, set seed on tall stalks where they are eaten by birds and other animals or fall to the ground to reseed the area....

Queen Anne's Lace makes a nice basket to keep seeds in while waiting for birds and other critters to help spread them around...

and even thorny, persnickety plants like thistle can get down right soft and cuddly when it comes to letting their seeds out into the world....

and of course there are all the various kinds of rose hips, a favored food of many birds and animals...

These days, wherever we go, there are signs that Mother Nature is already preparing for next spring and summer....

Walking Fort Hill

2011-10-11T18:06:00.000-04:00

is always a great way to spend part of a day....

This past weekend was so beautiful I'm sure you could see pictures from just about any Cape location that would make you sigh...

Layers of textures and colors abounded...

with the last blossoms of rosa rugosa against the seedheads of the phragmites--funny how we love the one invasive and hate the other....

here's a close up of one of those blossoms...

The marsh still holds more green than gold...

and even though Irene took so many of our leaves before they turned color there are still splashes of red to be seen....

and there are still butterflies about....

Lots of gulls and shorebirds feeding....

Just a beautiful, beautiful Cape Cod day....

Signs of a Cape Cod fall...

2011-10-10T07:57:00.000-04:00

Here on the Cape we don't get the glorious fall colors of northern and western New England but we do get lots of our own beautiful if more subtle colors....

We get little spots of scarlet...

birds like these tree swallows gathering on trees with golden leaves....

Changing leaves posing with their own dark shadows over still water....

Lovely patterns to enjoy close up....

And the incredible changing of color in the salt marshes, first showing up with the salicornia, or salt pickle, turning orange, red and scarlet...

It may not have the majesty of the mountains but it does give its own sweet and salty touch to our autumn landscape....

Bald Faced Hornets do not tell bald faced lies...

2011-10-07T16:15:00.001-04:00

sorry, couldn't resist that one...

There's a bald faced hornet's nest right out in plain view in this tree...do you see it?

Pretty sneaky, huh? It's about halfway up and way to the left of the tree--just left of center in the photo.

Here's a closer view....

Bald faced hornets and paper wasps both build paper nests or hives. At this time of year their nests begin to be easier to find and see but I wouldn't recommend taking them down or heaven forbid, whacking at them with a stick! What doesn't look active could be very, very active indeed and you could be very, very sorry!

Both the bald faced hornet and the paper wasp can actually be very beneficial in the garden yet many people are so frightened of being stung by them that they want the nests removed and the insects killed. Please check out some of the information provided on these websites about bald faced hornets and paper wasps to better understand them.

In winter the wasps and hornets that remain become dormant and it is the best time to either remove or destroy nests. If you leave them be you may be lucky enough to witness the neighborhood birds, especially tufted titmice, methodically tear the nests apart to eat the dormant bees and the young for a little winter protein. It doesn't take them long at all and it is quite a show as you may have dozens of birds show up to work at the nest.

Mushroom mania!

2011-10-05T08:16:00.000-04:00

It's mushroom time here on the Cape....

We've got fungus among us everywhere!

growing on old logs...

Pushing up through the ground...

Showing off some lovely white myceleum threads....

or poking up looking for a gnome to call it home....

I have no idea what any of these are or whether they will kill you or make you happy but I do know they are very cool to look at....

Sunrise over the beach...

2011-10-04T12:55:00.000-04:00

is always awesome...

on some days there is a certain monochrome quality about it but it is still dramatic...

The rays of the sun shine from beneath the heavy clouds....

Casting a silver light on all that is in its path, including Mr. Arlo here....

Now that summer has passed dogs are allowed on our beaches once again....just don't forget your plastic pick up bags and please, people, don't leave the full bags on the beach or in the parking lot ;-)

Someone else I read recently said her dog was checking his "pee-mail" and I'm pretty sure that's what's going on here...

A few stands of seaside goldenrod remain....

and as we leave the beach one of the saddest sights of early fall awaits us in the parking lot....when we see the lifeguard chairs up on the asphalt we know that the last vestiges of summer are truly on their way out...

But like Arlo, I'm going to enjoy these lovely days while I still can...

More fall flowers....

2011-09-29T08:08:00.000-04:00

There's something sort of bittersweet about the last flowers of summer and early fall....

Asters abound....

and come in many colors...

some flowers have one last bloom like these mallows...

and these cardinal flowers....

There are a few small sunflowers still blooming, looking lovely against a backdrop of goldenrod...

and then there is this flower, that I don't know the name of....

but which is so beautiful....

This is the time to get out and enjoy the last of the flowers....some will be around a few weeks longer but sadly most will be gone by mid October...

Golden days....

2011-09-28T16:29:00.000-04:00

The goldenrod is in bloom again....and painting the landscape with its golden brush...

It can show up just about any where....

and covers whole fields with its golden glow....

Many people say it makes them sneezy but don't blame the goldenrod....blame its good friend, ragweed, instead.....

and, to make matters more complicated, there are actually several different species of goldenrod, including seaside goldenrod in the photo above. Whether you find it in a field, along a marsh side or at the beach, it may look the same at first, but check the leaves and the blossom pattern to see the differences....

There are several different species in this post alone ;-)

Swallows Staging in the Dunes

2011-09-19T10:23:00.000-04:00

For the next few weeks you should be able to see an amazing sight--tens of thousands of swallows gathering and staging in the dunes along the Cape shores. See all those little black dots on the sand? Those are swallows--mostly tree swallows though you may see others mixed in as well....

These birds are rising up in flight once again...everything they do seems to be done en masse and when a smaller group finds a good place to feed or rest there seems to be a message sent to others for they arrive by the hundreds from all directions...

here you can see some perching on a small craggy branch...

and here they are swarming on a bush...

I learned yesterday, while out with Wayne Peterson on a Mass Audubon sponsored trip that tree swallows, although mostly insectivorous, eat bayberry berries in the fall. This may explain their attraction to dune areas such as Sandy Neck where this was taken since dune areas are often packed with bayberry bushes. Of course there are still plenty of bugs around as well but after watching thousands of birds alighting in the bushes as well I think they were doing exactly as Peterson suggested--eating the bayberries!

If you are out in Provincetown, at South Cape Beach in Mashpee, at Sandy Neck in Barnstable or any other beach with lots of access to bugs and bayberries, keep your eye out for huge masses of staging swallows as they load up on nutrients and fats to tide them over on their long trip south for the winter. It's quite a spectacular show.

In the Dunes....

2011-09-17T08:52:00.000-04:00

This past week I've spent a lot of time out in the dunes at Sandy Neck...

Sandy Neck is a unique coastal habitat in our area that ranges about 7 miles into Cape Cod Bay on one side and borders the Great Marsh of Barnstable on the other. Within its boundaries are many smaller ecosystems including maritime woodlands, vernal pools, salt marsh, dunes, cranberry bogs and coastal heath land. It is huge staging place for migratory birds.

It is also just breathtakingly beautiful. It is managed by the town of Barnstable and is used by local classrooms, both high school and college, as both lab and field school and the town owns a small cottage that is used to house some of the students who come to study there.

Called the Halfway House, it is halfway along the trails from the parking lot to the end of the neck....it is very basic with no running water, electricity, heat, etc. and has recently been opened up for use by artists and writers as well. I was one of the lucky ones who got to go on the first art related trip out there and in fact, ended up being asked to be a leader. This is a completely volunteer effort with all donations going to a fund to add solar energy to the cottage.

This is actually trail 4 and leads over the hill directly to the beach....from the top it offers a spectacular view....

I wrote about the day we spent out there and my overnight experience in the cottage alone for the Barnstable Patriot and you can read the article here. I will be adding pictures and more stories over the next few days.

Little things....

2011-09-15T13:00:00.000-04:00

are often overlooked but can be so rewarding to find and enjoy....

like this composition of a shell fragment on the sand with a few strands of dune grass....

or this perfectly perched crab molt...

or the faded but sweet skeletal remains of this dune plant....

or these rabbit tracks in the sand....

all these little things are the things that make me happy every time I walk in nature...How about you?

