Category Archives: Beauty of Cape Ann

GRAND NEWS FOR PIPING PLOVERS AND PROGRESS UPDATE ON OUR DOCUMENTARY #ploverjoyed

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Dear PiPl Friends,

Based on preliminary data from Mass Wildlife’s Endangered Species and Natural Heritage Program, approximately 1,145 pairs of Piping Plovers nested on Massachusetts beaches in 2023. This number is remarkable considering that when conservationists first began monitoring PiPls on Massachusetts beaches, there were fewer than 200 pairs. Because of the dedicated work of coastal waterbird conservation partners, volunteers, and regular beach going citizens, who all care deeply about the fate of these vulnerable little shorebirds, 50 percent of the Atlantic seaboard Piping Plover population now nests on Massachusetts beaches.

The short features two PiPl chicks and Dad Plover crossing handicap mats. The blue roll-out accessibility Mobi-mats have been installed at a number of Massachusetts beaches. They are wonderfully helpful for accessing the beach for wheel-chair bound people, and for families with baby strollers and wagons. I wondered how the Plovers would react. After a few moments of hesitation, our little Plover friends appeared unafraid, striding confidently across, and even stopping to investigate a bug.

The footage is from the forthcoming film, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. We are finessing, finessing, and finessing. With each edit, the film grows stronger. I am so proud of the work we have accomplished so far and in January we will begin submitting to film festivals!

Although Piping Plovers are slowly returning to the shores of Massachusetts, the Atlantic Coast Plover population as a whole remains at tremendous risk. Climate change, loss of habitat, vandalism, and predation are the primary challenges impeding the birds’ recovery. These same challenges are affecting not only Piping Plovers, but nesting shorebirds from coast to coast. I am thinking about the Western Snowy Plover, a closely related species that nests along the coast of California. Our documentary features the conservation policies and protocols of Massachusetts organizations. Whether a beachgoer recreating on the Atlantic Coast, shores of the Great Lakes, or Pacific Coast, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay will be tremendously valuable in helping communities better understand why these protocols are in place, precisely how the policies help Plovers, and how we can collectively, and individually, help plover species recover nationwide. And, I think too, you will be smitten by the loveable Plover family featured in our film.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our online fundraiser to help complete our documentary. Filming is finished, however, post-production and festival costs have sky-rocketed; they are much greater than when we released our sister film project about species at risk, Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly. Working with the community to produce Beauty on the Wing was by far the most meaningful way to launch a film and we could not have done it without your help.

Please donate here to our Network for Good online fundraiser .

Feel free to call or write with any questions. We are deeply appreciative of any gifts given. Thank you.

With gratitude to the following PiPl friends for their kind contributions – Alice and David Gardner (Beverly), JoeAnn Hart (Gloucester), Kim Tieger (Manchester), Joanne Hurd (Gloucester), Holly Niperus (Phoenix), Bill Girolamo (Melrose), Claudia Bermudez (Gloucester), Paula and Alexa Niziak (Rockport), Todd Pover (Springfield), Cynthia Dunn (Gloucester), Nancy Mattern (Albuquerque), Sally Jackson (Gloucester), Marion Frost (Ipswich), Cecile Christianson (Peabody), Donna Poirier Connerty (Gloucester), Mary Rhinelander (Gloucester), Jane Hazzard (Georgetown), and my sweet husband Tom 🙂 Thank you so very much for your support and for seeing the tender beauty in the life story of the Piping Plover.

Very best wishes,

xxKim

LOBSTER TRAP TREE KIDS BUOY PAINTING !

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Lobster Trap Tree buoy painting is underway! Cape Ann kids are hand painting buoys to adorn the Lobster Trap tree with. So much beauty found in these proud, earnest little faces <3.

To sign up for buoy painting, please visit the Cape Ann Art haven website here: https://www.arthaven.org/

 

The Lobster Trap Tree is located at Solomon Jacobs Park, at Harbor Loop, in between the Coast Guard Station and Maritime Gloucester. The tree lighting takes place this coming Saturday, December 9th at 4:30pm, after the Middle Street Walk.

