Podcasts by Weekly Bird Report

The 2023 Cape Cod Bird Club's waterfowl census doesn't disappoint from 2023-12-06T08:01:02

This, after all, was the 40th anniversary of the Cape Cod Bird Club’s Waterfowl Census, and they would not be denied their ducks.

A visitor from the Arctic from 2023-11-29T07:46:35

That big, lemming-loving Arctic bird has finally been sighted again on Cape Cod. Just in from some tundra breeding ground in northern Canada or Alaska, this fierce and seldom-seen raptor of big, op...

Let's talk turkeys from 2023-11-22T07:28:25

At this turkey-oriented time, I’m here to take your mind off the fact that you have no plans to brine, or spatchcock, or deep fry a turkey in peanut oil, or whatever the gourmet types with endless ...

Birds on boats from 2023-11-15T15:53:24

I’ve been on enough offshore boat trips in fall that I’ve seen someone with an actual oriole on their baseball cap.

Another week, another set of rare avian emissaries from the west from 2023-11-08T07:30:44

As so often happens, Facebook brought us word of the latest rare bird. A post in the Cape Cod Birders group on Monday showed clear photos of a hawk that, in the parlance of its native lands, ain’t ...

Rarity roundup: cemeteries and beyond from 2023-11-01T08:25:37

Spooky birds from 2023-10-25T07:23:21

Though we’re back to short-sleeve weather and barely a leaf has reached the ground, I assure you it is indeed late October, which means that All Hallows Eve is upon us.

It’s the season for rare hummingbirds on Cape Cod from 2023-10-18T07:25:39

Lately I’ve been looking for birds in a small community garden near my daughter’s school in Orleans — as we saw with last week’s state-first Virginia’s Warbler, community gardens can yield a bounti...

Yes Virginia, there is a Warbler named after you from 2023-10-11T09:42:04

Ornithologist Mark Faherty says the fall season of rare bird sightings on Cape Cod has just started.

The magic of the fall migration from 2023-10-04T16:48:28

On Monday morning, as my son and I walked to the bus stop a little before 7, I was already hearing warblers. Specifically, I was hearing the flight calls these little songbirds give during migration.

Backyard bird watching at its best from 2023-09-27T07:59:21

I finally have a little time to watch birds each day, and it’s all thanks to the Monomoy School District. Between my kindergarten-aged son’s absurdly early bus time of 6:52 AM and the time we have ...

Hurricane Lee postgame bird analysis from 2023-09-20T07:31:22

Hurricane, then Tropical Storm, then “Post-Tropical Cyclone” Lee has come and gone. Lee barely grazed us with some ho-hum 50 mph gusts that downed a few trees, having passed well to our east. But h...

The visitors that Hurricane Lee could bring from 2023-09-13T07:44:22

Birders are all secretly hoping Lee comes, and that Lee is bringing lots of gifts in the form of rare, storm-blown birds.

Fascinating Monomoy from 2023-09-06T08:07:05

Hundreds of thousands of shorebirds and seabirds breed, feed, and rest on Chatham’s barrier beaches. Importantly for these ISS surveys, thousands of normally kinetic shorebirds take a break from fe...

Fall bird migration is a quiet affair from 2023-08-30T07:47:21

Fall migration is an Irish goodbye – by the time you notice you’re not hearing the catbirds anymore, they’ve been gone two weeks.

Late summer happenings in a post-plover world from 2023-08-23T09:50:13

The Lesser Sand-Plover, that enigmatic Asian visitor who brought birders from at least as far away as Canada, was ominously absent from South Cape Beach in Mashpee after 8 AM yesterday.

Rare avian visitors worth noting from 2023-08-16T07:07:44

Rhode Island is no slouch in the rare bird game - places like the Charlestown Breachway, Napatree Point, and Block Island have produced many a rarity that sent Massachusetts birders speeding down I...

Learn more about those fuzzy and efficient workaholics: Bees from 2023-08-09T07:36:42

I highly recommend paying attention to the bees visiting your yard. Just like with birding, you never know what you may find. Some tiny bees I noticed visiting male winterberry at Wellfleet Bay san...

Shorebirds worth noticing from 2023-08-02T08:00:52

As we round the corner of mid-summer, with Labor Day now dimly visible at the horizon, it’s time you got serious about shorebirds.