Night Herons at Fort Hill

2011-09-12T10:00:00.000-04:00

Years ago I happened to be at Fort Hill around dusk waiting to watch the sunset and noticed that all around me black crowned night herons were vocalizing and flying out over the marsh where they feed. And yes, they feed at night or just after dusk, hence their name.

Black crowned night herons are fairly common on the Cape though they tend to secretive by day and some people never seem to see them. There once was a huge colony at Sandy Neck but over the years that rookery was destroyed again and again and if they are once again nesting there it is not in the same numbers that once proliferated there. There is a great account of that old Sandy Neck rookery here.

The bird above is a black crowned night heron. We also can see yellow crowned night herons here. I don't have one of my own pictures of a yellow crowned night heron but you can see what one looks like here. Immature night herons are pretty stripey and brown and can be confusing to identify by species, especially since they tend to hang out in the reeds and can be confused with bitterns if one just gets a quick look. Immature Green herons are also brown and stripey.

This weekend we had to go to Wellfleet just after dusk so it was a great time to stop at Hemenway Landing in Eastham to watch for night herons. We were not alone. There were probably a dozen other birders there. You can also reach Hemenway Landing by following the trail from the Fort Hill parking lots and there is also a great place to watch where the little pavillion and big rock are along the trail--that is actually where I usually watch them from...

The sky got darker and the almost full moon rose...

and then we began to hear them... quawk!!!! quawk!!! They sound like some funny old man squawking as they fly overhead and in some parts of the country they are actually referred to as quawks....

One after another they flew over our heads, circling around the marsh and creeks looking for a good place to land. We watched several dozen arrive and land before we had to head off. As the sky darkened it was harder and harder to see them through binoculars but we are pretty sure there was at least one yellow crowned among them...

Anyway, if you're in the area around sundown....take a few moments to catch the night heron show before they begin to migrate....it's a sight you won't soon forget...

My pictures of the birds didn't really come out--but here's one of my sad attempts--between the low light and the movement my camera wasn't up to catching them....

but it did catch this...

and this...

Making Like a Squirrel....

2011-09-06T10:09:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year....to gather and save what we can of summer for summer is leaving us behind. There are last berries and fruits to turn into jams, vegetables and sauces to can and freeze and so on...

And this year I have been digging out all my old jars and canning tools, replacing the lids and preparing food for the canning or jamming...

Earlier I had made the blueberry peach jam and the kosher dill pickles but this weekend I knew I better get cooking before the rest of the peaches and cukes were gone by....we especially like bread and butter pickles and they are so easy to make!

The hardest part of making jam or canning anything is gathering and cleaning all the jars, pots, funnels and lids and lining everything up so you are ready to spring into action when everything is ready. The actual peeling, cutting and cooking is actually pretty relaxing and fun.

And who doesn't love to open a little yummy jar of summer goodness when the cold winter winds blow?

Katydid Season

2011-09-02T10:33:00.000-04:00

Evenings in late summer and early fall here on the Cape are filled with the sounds, songs and chirps of gray tree frogs, crickets and katydids. So called Katy-did because they sound like that's what they are saying, these cousins to our familiar crickets are bright green, helping them be well camouflaged among the leaves they love to chomp upon.

This one landed on the hood of my car in Wellfleet earlier this week and hitched a ride to Marconi Beach.

If you have never seen a katydid, they are about 2" long though the nymphs are smaller and there are also several species. This one was pretty large and was unimpressed by my proximity with a camera.

Check out the extra long, extra fine antennae. Most grasshoppers and crickets have much shorter antennae.

These little critters will be laying eggs soon that will winter over before hatching into nymphs next spring. Katydids eat plants, such as oak leaves, which of course we have plenty of, and are quite common to find in grassy areas near open woodlands such as the National Seashore. Kids especially love them and they are easy to catch.

Here is a blog post by a naturalist, Marcia Bonter, who spent time with Steve Rannels who studies the sounds of katydids as well as other crickets and grasshoppers.

A Gull and Fish Story

2011-09-01T13:42:00.001-04:00

The morning after the storm the gulls at the beach were very active. They probably were pretty hungry and there was plenty of food washed up on the shore.

If you look at the picture closely you may notice a dead fish a little left of center. There are two black backed gulls--an adult and a juvenile and the juvenile is in a threatening stance and is calling loudly, letting the adult know that this is ITS fish and it has no intention of sharing....

In this picture you can see that an adult gull has stepped in close to the fish...the young gull is really strutting its stuff but the adult seems less than impressed....

Check out what is happening here....the adult bird is establishing its superiority....check out the young bird talking back...

and you can see here who won this one...and it was none of the birds that were arguing...but the herring gull that was waiting while all the others were posturing and making a racket....

showing us that those that wait patiently often rush in and win in the end...

As you might imagine the story didn't really end there....constant bickering and re-positioning occurred and the dominant birds eventually took over the fish carcass, leaving the younger birds to wait their turn from a distance.

Chatham Seals

2011-08-31T07:48:00.000-04:00

Yesterday one of my daughters took me on a seal cruise for my birthday. This was one of those funny years where almost all my birthday gifts involved a boat--my other daughter took me on a whale watch and my sister gave me tickets to go to Martha's Vineyard. Anyway, we went out with the Beachcomber folks out of Ryder Cove in Chatham. When I first led seal cruises it was with the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History way back when Paul and Paula were first starting their seal cruise business so it was a bit nostalgic as well. If you've seen the bright yellow boats bopping around Chatham harbor and down around Monomoy you've seen the Beachcomber boats.

It was a picture perfect Cape Cod day....

We stayed inside the big sand spits due to big waves on the outside so we had no chance of seeing sharks....

but we did see lots of seals....

There are now about 10,000 gray seals off the outer Cape, most of them concentrated in the Chatham area, particularly around Monomoy. When I was a kid we almost never saw seals here in the summer. Occasionally we'd see a harbor seal around the canal in the winter but a gray seal? Never. They certainly have made a comeback, however.

These seals were sort of lolling about, taking it easy. Before we came by most of them were "bottling," a behavior which seems like resting with their noses straight up in the air. They are still very alert but they are not expending much energy. Some seals were doing what looked like back flips into the water, splashing and dunking almost like kids. Some say they may be ridding themselves of parasites doing this but sometimes it is more fun to not be scientific about it and think maybe they are just goofing off.

I love how the seals watch us watching them....

Wouldn't you like to know what they are thinking? This is probably a young seal since it still is pretty spotty. The females remain spotty with lighter coats than the males but full grown females tend to be larger than this seal was.

This is a great view of their big eyes and long whiskers...

and those huge nostrils....These seals were also called horseheads by the old time fishermen. You can learn more about gray seals through this link.

It's Baby Terrapin Time!

2011-08-30T10:21:00.001-04:00

At the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary there is a small army of volunteers that monitors the nests of the diamondback terrapins both on the sanctuary and nearby. These blue flags and exclosures all signify confirmed terrapin nest.

Over the past few days the tiny terrapins have begun to hatch. Some are brought into the sanctuary to be weighed and measured and recorded in all ways possible.

I was lucky enough to get to see some that had just been brought in when I was visiting the sanctuary yesterday.

Each of these little guys is about the size of a quarter but they are so perfectly formed and marked there is not doubt they are diamondback terrapins. I see them each year and each year I marvel at their perfection.

This last photo not only gives you some scale but also shows the remaining egg sac on the underside of the shell. Once those fall off or are absorbed they will release the hatchlings. The yolk has an odor that the predators of the turtles are very well attuned to so giving them a day or two to become less of a snack is a good thing for the turtles.

A Storm Scallop Bonanza!

2011-08-29T16:55:00.000-04:00

Every fall when the northeast winds blow people rush to this particular beach to grab the tender bay scallops that sometimes wash up in the wind driven waves.

This morning when we took our early morning walk we were surprised to see so many cars and trucks parked just outside the still locked gate but it didn't take us long to figure out why....

They were hunting and gathering scallops!

Some were very happy with their catch...

One let me photograph his bountiful bucket....

and some, like this poor lady in the foreground just couldn't bring herself to scavenge through all that mucky seaweed to find her seafood gold...she left empty handed....

