PLYMOUTH — The Dept. of Environmental Protection determined last July that the proposed discharge of over one million gallons of radioactive wastewater from the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station into Cape […]
Environment
BIRDWATCHING
The Happiness of the Other Blue Bird
Thanks to fieldwork abroad, a naturalist comes to admire our local tree swallows
It wasn’t yet light out. This was the best time to get hands on the bird. This expert flier certainly wouldn’t allow capture if she could see me coming. My […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, June 10 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
NATURAL SELECTION
Bare Berries
The pictured shrub, scientifically classified as Viburnum nudum — presumably for the smoothness of its shoots — has endured many a christening. Someone more focused on its fruit than its […]
THE COUNT
Volunteers Track Alewives’ Return and Worry for the Fish’s Future
Recent threats include mid-water trawlers and cuts to NOAA’s data gathering
WELLFLEET — The alewives — also known as river herring — are coming home, though they’re not here to stay. They come to the Cape every spring and stay for […]
THIS WILD CAPE
Birds’ Lives
Considering the least tern’s nesting strategy, a birdwatcher gets beyond his checklist
It’s June, and everybody’s nesting. Or at least everybody who’s here for the season. If you’ve been watching birds, you’ve been busy keeping track of what birds are around and […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, June 3 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
NATURAL SELECTION
The Way to Groove Me, Cherry
Prunus, the cherry genus, is second only to Quercus, the oaks, when it comes to providing essential wildlife services, as they say, to birds and insects. (Photo by Joe Beuerlein)Prunus […]
GROWING WILD
A Novel Assemblage of Species, at Home on Cape Cod’s Sandplains
Keeping oaks and pines at bay for the butterflies and birds
Not far into the Audubon sanctuary’s Bay View Trail, which skirts the shore on South Wellfleet’s bay side before making a long loop back to its starting point, a side […]
BIRDWATCHING
Drink-Your-Tea, the Towhee Sings, and Don’t Clean Up the Understory
Berries and brambles provide food and shelter for birds and other animals
I wasn’t sure I’d heard it at first. The rustling might just have been a pine cone dropping into the leaf litter. But another rustling sound made me stop in […]
NATURAL SELECTION
Frogs and Worts
The Virginia marsh St. John’s wort is no longer placed in the Hypericum genus with the others; its pink-blooming flowers each have three orange glands and nine stamens grouped in […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, May 27 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
BLUE ECONOMY
Rock Harbor Redevelopment Is Delayed by Weather
With a new bulkhead installed, wharf will be operational by mid-June
ORLEANS — The wharf renovation on the Orleans side of Rock Harbor that was expected to be completed by early May won’t be finished before the summer boating season begins, […]
SUMMER TRAFFIC
Beachcomber Gets Go-Ahead to Add Parking
Wellfleet bar will demolish a building to gain spots, but not ’til next year
WELLFLEET — At the Beachcomber here, as at many other Outer Cape summer spots, the menus are set, the merch is unpacked, the live music is booked, and the countdown […]
ON THE BEACH
A Cormorant Offers Some Fishing Advice
How I learned to love, or at least respect, that damn bird that stole my trout
On a balmy afternoon at the end of April, I spent a solitary hour casting from my favorite spot up the Herring River to see if any early bass had […]
