The end of November is an exciting time of year on the Cape and Islands. From a birding perspective, the birding is exceptional - better than anywhere else in New England at this season. The possibility of some extralimital vagrant, the sheer numbers of birds still around that over winter here, and the lovely light and scenery of late autumn, all combine to make being on the Cape and Islands for Thanksgiving something to be truly grateful for.
It is rewarding and necessary to get out for a walk or hike to a favorite spot after heavy holiday feeding. Landbirds that vacate northern and inland areas arrive to spend the winter in our comparatively mild climate with requisite shelter and food-rich thickets. The coastal tangle of thickets found in our region provide dense cover for protection from predators and the elements as well as food in the form of lots of berries supporting greater numbers of landbirds in the winter than anywhere else in New England. Lots of white-throated sparrows make the thickets a lively and noisy place even in the dead of winter.
Most gratifying and impressive, of extreme interest to birding enthusiasts are the numbers of birds that arrive to spend the winter in the waters surrounding the area. The number of birds that overwinter is staggering, fantastic numbers of sea ducks occur, especially around the Vineyard and Nantucket. Some spots are so full of wintering sea ducks that estimates of many hundreds of thousands of individuals make these waters amongst the most important in the North Atlantic for wintering waterfowl.
Should one desire to burn off some calories and move about after planned feasting this week, grab a pair of binoculars (or better yet a spotting scope) and head down to the closest beach. Check out the birds that are sitting on, flying over and diving under the water’s surface.
Anywhere that there are good numbers of fish also attracts birds that eat them. This includes red-breasted mergansers, sleek ducks with long bills with serrated edges for holding slippery fish. They often fish cooperatively in loosely organized flocks much like double-crested cormorants. They will form a line and drive small fish towards a shoreline, shoal or other barrier and attempt to corner and catch them.
This in turn attracts small gulls in the form of Bonaparte’s gulls and occasionally some other species. It is always a good idea to check out feeding groups of gulls and see what birds are in the mix. The smallest gull in the world, appropriately named the little gull, is almost regular this week, mixed in with feeding Bonaparte’s. They have been found almost annually over the Thanksgiving period so keep a sharp eye out for this tiny, round-winged bird. Adults look much different than immatures so checking your field guide before you head out is advisable.
Birds like alcids, pelagic gulls, tubenoses and vagrant flycatchers may appear to thrill any birders lucky enough to be on hand to see them. These are all things to look for this week as you visit the headlands, points and beaches around the Cape and Islands. If you go out and look for birds, you will be surprised at how many you will find.