Irene left many Cape Codders without power but it was a beautiful day here. We traveled to the lower Cape and I have lots of pictures and stories to share over the next few days. I hope all of you have fared well through the winds and the waves and don't have to worry about things like this...

I'm pretty sure the woman on the jetty talking on the phone actually had nothing to do with the poor boat listing on its side but I think this photo is just begging for a caption, don't you?

The Calm Before the Storm....

2011-08-27T13:03:00.001-04:00

As Hurricane Irene barrels up the east coast in our direction we are having a day of calm here in Hyannis on Cape Cod...

The beaches are quiet and mostly empty....not even a gull to be seen....

though there are lifeguards on duty....

Many, many boats have been taken out of the water already and others are being taken out today though some will ride out the storm on their moorings....

The bath house and snack bar are open but the windows are being boarded up....

the parking lot is mostly empty....there is no wind so even the usual wind surfers are not here....

on this last weekend of August there is an eerie feeling all around...

as we wait to see what Irene has in store for us....

Exploring outdoors with children

2011-08-25T19:42:00.001-04:00

It is no secret that I love working with kids of all ages. I've either been teaching art or nature to kids since I was just past being a kid myself. I love both art and nature and I want kids to know they don't have to study them or be perfect in them or any of that....both allow and encourage exploration and that is what I emphasize in my own classes. Don't know something? Ask or look it up. In the meantime, learn everything you can about by doing...watch, listen, experiment, be brave...

As adults it is important to pick places that are safe for kids to explore. If going out in a field be sure you don't pick a field full of poison ivy or prickly vines. That will ruin the fun real fast. Also, let them know ahead of time if they might see a snake or bees or anything that might cause them a bit of alarm. Let them know what to do to be safe.

These young men and I were on a mission this morning--to catch grasshoppers and other insects we could take to a class I was teaching later in the day at the local library.

Good nets are great if you can get them--and if you are going to teach kids how to catch butterflies, dragonflies, etc. these nets shown here are too shallow and not very good at all. They were fine, however, for catching grasshoppers and crickets and other little jumping insects.

You can use plastic peanut butter jars with net or screen covers or invest in one of the commercially made plastic or screen bug houses or carrying cages. The one I have has an opening on top which is very handy for transferring grasshoppers from a net to the cage.

We took our catches to class but then we let them go afterwards. Kids, especially little ones, want to keep everything for pets but I remind them that even insects are happier in their own homes where they can find their own food and hang out with their own friends and families. That always seems to satisfy them and if possible, let the kids come with you when you let the critters go.

Kids love to explore. These boys learned that we have many different grasshoppers on the Cape and they also learned how to tell the male crickets from the females. They even caught a few small butterflies that we looked at and then let go. One of them said on the way back home, "That was awesome!" and that's what it's all about.

A Whale of a Day!

2011-08-23T09:53:00.000-04:00

One of the wonderful things about living on the Cape is of course our proximity to the ocean and the many opportunities we have to observe ocean wildlife up close. I have to admit, I love whales and always have and so any time I get a chance to see them, I take the chance. I don't know how many whale watches I've been on but it's a lot.

There's something about seeing these magnificent animals that makes my heart beat a little faster and my smile get a little wider. These are humpback whales and yesterday my daughter and her family took me out on a spectacular watch. For the last few years we have done this for my birthday but this was the most amazing one yet.

I don't have a fancy camera and many of my pictures are sort of funny...

like this one which is the tail end, or actually flipper end, of a breach....

I did get a few decent pictures of breaching whales but I especially like this one that looks like the whale is balancing the Provincetown tower on its chin....

This whale was on its back, raising and slapping its flippers and then rolling around...

This is the double flipper splash....

And here, for the good bye, is a little fluke action....

What a fabulous day! We saw so many whales and seabirds, too--the seabirds are too quick for my camera though....

Sign Up for a Free Family Walk

2011-08-18T07:48:00.000-04:00

I have a unique opportunity to be included in an article/ picture essay in a major local publication. The walk will take place next week in the mid Cape area at a beach. Children must be 5 or older, though a younger sibling will be okay. The walk is for families so all ages are encouraged. It will include both a nature walk and a time for drawing. All supplies, nets, etc. are included.

In order to participate you must feel comfortable having you and your family photographed for possible inclusion in the article. Of course, there can be no guarantee of inclusion, even for me.

I am offering this for free because it is at a different time and place than my regularly scheduled family walks

For more details and information please email me at capecodartandnature AT gmail.com

Look what I found at the beach yesterday....

2011-08-17T08:05:00.000-04:00

One of my family art and nature walks takes place every week at Corporation Beach in Dennis. It is a great place for both families and exploring tidal pools and even though yesterday was a cloudy day the tide was almost out and we had a great group.

There were tons of hermit crabs but also lots of minnows and small crabs of various descriptions so we were all looking in the water as we walked along.

There are always cormorants hanging out on the big jetty here so at first glance we didn't pay too much attention to this bird on the rocks while we were looking for fish and crabs. As we headed back down the side of the jetty, however, the bird looked up....

and I knew this wasn't any cormorant. Check out that heavy bluish bill and those big yellow feet. I had read that people had seen a brown booby, a real stranger to our area, in the last week or so and my thoughts immediately jumped to thinking this may be that bird. I took lots of pictures and sent a few to Mark Faherty at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and it wasn't long before other birders came along to confirm the ID.

These poses look just like the pictures in the Sibley bird book of the juvenile brown booby, a bird much more likely to be seen in the Caribbean than in New England. The other bird seen recently was actually seen in Maine and looked to be an older bird than this. Perhaps they got blown up this way in one of the recent storms we had.

You can learn more about the brown booby from this site and yes, this bird has a funny name. I do know this bird stayed at the beach until at least dusk and it may still be there this morning. If you do not have a Dennis sticker you will have to pay to park at the beach.

This bird house may seem like a good idea...

2011-08-13T10:30:00.001-04:00

but it's not. People think these multiple hole bird houses are great additions to gardens because they hope to bring in lots of birds.

This one was put up at a local nature center. I won't mention any names but we did prevail upon them to cover up the holes so as not to encourage the types of invasive birds that like to nest in them, such as house or English sparrows...

Can you see the little hole at the top? The birds got in anyway and this is their third brood of the season. The problem with these aggressive little sparrows is that they are much tougher and pushier than most of our native songbirds and will actually bully other birds out of their nesting spots, even killing the parent and baby birds that are in their way. I'm not advocating injury to these birds but if we can stop offering them free housing like this that may help with their overpopulation. Very few of our local birds would nest so close to each other but these guys will just bicker and push each other around and live together uneasily if noisily.

Here's one of the little guys waiting for mom or dad to bring new food. Check out the paper wasp nest that was starting to be built there, too.

Many people put up these multiple hole bird houses hoping to attract the purple martins that once frequented our area. These cavity nesting birds are starting to make a comeback in our area but you must have special habitat situations for them to consider nesting in your yard. If you are interested in learning more please check out any of the bird information websites that offer nesting information and birdhouse plans.

If you can't take them out to the pond...

2011-08-11T18:03:00.000-04:00

then bring a little bit of pond inside for them!

As you know by now, I always prefer to do nature lessons outside but right now I'm doing a series of classes at the Hyannis Public Library and so the classes are inside. Last week we did a little exploring with some tide pools in buckets and this week we explored some pond animals and plants...

I love to watch kids interact directly with wild animals--even tiny wild animals like this little painted turtle. They are a little shy and nervous at first but then they really get into it.

This young lady had a whole conversation going on....

We ended the session making some turtles and frogs of our own and as you can see we had some grown up helpers as well. I always want to give the grown ups their own projects but well, you know how it is sometimes....

Anyway, we've been having a great time in this class. One more session on August 25!

Just a few fun pictures....

2011-08-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

This is such a great time of year to get out and about and take some pictures, sketch or just sit and take it all in...here are some photos I took today.

Can you see who is hiding in the grass?