For a complete list of events for the Middle Street Walk, please click here.

To celebrate Gloucester’s 400th anniversary, 400 brand new lobster traps were donated by Riverdale Mills. Read more about the background of the Lobster Trap Tree and Three Lantern Marine Supply’s program, which will allow youth to obtain student lobstering permits, at the Gloucester Daily Times.

LOBSTER TRAP TREE “PURPLE SNOWFLAKES”

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This morning’s gentle snowfall on the harbor.

“Purple Snowflakes” by Marvin Gaye

The Lobster Trap Tree is located at Solomon Jacobs Park, at Harbor Loop, in between the Coast Guard Station and Maritime Gloucester. Youth from around Cape Ann are painting buoys to decorate the tree with. The tree lighting takes place this coming Saturday, December 9th at 4:30pm, after the Middle Street Walk.

For a complete list of events for the Middle Street Walk, please click here.

To celebrate Gloucester’s 400th anniversary, 400 brand new lobster traps were donated by Riverdale Mills. Read more about the background of the Lobster Trap Tree and Three Lantern Marine Supply’s program that will allow youth to obtain student lobstering permits at the Gloucester Daily Times.

To sign-up for buoy painting, please go here: https://www.arthaven.org/

FLEETING MOMENT WITH A BALD EAGLE SUB-ADULT, POSSIBLY 3.5 YEARS OLD

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An all too brief encounter with a young Bald Eagle, possibly 3.5 years old. You can tell by the tail feathers that are edged in brown, not yet fully white; and the amount of brown streaking around his eyes and the back of his head.

He flew in and out within a matter of minutes. What a beautiful scene though, despite being short lived.

MORE SNAPSHOTS FROM THE LOBSTER TRAP TREE BUILD!

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The photos from the Lobster Trap Tree build were taken late Friday afternoon, where you can see the footprint of the tree beginning to take shape, through Saturday, when most of the building took place, and into Sunday morning, when the crew was installing the lights.

Lots of friends and family stopped by to check on the tree’s progress. That’s David’s wife and their three kids and David’s sister with her kids looking up at the tree top, and also ‘helping’ Shawn.

Shout out again to David Brooks, Shawn Henry, and the wonderfully dedicated tree building crew – Shane O’Neill, Dave D’Angelis, Peter Asaro, Devin Carr,  John Cooney, Andrew Nicastro, Steve Larkin, Dave Pratt, and Peter Cannavo.

The Lobster Trap Tree is located at Solomon Jacobs Park, at Harbor Loop, in between the Coast Guard Station and Maritime Gloucester. Youth from around Cape Ann are painting buoys to decorate the tree with. The tree lighting takes place after the Middle Street Walk on Saturday December 9th at 4:30pm.

For a complete list of events for the Middle Street Walk, please click here.

To celebrate Gloucester’s 400th anniversary, 400 brand new lobster traps were donated by Riverdale Mills. Read more about the background of the Lobster Trap Tree and Three Lantern Marine Supply’s program that will allow youth to obtain student lobstering permits to use the traps at the Gloucester Daily Times

To sign-up for buoy painting, please go here: https://www.arthaven.org/

SHOUT OUT TO THE AMAZING LOBSTER TRAP TREE BUILDING CREW FOR THEIR TIRELESS DEDICATION IN BRINGING HOLIDAY JOY AND FUN TO CAPE ANN

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If you see these big-hearted guys around town, please give them a huge thank you <3

Left to right: Shawn Henry, Dave D’Angelis, Peter Asaro, Devin Carr, David Brooks, John Cooney, Andrew Nicastro, Steve Larkin, and “Fancy” Dave Pratt. Not pictured, but just as dedicated and hard working, are Shane O’Neill and Peter Cannavo.

Please write if anyone’s name is missing and I will add it to the post. Thank you!