A different kind of plover is very far from home from 2023-07-26T06:58:42

The bird was indeed a plover, but not the one they were tasked with watching. This was a Mountain Plover, a scarce species of the high, dry plains east of the rockies, and one that eluded me thus f...

The importance of river herring for birds and for Cape Cod from 2022-04-06T07:42:17

As we speak, river herring are fighting currents and a gauntlet of anthropogenic barriers in an epic annual struggle to make more of themselves. And many of our newly arriving birds are depending o...

A trip to Florida brings an abundance of birds from 2022-03-25T11:29:10

If I were marketing Cape Cod to visiting birders, late March would be a tough sell. The Ospreys are back, sure, and that’s exciting.

Avian influenza is confirmed on Cape Cod from 2022-03-15T22:01:21

After a much-needed week in sunny Florida, where the birds are so tame that I felt like I was taking pictures in a zoo, it was nice to come home to some signs of spring.

The Osprey are on their way and Falmouth is ready from 2022-03-11T11:36:39

In the coming weeks, one of our most anticipated markers of seasonal change will be arriving – the Osprey.

Ravens on Cape Cod from 2022-03-02T15:23:54

I recently bore witness to a tender moment between a couple of birds not often associated with romance – Common Ravens. These bigger, shaggier cousins of crows are more linked with the macabre than...

The sapsuckers are among us from 2022-02-11T11:01:23

On a couple of recent days I spent some time doing what bird watchers are often criticized for not doing – I actually watched a bird. What I mean is, I didn’t just quickly identify it, check it off...

A flurry of snow geese and other winter changes from 2022-01-21T11:02:58

While it seemed back in December like winter may never come, the previously slumbering season has thoroughly asserted itself in the last week. This is not all bad for the bird watching set.

A birding activity you can do while staying warm from 2022-01-12T08:00:02

As I write on this coldest day of the season thus far, it seems wise to discuss an indoor birding activity almost universally enjoyed by bird fanciers – backyard bird feeding.

Nantucket shines during the Christmas Bird Count from 2022-01-07T11:57:22

With the final tallies for Truro, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard now in, the 122nd Christmas Bird Count season has come to a close. With little land area and few productive ponds, my Truro count ...

A first-time visitor is bringing out all the birders from 2021-12-23T11:23:41

It appears that Santa has come early for Massachusetts birdwatchers in the form of a truly “Steller” avian discovery in Bristol County.

It’s everyone’s favorite snowy-white visitor from 2021-12-17T10:52:59

Get ready, because it’s shaping up to be a Snowy winter! Don’t rush out and buy all the shovels please, I don’t mean the weather - like everyone else, I have no idea what that will be.

The ducks are here from 2021-12-01T07:57:29

Charming arctic visitors you can watch out for from 2021-11-30T11:00:41

The flying penguins are here – have you seen them? This is of course a reference to one of my favorite groups of birds – the alcids! November is when alcids arrive in numbers to the waters of the C...

It's time to talk turkeys from 2021-11-30T10:59:49

This Thanksgiving week, while it’s tempting to trot out that tired old chestnut of a turkey piece I usually recycle, I thought I’d try to come up with some new material. But that isn’t easy, becaus...

Two rarities and an oddity from 2021-11-17T07:58:30

An epic storm for seabirds from 2021-11-05T11:18:54

You probably didn’t hear them without a battery-powered radio, but last week I made some predictions about what birds the big storm would bring us, carefully hedged with weasel clauses so I would b...

October birding on Cape Cod: Grab a coat and take it all in from 2021-10-22T10:01:32

Now that we’re past the halfway point here in October, it’s time for donning your fleece vest, clasping your hands ‘round your warm pumpkin spice latte, as leaves crunch beneath your feet on a cris...

Songbirds You Can Hear at Night from 2021-09-30T07:39:32

Some old friends and I had a fire on an ocean beach in Wellfleet the other night. It was perfect – the kids were home with my sainted wife, and the night was clear and free of light pollution, so t...

A Little Bird With a Big Story to Tell from 2021-09-24T11:54:23

Here in our little archipelago, we have opportunity to see birds from all corners of the globe, especially now, in late summer and fall. These birds passing through, unbeknownst to most, often have...