Love these big pink mallows...

and thistle is just starting to bloom...

cranberries are ripening....

and staghorn sumac is starting to 'bloom'....

and tiny turtles are taking in the sun....

all this in a 15 minute walk...sigh....I love summer....

A snake in the grass!

2011-08-06T12:30:00.000-04:00

My neighbor called me all in a buzz because there was a huge snake in the yard and it was heading for my house! I was so excited I grabbed my camera and ran outside. Living smack dab in the middle of Hyannis a snake in the grass is not an every day occurrence. This is what I saw....

What? That little thing? Actually it was about 18" long but it was a harmless, docile garter snake, perhaps one of the most common snakes on the Cape and in the country, I think, too.

It allowed me to get quite close to get a good look....

I decided it was probably a she since this snake appeared quite pregnant....

Her mid section was almost twice as wide as the rest of her and for about a foot of her body length so I'm pretty sure it wasn't just her last meal sitting there....

My neighbor is not very fond of snakes so when it headed to the old wall between our yards she was very relieved to see it....

slip between the rocks into the leaves on the other side of the wall...in my yard!

If you see a garter snake, or any snake for that matter here on the Cape, please remember they do way more good than harm. We have no poisonous snakes here and no snake is going to come after you and bite you. They are going to try and do exactly what this snake did....get away safely!

Follow up on my sparrows....

2011-07-29T10:17:00.000-04:00

Some of you may remember my post back in May about strange nesting places....

See those little dots on the wire? Those are English sparrows, also called house sparrows. The view is from my side yard in Hyannis and the funny oblong thing on the wire is a hollow wooden wire guide that used to protect the wire from rubbing against our big old sugar maple that met a sad and unfortunate end last year....

Early in the spring I saw the sparrows taking nesting material to the little wooden "house" and even then I wondered how it was going to work when it was time for the baby birds to fledge. The first group didn't do so well but some survived. The second group did much better and now we are on the third group...

There has been a lot of chatter and activity around the nest over the last few days and it seemed as if some of the siblings were still hanging around and in some ways were even cheering on their little brothers and sisters, cousins, or whatever they were to them. This morning was the first time the little ones came all the way out. You can see them to the left, looking a bit nervous perhaps....one is also on the top of the nesting area.

These little guys are still being fed by the parents and even some of the siblings it appears. I know that house sparrows are aggressive and invasive birds but I have to hand it to them for this one. Surviving and thriving in such an odd spot has earned a bit of admiration from me this summer. These are hardy, adaptable birds!

Some of my column illustrations...

2011-07-27T17:13:00.001-04:00

are now on cards in my Mary Richmond Design Etsy shop.

this hummingbird moth is one of my favorites...

but I also like this grasshopper....

I'm not really sure who I would send this card to but I bet we all know at least one person who would love it...

I have done a lot of drawings of hawks over the years...

in flight, hanging out...looking tough...

I also put together some nice sets for the fall...

If you'd like to see more, they are posted over at Mary Richmond Design on Etsy.com

Another day at the beach...

2011-07-26T07:43:00.000-04:00

this time at Marconi Beach in Wellfleet....

It was one of those rainy, cloudy, sunny, repeat sorts of mornings...

Here are the newly built stairs heading down to the beach....

a view of the intense erosion this area suffered last winter and which took out the stairs that used to be there...

It was still early and the rain had just stopped but those little dots out there were surfers....

the clouds were amazing--so moody....

another beautiful morning at the beach....

Spadefoot toadlets!

2011-07-25T08:24:00.000-04:00

Spadefoot toads spend most of their time underground and are rarely seen by the average person so getting a peek at these tadpoles and little toadlets is a real treat.

Early each spring the toads leave their underground spots to head toward vernal pools in the dunes like these at Sandy Neck in West Barnstable. They will even lay their eggs in what are barely big puddles, hoping that the water will hang around long enough for their young to survive.

The eggs are laid in water and can be found in gelatinous globs like the one seen below. The eggs are the little dark spots.

Ian Ives of Mass Audubon's Long Pasture Sanctuary is involved in a program that is headstarting some of these rare and endangered toads to hopefully give them a better chance of overall survival here on the Cape. To do this he has raised some tadpoles that are now healthy and happy toadlets, and yes, that is a word. Our larger frogs grow quite a bit bigger before metamophosizing into adult frogs but our toads, including American, Fowler's and Spadefoot, all leave the water while still quite small, and are called toadlets. Wood frogs, which are dependent on vernal pools also change quickly from tadpole to frog and are called froglets. That's your handy tidbit of amphibian trivia for the day.

These tadpoles are about an inch long. If you look closely at the top one you will see it's tiny back legs beginning to form.

These little guys have arms and legs but still have quite a bit of tail to be absorbed before they are ready to hop out of the water.

Here is a little spadefoot toadlet that has just been out of the water for a few weeks. It is living in an aquarium for the moment and is being fed lots of tiny insects.

This picture isn't great but it does show the little holes the toadlets dig and you can see one of the toads emerging in the top center part of the photo.

Most people would never see these tiny guys so personally I think it is pretty cool that we can see them like this, thanks to Mass Audubon and Ian Ives.

Something to cool you off....

2011-07-22T10:20:00.001-04:00

Nothing like some lovely summer flowers to help you find a smile and a breeze on a hot July day....

This balloon flower is simply begging for a butterfly or bee to come visit, don't you think?

My bee balm is suffering in the heat but the bees and hummingbirds still love it....

Chicory is also commonly called cornflower and is one of my favorite plants of mid summer....

It seems so fragile and delicate but it grows in some pretty tough places. Yep, that's concrete you see beneath this plant. It is growing between a sidewalk and the road and in my town you see them everywhere right now. They especially cheer me up when they are waving at me while I wait for a traffic light at a busy intersection.

And of course, who doesn't love Queen Anne's lace? It also grows just about anywhere and quite frankly I think it would like to take over my yard. I do leave some of it here and there and this flower head is one of the largest I've ever seen--about 5" across!

Although day lilies have certainly naturalized everywhere they are a cultivated, not a wild plant in our area but I was playing with my camera in the garden this morning and liked the way you could see the pollen on this so thought I'd include it.

Stay cool, everyone. And stop to smell the flowers!

And more beautiful butterflies....

2011-07-21T10:22:00.001-04:00

since it really is such a perfect week for them....many do not stay still long enough for me to photograph them so later I will add some of my sketches and watercolors to show you other common butterflies in the area but here are some more seen here on the Cape in the last week or so....

I believe this one is one of our more common skippers--note the way it holds its wings, which is one of the indicators that it belongs in the skipper family of butterflies. If my identification is correct this is a silver spotted skipper. I have sent the photo to one of my more expert naturalist friends so I will correct this if necessary...

This one is a checkerspot--easy to remember ;-)

and everyone should be familiar with this one--the eastern tiger swallowtail.

Such a beautiful time of year!

A Bit of Yellow...

2011-07-19T06:04:00.000-04:00

is a cheerful thing on a sunny morning...or any time!

This beautiful butterfly is known as the clouded sulphur and is one of our more common butterflies. You may see them in many of the same places you see their white sulphur cousins, commonly called cabbage whites.

When their wings are open, they have grayish black borders down the side of their wings....

Clouded sulphurs are smaller than the Monarch butterflies most people know. Their wing span may reach 2" but mostly they are petite and compact. You can find them just about anywhere there is a good mix of flowers, including your own yard but they are especially plentiful right now in open field areas.

You can read more here about the life history, habits and habitat needs of the clouded sulphur

More Butterflies....

2011-07-18T12:05:00.000-04:00

Butterflies can be challenging to draw or paint outside but even photographing them can be difficult. Most of us that try take lots and lots of pictures....

Monarchs tend to hang around in the same place and stand still for a while so they can feed....

Sometimes their pose is not exactly cooperative but I included this one above so you could see that often they are more camouflaged in a garden than you might expect....

Sometimes they are so busy feeding that you can really zoom in close....

While other times they move on...

In any case, they are so lovely that standing out in a field of flowers on a sunny morning is nothing less than delightful....

You can find more information about Monarch butterflies at this Monarch Butterfly website.

