WELLFLEET — From his farm, which lies where Loagy Bay meets Blackfish Creek at the end of Old Wharf Road in South Wellfleet, Andrew Jacob sells a catalog of uniquely […]
Environment
AMPHIBIANS
Threatened Toads That Struggle Elsewhere Thrive in Provincetown
Scientists are studying how eastern spadefoots evade deadly fungal disease
PROVINCETOWN — The coordinates came with a warning: “The information I just shared … is protected and confidential.” The sender, Alexander Richards, a Ph.D. student at UMass Boston, had gotten […]
I SPY A SWEETGUM
A Tree for In-Town Leaf-Peepers
Driving deep into New England to leaf-peep, you won’t be likely to spy many sweetgums — the tree’s range comes to an end in Connecticut and western Mass. The predominantly […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, Oct. 15 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
MORNING FLIGHT
Breakfast With the Birds
Seeds and suet fuel migrant flocks and year-rounders
A couple of weeks ago, I felt a chill in the air, and I knew it was time. I drove to Orleans, purchased a 40-pound sack of sunflower seeds, and […]
INFRASTRUCTURE
Provincetown and Truro Lay Groundwork for Water Expansion
Two select boards begin series of mediated sessions on shared approach
TRURO — After a year of work by town staff members, the select boards of Provincetown and Truro met jointly on Sept. 30 to learn more about the upcoming water […]
PUBLIC SAFETY
Sharkfishermen Alarm Surfers at Wellfleet Beach
White sharks were likely target of men armed with bluefish and a drone
WELLFLEET — Surfers at LeCount Hollow Beach called the Wellfleet police on the morning of Sept. 28 to report that three anglers were fishing for sharks there, one of them […]
MORNING FLIGHT
Breakfast With the Birds
Seeds and suet fuel migrant flocks and year-rounders
A couple of weeks ago, I felt a chill in the air, and I knew it was time. I drove to Orleans, purchased a 40-pound sack of sunflower seeds, and […]
MIDDAY AT THE OASIS
A Constellation of Cottonsedge
After trudging over the blinding, desert-like mountains of sand that compose the first half of Provincetown’s grueling dune shack trail, a hiker then stumbling across the floating, twinkling hairballs […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, Oct. 8 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
THE BREACH
More Studies Planned for Breakwater Gap
Officials warn that opening might not stop invasive marsh crabs
PROVINCETOWN — An on-again, off-again effort to install a gap in the Long Point Dike, more commonly called the West End breakwater, took a small step forward last week at […]
TURTLES
Conservationists Seek ‘Endangered’ Designation for Terrapins
Funds for local research and challenges for dredging could come with listing
WELLFLEET — A petition submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service on Sept. 19 by a coalition of 20 nonprofit organizations led by the Tucson, Ariz.-based Center for Biological Diversity […]
RADIOACTIVITY
DEP Wants to Allow ‘Intervenors’ in Holtec Appeal Hearing
Environmental, fishing, and real estate groups join forces against wastewater release
PLYMOUTH — The state Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) determined in July that Holtec Decommissioning International’s proposal to discharge up to one million gallons of wastewater from the Pilgrim Nuclear […]
ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY
How Puritan Beliefs Shaped Cape Cod’s Landscape
At John Doane’s Eastham home, evidence of rapid deforestation but no wild meat
EASTHAM — Somewhat surprisingly, given that Cape Cod is an enormous glacial sandpile, the first European settlers to build permanent homes on the Outer Cape were in search of dirt. […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
The Ocean Gets a Good Mixing
Whales, dolphins, bass, and blues
Our recent inhospitable fall weather continued to dominate the waterfront, with east and northeast winds making going out and catching fish challenging. Despite the lack of southerly winds, though, water […]