September Hotspots on the Cape and Islands from 2021-09-16T13:42:10

When it comes to fall birding hotspots around here, the best of the best places tend to fall somewhere between “difficult” and “you’ve got to be kidding me” in terms of their accessibility. These i...

September Shorebirds of Note from 2021-09-09T13:01:36

Each year, untold numbers of shorebirds of mostly remote, Arctic breeding grounds pass through the Cape and Islands. Here they gorge on intertidal fauna and roost on protected sandbars and beaches,...

September Bird Departures from 2021-09-01T20:16:53

This week on the Bird Report, some September departures to watch for.

A Roundup of August Birding from 2021-08-19T07:39:34

This week on the Bird Report, a roundup of August birding on the Cape and Islands.

A Trip Far Out Yields Special Surprises from 2021-08-11T07:57:33

This week on the Bird Report, a trip far out on the water yields some special surprises.

Cape Cod's Top Spots to See Shorebirds from 2021-08-04T08:20:54

It’s August and shorebird migration is well underway. Small, delicate looking creatures that spent the month of June dodging Arctic foxes and Snowy Owls are now winging their way Cape-wards.

Butterflies and Butterfliers from 2021-07-29T07:33:09

This week on the Bird Report, we're taking a look at a different kind of “flyer” in our region.

An Odd Duck is Visiting Cape Cod from 2021-07-21T11:13:51

Today on the Weekly Bird Report, an update about that troubling bird illness to our south. Plus, an odd duck.

Are Mysterious Bird Deaths Coming Our Way? from 2021-07-14T12:18:06

This week on the Bird Report, it’s about time to clean that bird feeder. It will help keep our local birds healthy.

Summer Seabirds on the Tip of Cape Cod from 2021-07-07T09:57:45

This week on the Bird Report, a trip to the tip of Cape Cod.

An Abundance of Willets Thanks to Conservation Efforts from 2021-06-30T07:34:23

This week on the Bird Report, a voice you might have noticed at a saltmarsh.

Pollinator Week Highlights Ways to Landscape for Wildlife from 2021-06-23T20:50:22

This week on the Bird Report, it's all about the bugs.

It's Not Easy Being a Bird in June from 2021-06-17T09:26:13

For a huge swath of the bird world, June is make or break month.

It’s Southern Week on Cape Cod from 2021-06-09T08:40:10

This week on the Bird Report: charming visitors from the south are doing some eye-catching flights on Cape Cod.

Bald Eagles Nest Locally from 2021-05-26T08:28:42

This week on the Bird Report, Mark talks about Bald Eagles who have taken over an Osprey nest.

Mid-May Is Best for Birding from 2021-05-19T07:23:29

This week: May is truly a special time for birding on the Cape, the coast, and the Islands.

May Arrivals Are Here and They Are Hungry from 2021-05-12T08:21:16

If you’re like me, you had a lot of neighbors return over the weekend, and they don’t appear to be self-quarantining. Weirdly upbeat in these difficult times, these newly arrived locals can be hear...

New Birds Arrive on Cape Cod, Some Unexpected from 2021-05-05T21:26:21

This week on the bird report, spring birds have started to arrive in big numbers.

Our Changing Birds from 2021-04-28T08:19:31

This week on the Bird Report, Mark contemplates how bird species on Cape Cod have varied over the years.

Firsts and Weirdo Birds from 2021-04-23T11:58:51

Late April is a heady time in birding – when it comes to spring migration, everything is either happening or just about to happen, or in some case, has never happened before.

Signs of Spring on Cape Cod from 2021-04-13T22:02:14

Spring, that cold, wet joke played on us Cape and Islands folk, begins in less than two weeks.

Looking Down from 2021-04-13T21:45:10

Ornithologist Mark Faherty looks at animal tracks on the beach.

Piping Plover Season Brings Entertaining Interactions from 2021-04-07T07:57:44

It’s piping plover nesting season – and that means a chance to see some amusing mating rituals.

Firsts and Slingshot Birds from 2021-03-31T07:14:31

Early spring is a time of many firsts for the nature watcher. Sometimes slowly, sometimes in bursts, locally slumbering critters are coming online every day.

Seeking Out the Late-March Bird Arrivals from 2021-03-24T07:44:43

This week on the Bird Report: seeking out the late-March arrivals.