These photos were taken by me this past weekend at Mass Audubon's Long Pasture Sanctuary.

It's Butterfly Time!

2011-07-16T12:46:00.001-04:00

Butterflies love it to be hot but not too hot. A little breeze is okay but too much wind will toss them around so a calm day is always their preference. Humidity is acceptable up to a point but a good dry day in the 80s is probably their favorite kind of day. Oh, and don't forget that lots of flowers should be in bloom. Mid July is usually the best time to find that around here and sure enough, these past few days have been perfect.

If you want to see lots of butterflies head for a place that looks like this....

With lots of these....

and these....

and mixes like these....

then you might find some of these....

These pictures were taken on the Butterfly Mosaic Trail at Mass Audubon's Long Pasture Sanctuary in Cummaquid but any good sized field will do. In the Falmouth area there is the amazing Crane Wildlife Area that I personally think is the best butterfly place on the Cape but there is also the air field in Marstons Mills, the Drummer Boy Park in Brewster, Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and Fort Hill in Eastham to name a few more. Truro has some very fertile areas as well. All should be very busy over the next week or so with many varieties of butterflies.

Over the next few days I will be posting pictures and information about some of the more common butterflies here on the Cape, including their host plants for both nectaring adults and feeding larvae.

I love chipmunks....

2011-07-14T10:13:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, some of you just hate them and have ongoing wars with them but I can't help it, I love them.

First of all, they're just too cute for words. I know that's not very scientific of me but what the heck, they are totally cute.

They are so small they make every predator's favorite food list yet they are quick, agile and sassy. I have seen them talk back to animals twice their size before making a hasty retreat. They don't always escape of course but they do more often than their size may lead you to believe. I love an animal with spunk that isn't arrogant. Let's face it, weasels are little and have lots of spunk but they are also sneaky and arrogant and hard to love with all that bloodthirsty killing they do...I mean, really, not the same at all. And yes, I am anthropomorphizing here but I hope you'll forgive me.

Besides, how could you not love that sweet little alert face?

If you want to know more about chipmunks check out this Wonder Club Website.

These summer days....

2011-07-13T17:49:00.000-04:00

are so wonderful! We've been very lucky to finally be able to get out and paint these last two weeks and the classes have been great. I think sketching and painting outdoors attracts only the very best people because everyone is always so friendly and generous...always a good time.

First, there are the views....this one is in Wellfleet, from the tiny beach in front of the Wellfleet pier...

We set up our chairs and our easels...

and got to work....

and yes, it is work....with a little relaxing thrown in for good measure....

This student is trying out her new easel--found at a yard sale or thrift shop I believe and barely used!

Here you can see her set up a little better....and a bit of her unfinished watercolor.

Such a great way to spend the day....join us if you feel like it....full schedule is at Cape Cod Art and Nature Website

The Perfect Cape Cod Beach Day....

2011-07-11T08:03:00.000-04:00

just happens sometimes....

The temperature is just right, the humidity is pretty much zilch, there's a lovely breeze and the beach isn't so crowded it makes you miserable....

In fact sometimes you're lucky enough to be there for a few hours with a view like this. This is taken at Race Point in Provincetown looking toward the race. There were a few people walking along, lots of boats heading out to fish and watch whales and terns calling out overhead.

You can't see them here but there are whales cavorting out there. We saw several different pairings and pods but one pair seemed to be a mother and calf. So much fun to watch and such a peaceful wonderful morning....

These cheerful umbrellas pretty much say it all. It was a happy, lovely day at the beach....

After the rain...

2011-07-08T12:55:00.000-04:00

It has been a stormy and rainy morning here on the Cape with lots of flooding but after the worst had passed I went out into the yard to take some pictures...

Evening primrose....

Lily leaves....

The lily itself...

Holly leaves...

Norway spruce....

Maple...

Lamb's quarter....

Stay dry!

A Magical Place...

2011-07-07T07:36:00.000-04:00

Today I'm heading off my usual nature path to bring you pictures from the lovely Cape Cod Lavender Farm in Harwich. The lavender is in bloom and bees and butterflies are everywhere...

The lighter lavender blooms are pretty subtle in color but they smell wonderful....

There's a sweet little cottage shop that will make all lavender lovers swoon with delight....

there's a fairy garden with a lovely stone castle.....

and sweet little fairy houses....

more fields of sweet smelling lavender....

It is open to the public and was a great place to paint with my outdoor painting class this week....

and I'll just leave you with this last sweet picture of lavender fields....right here on Cape Cod!

See where my classes are going next at www.capecodartandnature.com

Stay cool!

2011-07-06T07:28:00.000-04:00

When it's really hot outside sometimes a slow walk in a cool forest is just what the doctor orders...the nature doctor, that is...

Where the ferns are shady and bright...

Where whole little worlds are growing where old ones have died off....

where a cool seat awaits by a pond beneath an old shade tree....

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T11:18:00.001-04:00

In honor of our holiday celebrating our independence....

here's a little red...

white.....

and blue....

from Mother Nature's palette here on this lovely Cape Cod day!

Summer days at the pond

2011-07-02T07:35:00.000-04:00

So many people come to Cape Cod to go to our salt water beaches they forget or don't know that we are also a great place to go exploring around or in ponds. We have over 300 of them, most of them called kettle ponds because they are kettle holes left behind by the glacier that formed us thousands of years ago. The holes were deep enough to hit the water level and filled with water, hence their name.

On a sunny morning you might find a spot where swans rest at night, filled with white feathers....

The elegant swans may still be nearby....

You may see a big old bullfrog watching for flies....check out his bright yellow chin, a dead giveaway that this is a male.....

And if you look into the water really closely you may see something like this....a giant pickerel, still as a log, hiding under a patch of algae. Click on the picture to really see it--it is quite well camouflaged. Pickerels are amazing predators and this one had its eye on a nearby sunfish nest....

More baby pictures....

2011-06-30T07:15:00.002-04:00

I can't get enough of these cute little plovers....

They blend in so well and they move so fast--even with my zoom lens they are hard to pick up--this one is just off center to the right.

This one is smack in the center, doing a little dance....

just beneath the string...

so cute....

Keep your eyes out for these little guys on the beaches this weekend....they are out and about!

More beach goodness...

2011-06-29T18:29:00.000-04:00

I love walking on the beach really early in the morning. I especially like it when I'm the only one there and that happens more frequently than you might think, even in mid summer....

Often the mornings are misty....

Boats are still at rest in the early morning light....

Even the gulls appear to be resting. These two young gulls are immature, most likely second year, greater black backed gulls. Note their cleanly marked plumage and blackish bills.

Compare the bigger body mass and clean look of the black backs with this muddier looking, smaller gull--an immature, probably second year, herring gull.

here are more black backed gulls--a full adult, a third year herring gull (I think) and what I would call a second year black backed gull. I am not a gull expert so feel free to disagree with me if you have something to add.

The gull with the gray back is a herring gull, the one most people just refer to as a seagull. That is an immature bird on the right.

This willet landed nearby as I was taking pictures of the gulls so I included it here, too. There is at least one pair of willets nesting in the marsh nearby this beach and I see them feeding here almost daily. They don't usually hang out up in the sandy area like this one but I think I took it by surprise.

These are just a few of the sightings I had while walking the beach early in the morning...every day is different!

Look who was at the beach this morning....

2011-06-28T12:31:00.001-04:00

Bunnies!

I never see bunnies at the beach. I see their tracks so I know they are around but I can't think of a single time I've actually seen a rabbit just hanging out on the beach. I've seen them in the marsh and way inside the dunes where there is more grass than sand but today I was walking down the beach and there was a bunny just hanging out between the gulls and the terns. I had my camera but when I turned it on the rabbit skedaddled...

Later as I rounded the tip of this beach where there are more dunes I saw another one...

Do you see it up there near the top of the dune? The other rabbit had run up over the dunes on the other side of this but this one came from under the rose bushes and paused a bit....

standing still and alert, waiting for me to pass by...(it never moved--this closer shot taken with my zoom lens)

and then as I was leaving the beach yet another little fellow was hanging out by the edge of the parking lot...it was definitely a bunny at the beach sort of morning...

