Cape Cod is a Birders Paradise in August
Jun 25th, 2010 by sophie smith
In August, Cape Cod is one of the best places for observing shore birds and seabirds. These migrating birds, coming up from Central America and part of the southern United States, breed in May, and in late June, fledglings appear and the migration begins in late July and peaks in August. Cape Cod is one of the busiest flyways along the Atlantic Coast, plus its an all around, resting, feeding and great socializing place to hang around for these fantastically fascinating birds.
The best time to book a room at a luxury hotel Cape Cod keeps available for its birders, is the last week of July and the first week of August. The best places to go are to Eastham and Chatham, but its Provincetown and the inner Cape beaches that can prove more fruitful. Chatham can be reached easily on foot; South Beach which is opposite Chatham, is very good at high tide when the shorebirds roost, because their feeding grounds is covered by water. Monomoy Island, is another great spot for bird watching, but it can only be reached by boat. You can contact the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, or the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History to arrange guided tours to Monomoy. When there, see if you can spot all 47 species of shorebirds, and a telescope would be very useful on North Monomoy, because this section has been roped off due to the breeding season.
The National Seashore Park in Eastham will be another rewarding birding spot, especially if there is a westerly wind. All the birds like to hunker down in the lee that Cape Cod provides. At Nauset Marsh, near Coast Guard Beach , you can enjoy a self-guided walk from Route 6 Interpretative Shelter, located across the boardwalk through the marsh.
It’s best to visit the same place on several consecutive days at different tides. This way, you’ll get to observe the changes in mix of species and the frenzied feedings at low tides, roosting at high tides and in the early evenings. Most birds tend to concentrate where the food is prior to migrating south in September, and the abundance of fish in the waters off Cape Cod is what draws an unusual amount of birds in huge numbers. Cape Cod is a veritable birders paradise.
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