Hummingbird Overwinters on Cape Cod—With a Little Help from 2021-03-17T07:07:06

This week on the Bird Report, a bird that can stay on Cape Cod over the winter – with a little help.

Attracting Owls as Tenants from 2021-03-16T12:56:43

For several years we’ve had a vacancy in a small, detached apartment on our property. Occasionally, an unwanted squatter would move in and cause trouble, but lately it’s been available. We’ve been ...

Strange Bird Names from 2021-03-16T12:55:55

This week on the Bird Report, it’s all about strange bird names.

Signs of Spring from 2021-03-10T21:04:35

This week on The Bird Report: the first osprey of spring has returned to Cape Cod.

Never Mind the Temperature, Increasing Photoperiod Means Birds Are Singing Louder and Longer from 2021-02-17T07:36:36

When it comes to late winter on Cape Cod, and the knowledge that beach weather is still four months away, it’s the little signs of better things to come that keep you going. If you are paying atten...

A Grim Mystery from 2021-02-10T06:29

A few days ago, a grim ornithological mystery came across my computer screen. A photo of a chunky, yellowish bird found dead in the wrack line at Hardings Beach in Chatham. It was originally sent t...

Shuffling the Ducks from 2021-02-03T06:53

It’s finally that time of year when winter gets serious here on the Cape. Water actually starts to freeze, even salt water, and the place finally feels shut down for the season. Despite this, it’s ...

Coyote Myths Debunked from 2021-01-27T07:14:34

I’d like to briefly shed the feathery mantle of the Weekly Bird Report in favor of a furrier piece. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about coyotes, those ever present, ever mythologized wild dogs wi...

An Unexplained Flurry of Puffins on Cape Cod from 2021-01-20T06:51

On the morning of January 7, after a few days of moderate, mostly northerly winds, Sue Finnegan and Alex Burdo pulled into the parking lot at First Encounter Beach in Eastham to find some seabirds ...

Some People Have All the Luck from 2021-01-13T07:24:18

Some weeks I’m scraping the bottom of the birding barrel looking for “Bird Report” content. This is not one of those weeks. No, this past week brought the opposite problem, the one where a truly ab...

Truro Count Has a Big Year from 2021-01-06T07:25:05

It’s finally over, and what a white-knuckle ride it’s been. While I could easily be talking about 2020, I actually mean that the last of the Christmas Bird Counts are finally in the books. That mak...

Christmas Bird Counts Coming in Strong from 2020-12-30T08:00:42

For various reasons, this year’s Nantucket, Stellwagen Bank, and Mid-Cape Christmas Bird Counts all ended up scheduled on the same day, Sunday the 27th. This is unprecedented as far as I know - the...

An Old Tradition Continues: The Christmas Bird Counts from 2020-12-23T08:02:08

When I say Christmas Bird Count to most people, I often wonder if they think I’m referring to the avian enumeration in that old song, you know, “four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle do...

The Rare and Mysterious Boreal Chickadee from 2020-12-09T07:25

On Monday, some lucky homeowners in Wellfleet got to see a chickadee. They saw it well, photographed it, and got the word out to some other birders. Soon, a handful of the Cape’s most active birder...

The Wellfleet Pink-footed Goose from 2020-12-02T08:09:10

On Thanksgiving morning, there was just one large, meaty bird on the minds of Cape Cod birders. I am of course referring to the rare Pink-footed Goose discovered that morning in Wellfleet. With jus...

Loveable Dovekies Are Stealing the Show from 2020-11-25T07:51

You might have missed it, but the floodgates recently opened. The conditions must have set up just right, with east winds over the weekend, followed by very strong northwest winds through Tuesday m...

A Fascinating Finch from 2020-11-18T08:03:29

2020 has been a year to forget in so many ways. But many of us have been given a glimmer of hope in recent weeks, a beacon of light in a dark year. Many voices were heard, and their message was res...

The 'Penguin of the North' Causes a Stir Among Cape Cod Birders from 2020-11-11T08:26:52

The Ancient one has returned; the prophecy has been fulfilled. Ok, maybe there wasn’t a prophecy, but the Ancient one has indeed returned. For the first time in over 20 years, a mysterious bird kno...