A beautiful morning at the pond...

2011-06-27T12:04:00.000-04:00

We got up early this morning to take a long leisurely walk around a pond we love to visit...

it didn't take long for the half grown ducklings to come for a visit. We have never fed them but obviously someone has...

love this shot of this little guy still wet from his or her foraging but keeping an eye out for any fresh handouts....

The path around this pond is quite lovely and meanders through upland as well as pond side beach areas. The early morning sunlight is so pretty coming through the trees and the heat of the day hasn't settled in quite yet. All is still cool and lush. The ovenbirds, catbirds, great crested flycatchers and blue jays were all taking turns making a lot of noise. Towhees were out and about with their young, watching us from a safe distance as all the juniors scratched around in the leaves for bugs.

Scenes like this were plentiful, the ferns still young and springy, offering shade to the plants below and perhaps even a toad or two as well....

Who goes there?

2011-06-26T09:29:00.001-04:00

Sitting at the beach, drawing and minding our own business we suddenly realize we are surrounded...

from each tiny hole emerged a tiny big clawed crab...

and when they thought we weren't looking they stood up and waved....

and if you haven't sat on the beach surrounded by serenading fiddler crabs....quick go find some!

Time to get outdoors....

2011-06-25T07:40:00.000-04:00

You know by now that I try to spend as much time outdoors as possible. I draw and paint outdoors almost every day though the recent spell of rainy weather hasn't been too good for outside painting. Even so I can take cuttings of branches and flowers from the yard and paint from those.

Many people are afraid to draw or paint, indoors or outdoors, mostly because they are afraid they don't know how. Wouldn't the world be a nicer place if everyone could just have fun with their creativity and not judge the results so much? Anyway, I encourage you to take a notebook or sketchbook outside this summer and have a little fun with some pencils, colored pencils, paints, whatever. Never mind what it looks like. Enjoy the process.

Hang out with a friend while you paint. It's a different way to spend time together and many people, no matter what their ability level is, find this to be very relaxing.

Bring a kid along. Kids love to draw and paint and you don't need anything fancy. Use a sketchbook or just clip some blank copy paper to a clipboard that makes it easy to walk around and find cool stuff to draw because you have your "table" with you.

If you feel uncomfortable going out by yourself, check out my summer schedule. Beginners are always welcome and the full schedule is on my Cape Cod Art and Nature website.

Happy summer!

2011-06-21T09:29:00.000-04:00

Perhaps my most favorite day of the year...

pretty flowers everywhere....

Great birds to see on the beach--check out the piping plover hanging out to the left of the little green heron...

Babies everywhere you look....

Frogs making their way on four legs for the first time...

Beach plums a-growing'

And a whole summer ahead to get outside and paint! Join us for any or all of this summer's outdoor sketching and watercolor classes by Cape Cod Art and Nature.

Just for fun....

2011-06-20T17:25:00.001-04:00

We have been having simply wonderful weather to welcome in the summer....

To celebrate all the wonderfulness we drove up to Provincetown on Father's Day and stopped at Highland Light in Truro to admire the flowers in the meadow against the backdrop of the sea and sky...

And looked down over the cliffs to see the beautiful beach below...

And of course, I have to include the iconic lighthouse itself...

Truly, a beautiful Cape Cod day. Sometimes I feel I store them up all spring, summer and fall to get me through all the gray cold damp and dark days of winter....

Baby red squirrels...

2011-06-18T12:38:00.000-04:00

are out and around these days, as are baby gray squirrels and chipmunks. Often the youngsters still hang around together and may even still follow their parents though the parents are pretty much leading them to find their own food and no longer feeding them directly.

Here are 3 little red squirrels chasing and playing in a nearby tree....there were 4 altogether but I don't think I got a picture of the 4 that wasn't a complete blur.

Young mammals tend to look sleeker than the adults, which is quite different from young birds that often look larger and puffed out. Mammals grow to full size pretty quickly, depending on the species, of course, but even young coyotes and foxes are standing almost as tall as mom and dad. They are just quite a bit thinner--their muscles and fat have not kept up with their skeletal growth quite yet so they look like the sort of gawky adolescents they are.

Also, when you see squirrels hanging around together and playing like this, you can be pretty sure they are young ones. Older squirrels have other things on their mind...although you will probably still see parent squirrels watching out for the young ones for another few weeks or so. At your feeders you may be noticing an increase of squirrels. Look for the skinnier tails on young gray squirrels.

Baby birds

2011-06-16T09:10:00.002-04:00

It's true, baby birds are very cute. They are also starting to leave their nests and we may be seeing them in our backyards, in empty lots, along nature paths and even in parking lots. Many people, especially children and teens want to pick them up and bring them home to care for them. Please try to refrain from doing this.

Most of these babies are just fine on their own. They are nimble and quick and mom and dad are usually close by. Many baby birds look pretty vulnerable and cry pathetically, bringing out the mom and dad in us humans, too. This works on their parents as well which is why they do it but most of these little guys and gals are pretty tough and pretty quick. Although many cannot fly well yet they can hop and run and climb pretty well. Keep watch from a distance and you will often hear or see a parent bird nearby. If you hang around too closely you will keep the parent from coming back while you're there so it is a good idea to watch from a distance.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has much more information about baby birds on their website.

Don't be overly alarmed to find baby birds in strange places. I have even watched parent birds take care of babies in parking lots at malls and grocery stores and the babies do quite well even against what seem to be pretty scary odds.

If you do find a baby bird that is truly abandoned or injured please call for help. On the Cape we have some great wildlife rehabilitators that are well trained and very helpful. You can call Wild Care Cape Cod in Eastham at 508-240-2255 or Cape Cod Wildlife Center in Barnstable (Cummaquid) at 508-362-0111.

The best thing you can do to help baby birds and other animals right now? Keep your pets leashed or indoors.

Sketches by Mary Richmond

Good fences make....

2011-06-15T09:12:00.000-04:00

good neighbors, as Robert Frost pointed out, but they also make good places to plant wind rows of trees and shrubs. At least that is what the birds think.

Birds often rest on fences, especially on fence poles. They often make good vantage points from which to scope out the neighborhood and be alert for danger at the same time.

While sitting there birds may leave little presents behind and these little presents often contain seeds. The seeds in turn often grow into new shrubs and trees.

Those who study the history and sociology of landscapes say that when they find a straight line of trees they can usually surmise that a fence was once there for trees don't grow in straight lines unless they are planted that way.

So here's to the birds and their spreading of the tree seeds!

Barn Swallows

2011-06-14T16:15:00.000-04:00

We have several kinds of swallows on the Cape including tree swallows, barn swallows, bank swallows and rough winged swallows. Tree and barn swallows are by far the most common but the others can be locally common so depending on where you are you might actually be seeing more of them. I believe the largest group of bank swallows on the Cape is in Truro...We also have purple martins which look quite different, being darker and larger..

Barn swallows are among my favorites and have been every since I was a kid and they nested in our garage. They build nests with mud and saliva and often are found in colonies that can range in size from a few nests to hundreds. On the Cape they are found in any area with old buildings or open buildings, as long as there is an opening they can come in and out of. They also nest under docks and piers and can often be seen around local harbors.

These two were resting after a busy time catching bugs and feeding the babies in the nests just inside the building.

They could leave the babies knowing they were safe since Harley the llama was keeping watch....

Sitting Silently....

2011-06-12T11:02:00.000-04:00

can save your life....

especially if you are a tiny bunny hiding in the grass...

Most predators watch for movement so most prey animals have learned to stay very still when they feel in danger. This little cottontail rabbit was only a few inches long but already it knew to freeze when it heard my footsteps. I used my zoom lens to take this picture and once I got within about 8 feet of it the little guy took off into the briar bushes just as little rabbits have done throughout time....

We saw LOTS of baby rabbits and chipmunks on our walks last week so keep your eyes open to see one of these sweet little guys. Kids love spotting baby animals and these little guys are easy to spot if you know where to look. They often feed near sunny open grassy places with lots of vetches and clovers that have low bushes and brambles nearby.

