Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, Nov. 19 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Cape’s second-ever record of a Spotted Towhee was found at the Provincetown Airport on Nov. 16. A very rare Pine Grosbeak, two White-Winged Crossbills, and a late Prairie Warbler were also seen there this week. A Western Tanager and 2 Evening Grosbeaks were seen along nearby Race Point Road. A Snowy Owl was also seen in Provincetown.
Birds from Race Point in Provincetown included a Pacific Loon, 400 Long-Tailed Ducks, 1,300 White-Winged Scoters, 1,500 Red-Breasted Mergansers, 500 Sanderlings, 400 Dunlin, 5 Pomarine Jaegers, 1,080 Razorbills, a Common Murre, 2 Dovekies, 85 Black-Legged Kittiwakes, 70 Cory’s Shearwaters, 215 Great Shearwaters, 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 3,200 Northern Gannets, 2 Lapland Longspurs, and 24 Snow Buntings.
Masses of Cory’s Shearwaters continued in the bay this week, including about 500 at First Encounter Beach in Eastham, where other sightings included 950 Long-Tailed Ducks, 4 Purple Sandpipers, 75 Razorbills, 85 Black-Legged Kittiwakes, and 3,100 Northern Gannets.
Elsewhere in Eastham, a Clapper Rail and an American Bittern were both seen at Fort Hill.
There was a Blue-Headed Vireo at the Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary.
If you have questions about these sightings or want to report a sighting, call the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary at 508-349-2615 or send an email to [email protected].
