We often say that the sea turtle necropsies we conduct each Saturday in winter at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are not for everyone. It’s a long day, there’s a lot of standing, the lab is chilly, and there are dozens of dead turtles being cut open. But those conditions have not discouraged sea turtle […]
Fourth graders from the Harwich and Chatham Elementary Schools have been studying birds this fall. But not just for an hour or so or even a day. They’ve been taking part in a year-long curriculum developed by Wellfleet Bay educators which combines a series of in-class lessons with actual field experience and even a chance […]
Thanks to the tireless efforts of Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary research staff and dedicated volunteers, hundreds of diamondback terrapin nests are protected in the towns of Wellfleet, Eastham and Orleans each year, resulting in thousands of hatchlings released back into the marsh. This is extremely important work, as diamondback terrapins are listed as Threatened under […]
Bird bander James Junda’s seasonal summaries always contain a lot of information, including technical details that other scientists would want to know: such as, how many nets were used, where they were placed, how long the nets were open and for how many days. It’s not the most exciting information, but it’s important to include because these […]
As summer seems to be winding up, Piping Plover nesting season seems to be winding down. The last of Wellfleet Bay’s monitored Piping Plover nests on the Outer Cape, from Tern Island to Truro, have hatched. Although it seems we monitored a lot of chicks this summer, many didn’t survive to fledge. A total of […]
Only the sharpest eyes would likely notice the small yellow flags out in the bird box field and along the top of the Bay View Trail. The flags were placed there by Tufts University PhD candidate Nick Dorian who’s researching two closely related species of native ground-nesting bees known as cellophane bees: specifically known as […]
Seventh graders from Chatham and Harwich are getting a whole year to think about birds: their biology, the habitats they use and depend upon, and the threats they face on a daily basis. The program is a new approach to leveraging Wellfleet Bay’s unique expertise to help schools teach fundamental science concepts and skills. It […]
Frequent sanctuary visitors Marcy Ford and her husband Jason made a special discovery in late August: this impressive Peregrine Falcon perched on dying cedar at Try Island. Marcy noticed immediately the bird was sporting field-readable bands, making this sighting especially exciting. A quick check with Tom French, assistant director of the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species […]
I never fail to see something spectacular on my walks at Wellfleet Bay. I have a ritual as I get ready. I turn off all the noise in my head and leave it in the car. On most walks I travel alone and early in the morning. I use all of my senses. You would […]
It’s only July, but for the small coastal waterbirds we monitor (and others) it is fast becoming fall. Every day more adult shorebirds are flocking up in preparation to fly south. Their chicks will either go with them, or, as most do, head south on their own timetable. Since I reported on the start of our Piping Plover […]