Handsome Herring Gulls

2011-06-10T11:34:00.002-04:00

I know, you're thinking, huh? Handsome gulls? Yes. When they are in their full breeding plumage I think gulls are really handsome. And beautiful. This is a herring gull and if you've ever hung out watching them wolf down herring at the herring runs you know why they were given that name.

I don't believe there is a way to tell a male from a female unless you follow them around and see which one does what during mating and egg laying times. They both guard the nest and they both feed the chicks and protect them. They seem to know which is which and really, that is probably what is most important.

You may have noticed that there aren't many gulls around at area beaches right now. That is because they are nesting. Gulls are colonial nesters and nest in huge colonies, often numbering into the thousands. Here the biggest gull colonies are on the Monomoy Islands in Chatham. They often nest with greater black back gulls though usually the nests of each species are in separate parts of the location.

A gull colony is an interesting and often scary place. There is a lot of noise, a lot of stink and a lot of death. Gulls regurgitate food for their young and the little ones peck at that red spot on the bill to let mom or dad know they are hungry. Gull colonies are filled with guano, regurgitated fish and half eaten birds. Gulls will kill and eat each other's young so the nesting colony is often filled with angst and defense.

It isn't exactly a peaceful place and they are not fond of human trespassers either. My times in a colony were with people doing research and we had proper permissions from the state agencies that monitor such things. Let me just say that a big gull flying straight at you in an obvious aggressive move is pretty scary. I've seen really big men dive for the ground to avoid being pecked at. I found this short video of a gull and tern colony on YouTube that isn't exactly what it is like here but it gives you a good idea of the overall racket and commotion.

Tern, Tern, Tern....

2011-06-09T08:02:00.000-04:00

Sorry, couldn't resist the tern pun...

If you've been to a beach on the Cape lately you have probably seen and heard terns. Lots of them. Terns are colonial nesters and gather in large groups to court, mate, nest and raise their young. They like sandy spots with some grass to afford good hiding spots and also like spots that tend to be a bit more isolated and surrounded by water.

Tern colonies on the Cape tend to be pretty localized but they may also change from season to season. Kalmus Beach in Hyannis, Town Neck in Sandwich and South Monomoy all have sizable tern colonies. There are others, too, of course but these popped into my head first.

There are several types of tern that nest here including the tiny least tern shown above. Note the yellow bill. They are also quite small which is easy to tell when you see them mixed in with other terns such as the common tern. Roseate and arctic terns are rare breeders here but can be found in certain locations and in the late summer and early fall all bets are off for the Cape hosts huge flocks of mixed terns as they stage for migration and we never know what kinds of terns may show up then.

This last picture shows a typical nest area. Like the plovers, terns build very minimal nests that are really not much more than shallow scrapes in the sand.

Terns are easy to tell from gulls if you pay attention to just a few things. The terns we get here tend to be smaller than gulls but mostly they look slimmer, more aerodynamic and have long pointy wings. They can hover and dive as well, something you won't see a gull doing.

Because terns tend to hang out by the water's edge many people confuse them with sandpipers. Unlike sandpipers, however, terns do not run along the shore. They tend to be either resting, grooming or getting ready to lift off.

You can learn a lot more about terns by following this link to the Cornell Bird Website.

Beach peas are everywhere!

2011-06-08T07:29:00.000-04:00

Not only are there lots of beach roses in bloom at the beach but the beach peas are in bloom, too.

Beach peas really are wild peas and are found all over Cape Cod, especially in areas that have dunes.

Their sweet purple blossoms attract lots of bees and butterflies and have a subtle scent that even we humans can enjoy.

Once they are done blooming the plants will be setting up their seed pods which of course are full of tiny peas. They are safe to eat but good luck finding any that are ripe enough --the pods are really too tough to be enjoyable--and not occupied by other hungry little critters.

Beach roses are in bloom again...

2011-06-07T09:22:00.001-04:00

and are already almost past their prime. They began blooming in my area just last week and yet most of the ones I saw yesterday are already fading and losing petals! That doesn't seem quite fair, does it? We wait all year for them and then, boom! Bloomed and gone....

Actually the beach rose, officially known as the Rosa rugosa, is not a native to our shores though it has certainly adapted to living here. It is also on almost every promotional piece related to Cape Cod so one could say we've certainly adopted it as well.

I hope you have a chance to walk by these wonderful bushes this week at a beach near you and take in the summery scent of these delicious smelling flowers that begin the days of summer even before the calendar says it's here.

And no, Rosa rugosa isn't the beach plum, even though the fat orange hips often get called beach plums. Here is a picture of a blooming beach plum shrub--beach plums were in bloom several weeks ago and as you can see in the picture, they have many tiny white blossoms....

It's baby plover time!

2011-06-06T10:06:00.000-04:00

One of the simple joys of early morning beach walking is watching the little piping plovers learn to feed and run from danger. The adult plovers will often try to lead a predator in the opposite direction from where the babies are and even the babies will split up and run.

Piping plovers are very well camouflaged and in the next few pictures you might want to click on them to enlarge them to find the babies. I have a zoom on my camera but it isn't a big one and you sort of have to keep your distance from these little guys so you don't spook them.

Look carefully here to see the mom heading right and two little chicks heading left--these are very little ones. So cute!

This chick is a little bigger and belongs to a different family. Probably hatched a few days sooner than the others.

There are 2 chicks in the picture above--and this gives you a really good idea about how well camouflaged they are and how difficult to see if you are a driver on the beach....

The good news is that a good number of chicks have already hatched on area beaches so far and as long as the weather remains somewhat reasonable they should grow well and be ready to fledge in good time so that all can share the beaches without too much complaint.

Photos by me this morning from Kalmus Beach in Hyannis

Painting Outside...

2011-06-04T07:48:00.000-04:00

One of the real pleasures of life, in my humble opinion, is painting outside. Sure it may get a bit breezy or buggy and some days it may be really hot or almost raining but painting outside is almost a meditation.

One's attention becomes totally absorbed into the landscape, in this case the wildflower garden at the Green Briar Nature Center in East Sandwich. Before long any minor annoyances fade away and all that remains is the beauty and the joy.

Finding the color patterns amidst all that green can be daunting but is always rewarding...even if the color patterns don't always make it all the way onto the paper. They are there in our minds, imprinted on our memories. Painting outdoors isn't just about the painting....a lot of it is about the observing, the appreciating, the being there in the moment and taking it all in.

Whether one is a beginner or more experienced, taking the time to commune with the world around you with a pencil or paintbrush in your hand may be one of the more sublime things we can do.

Every time one of these people opens their sketchbooks or looks at the paintings they did on this bright sunny day they will remember the sweet smell of the garden, the gentle buzzing of bees and the flights of dragonflies and butterflies as well as the general laughter and good time had by all.

It's a little piece of magic, I think.

I'll be taking people all over the Cape to paint this summer so if you'd like to join us please check out the schedule on the Cape Cod Art and Nature website.

Wildflowers everywhere!

2011-06-02T13:30:00.001-04:00

Everywhere I turn the wildflowers are blooming- way too many of them to name here but if you go outside pretty much anywhere on Cape Cod this week you will find many flowers in bloom. Lady's slippers are blooming in pine woodlands, and yellow and blue flags, lupines, early vetches, red clovers and Jack-in-the-pulpits are blooming too.

Jack-in-the-pulpits are much more common than many people think. They like to be near soggy spots and are often intermixed with ferns and other lush pond side plants which helps them be overlooked. Watch for the triple leaf crown that stands like an umbrella above the actual flower.

Yellow and blue flag irises also like to have their feet in soggy places and are best looked for in freshwater wetlands like this one.

I don't know which I enjoy more, the yellow or the blue--they are both gorgeous.

And one of my very favorites is the wild geranium. They are a delicate flower but tend to grow in big bunches that aren't delicate at all. As far as I can tell wild geranium is one of those plants that is called locally common. It isn't everywhere but where you do find it, you'll usually find a lot of it.

Along with the flowers are arriving the butterflies so while we have this spot of sunny weather I hope you get a chance to get outside and enjoy the flowers, the birds and the butterflies.

Walking and Sketching in Sandwich

2011-06-01T15:44:00.001-04:00

This morning looked sunny and inviting and I had plans to go to Sandwich and do some sketching. I packed my paints, my sketchbook, my good pen and my camera along with some water and my sweatshirt. It was pretty warm but one never knows. It is Cape Cod, after all.

I started at the newly reopened Thornton Burgess Museum on Water St., where my husband had been working hard to have everything spiffed up and ready for another summer season. The museum is right on Shawme Pond and has a great herb garden so there's plenty to draw. There are also plenty of these....

The parent Canada geese were a bit wary but as long as I kept my distance they didn't seem to mind me sketching their little ones. By this time the sky was getting really dark and I could hear thunder in the distance.

The geese didn't seem too impressed but the thunder got closer and closer and finally the sky began to light up with lightening and I headed inside....

The rain began but most of the storm seemed to pass north of us so before long I was able to go outside and finish sketching...

I stopped over at Green Briar and then headed to the Game Farm where I did more sketching and walking...

and as I often do, I kept a list of the birds, etc. that I saw or heard. i also fooled around with some ideas for kid's poems...

It wasn't the perfect sunny spring day I started out to paint in but it ended up quite a nice day to walk and sketch and sit and watch the red tailed hawk get harassed by smaller birds...

A fun book....

2011-05-31T18:14:00.000-04:00

I don't have much time today but did want to put up this book I just finished, "The Dirty Life" by Kristin Kimball.

The book tells the tale of the author's adventures as she moves from New York City to an upstate farm to follow love and some dreams. The book chronicles the first year of this very ambitious, hard working and interesting couple as they decide to offer food year round to their community. They learn how to take care of and "harvest" animals of many kinds, how to grow wheat and more vegetables than my grandmother could've shaken a stick at. It's a great story so if you're in the mood to read about how some people walk the walk as well as talk the talk in the organic farming CSA movement, this is one to look for.

I could never do this but I am always interested in the people who do. It is quite humbling and inspiring at the same time.

From way up high....

2011-05-28T14:16:00.000-04:00

We live in an almost urban area and our plot of land is less than a fifth of an acre. We sit on a corner so have streets on two sides and also houses to the back and the other side as well as across the street. It is an old neighborhood so there are lots of trees and flowers and lots of wonderful neighbors. There is a surprising amount of wildlife.

Behind the house is a stand of 3 Norway spruces that are quite tall. The one on the left suffered a blow from Hurricane Bob years ago and lost its top half. As you can see, it is now taller than the other two. The middle tree is the one I'd like you to look at. See that spikey point way up top? It is the favorite singing spot of all the birds in my neighborhood each spring. There are robins, cardinals, orioles, grackles, crows, blue jays and others that take turns singing away from here as loudly as they can. This morning we had a great crested flycatcher up there raising a ruckus for about half an hour before he left to chase a competitor.

No worries. Mr. Cardinal took right over. Who knew such a humble perch would play such an important role in local bird dynamics? Do you have a spot in your yard that the birds use to declare their intentions?

And yes, that is fog you see....we've been having foggy days while the north side and west have been enjoying lots of sunshine...ah, the joys of living up the street from Nantucket Sound. That's okay, later in the season that same proximity will keep us cooler with daily afternoon sea breezes....

Have a great holiday weekend, everyone!

Sketching at the beach....

2011-05-25T15:10:00.000-04:00

So what's the best thing to do when the sun finally comes out and you have an hour or so off for lunch? Take your lunch and sketchbook to the beach and hang out for a while with your bare feet in the warm sand. I chose a place where I knew I would be out of the beaten path--in fact I never saw another person on the beach though there were many on the beaches around me. There were terns flirting, ospreys calling and clear water changing tides. The air smelled clean, warm and salty, a true sign of spring on the Cape.

This was my walk down to a little quiet cove....

the first of the rosa rugosas, also called beach roses, are just now in bloom....

and as I sat quietly in the sand making notes of the birds and plants around me the fiddler crabs came out to play.

Fiddler crabs often retreat to their holes when they hear footsteps or see you coming but if you stand or sit quietly on the sand they will slowly emerge and begin to go about their business. In this case their business was waving their big claws in the air, which is both a challenge to other males in the area and a come on down gesture for any lady crabs in the area.

If you click on the pictures you will see them a little better and should be able to read my notes as well...

Tough way to spend a lunch break but someone had to do it....

There's something lovely...

2011-05-24T15:41:00.000-04:00

about this time of year....

even with all the gray skies and the misty mornings there is hope growing on the ground...

New leaves are popping out all over giving everything a fresh limey feel...

with the most delicate lovely blossoms are promising delicious berries very soon...

It can't rain forever. In fact even now, the sun is trying to peek through the clouds...

Some Good and Not So Good Nature Books

2011-05-23T09:03:00.000-04:00

The forecast calls for another dull gray and wet week so maybe it's a good time to sit back with some nice tea or coffee, a dog or cat nearby or on your lap and have a good read. I read all sorts of books, both fiction and non fiction but I love finding a good, well written, interesting and even fun nature book to read. Fortunately there are a lot of them out there and over the next couple of months I will highlight some of my favorites.

Of these three, if you can only choose one....please choose "The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating" by Elisabeth Tova Bailey. This is a small book and perhaps one of the best books I've read in years. It is so beautifully written, is so focused and lovely that it is unforgettable. It is also small enough to read in an afternoon or evening and I couldn't put it down. It's that good. And yes, it is in part about the sound of a wild snail eating and it is impossible to describe how profound and wonderful that turns out to be.

I am just now reading "Setttled in the Wild" by Susan Hand Shetterly and it is also an enjoyable read though not up to par with Bailey's book. It is always hard to read the next book after one that is so wonderful, don't you think?

As for the Wildbranch book....I found it basically unreadable but maybe that's just me. Way too self conscious and pedantic for my taste....and I was so hopeful when I found it. Wildbranch is a well known workshop for the best up and coming nature writers but if this is the best they can find...well, I'm not feeling very hopeful about it.

All three of these books I found at the wonderful Clarence Hay library at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History here on the Cape.

Watercress

2011-05-21T14:23:00.000-04:00

Did you know you can find watercress here on the Cape? Yes, it is the edible, well known watercress and no, I am not going to tell you exactly where to find it since the supply is limited and the ducks and other animals like it too....

but I will show you what it looks like....happy gathering!

and this will give you a clue as to what sort of place to look for...

The big plants are skunk cabbage and no, you don't want to eat that stinky stuff....

Do you gather wild watercress or other wild edibles?

Painting birds and turtles...

2011-05-20T18:11:00.001-04:00

are good rainy day activities when I can't get outside and this week I had plenty of opportunity to do some painting.

I painted this little chipping sparrow yesterday. I am working on a project that will involve a lot of detail and since that isn't my usual way of working I am practicing with little pieces like this one.

Today I painted these little diamondback terrapins from a photo I took a few years ago while working at Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. They may look small and cute but this tiny painting took hours to do!

Both these little paintings are now for sale in my MaryRichmondDesign shop on Etsy.

Enjoying the fog and mist

2011-05-19T08:20:00.000-04:00

is about the best you can do this week so here are some pictures from my travels down Cape yesterday.

The view from Fort Hill was softened in the fog until there was no ocean to see....

This old apple tree nearly blended into the phragmites and the marsh beyond like a soft impressionist painting...

Monet himself would have loved this red grass...

and he probably would have loved the fields of wild yellow mustard as well...

Sure it's nice to have a warm sunny day but there's something quite lovely about a misty foggy day as well. Good thing, since we have quite a few of them at this time of year!

Things to do on a rainy day....

2011-05-18T09:13:00.000-04:00

why not get out your pencils and paints and paint some flowers? I cut these flowers in my yard and brought them inside to paint in the last rainy day session we had...

Just have some fun. Let the kids join in, too. Don't worry about the finished piece as much as the fun part of the process---painting it!