MORE FROM TODAY’S LOBSTER TRAP TREE BUILD

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One more for tonight. Incredible creation. I think you are going to be knocked out when you see the tree in its new location.

Tree lighting December 9th ❤

GLOUCESTER’S MAGNIFICENT LOBSTER TRAP TREE!

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The most beautiful, the grandest, the best ever lobster trap tree. 400 traps for the 400th!

Built by these incredible ninjas ❤ Lots more photos/video of today’s tree build coming 🙂

TURKEYS IN THE MORNING LIGHT

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Lucky chance encounter this Thanksgiving morning!

Turkeys at daybreak, doing what Turkeys do when it’s not mating season. The males were foraging and preening in one group, while the females were across the way. The girls were very interested in the milkweed seed pods. I don’t think they were eating the seeds, but finding insects around the pods. The brilliant iridescence in the male’s feathers was extra beautiful in the morning light.

YELLOW-ORANGE RAINBOW HOUSE FINCH!

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What is that beautiful and unusually feathered friend eyeing me from the distant safety of a tree limb. He looks identical to a House Finch but rather than a bright pinkish red head, this boy’s feathers are shaded in hues of yellow, orange, coral, and pink.

He foraged along with the other House Finches, took a brief nap, and then departed. I couldn’t wait to get home and learn more about why this House Finch was so striking in plumage.

According to several online sites, the color of the male House Finch feathers results from 3 carotenoid pigments: ß-carotene, which produces yellow to orange color in feathers; isocryptoxanthin, which produces orange color in feathers; and echinenone, which produces red color in feathers. Yellow House Finches are frequently seen in the southwest and Hawaii where natural foods are low in some of these carotenoids. In the east, birds often feed on the high-carotenoid fruits of ornamental plants. For comparison sake, you can see in the first clip the more typical color of a male House Finch at this time of year.

RESPLENDENT SMITH’S COVE SUNSET

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We live here <3

A GIFT FROM THE SKIES – NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT ELEVEN HORNED LARKS!!

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A mini swirl of birds was heard overhead before scattering on the beach. At first glance, I thought of the little flock of American Pipits that was here last winter and was hoping for the same. Even more wonderful, it was a flock of eleven Horned Larks!  Only ever having seen singleton Horned Larks mixed in with flocks of Snow Buntings, I was overjoyed to see the troupe scampering through the seaweed and along the wrackline.

Horned Larks are called as such not because they have actual horns, but because of the little tufts of feathers that stick out on either side of its head which are sometimes, but not always, visible. Black stockinged legs, feathered knickers, horned and masked, the Larks are wonderfully fun to observe as they forage amongst the seaweed and dried wildflowers.

At 54 seconds, through 1:05, you can clearly see the difference between the male, with the yellow mask, and the female, with the more subdued markings.

I haven’t been able to locate the flock of Horned Larks for a few days and think they have departed our shores.  As one wave of travelers moves on, another soon follows. It’s a joy to see the bossy boy Buffleheads have returned to our waterways!

Horned Larks were formerly more prevalent in Massachusetts. With fewer farm fields and an increase in development, much of its breeding habitat has been lost. Look at the two maps created by Mass Audubon. These maps are called Breeding Bird Atlases. The Breeding Bird Atlas 1 was created from data collected during bird counts held from 1974-1979. The BBA2 Atlas was created from data collected from 2007 through 2011. Theses maps are of invaluable help for the future of conservation in Massachusetts and give clear proof of changing bird breeding habits over the past 45 years.

Note that there are fewer dark green squares from Atlas 1 to Atlas 2, especially in the north of Boston region, signaling a decrease in the breeding population of Horned Larks.
Horned Lark Breeding Bird Atlas 1 (1974-1979)

“During Atlas 1 Horned Larks were making a living at scattered locations inland, but their stringent habitat requirements meant that they were mostly coastal in distribution. The Marble Valleys had 10% Horned Lark occupancy, likely in areas of abandoned or fallow farmland. The Connecticut River Valley apparently had suitable breeding locations in 14% of the region, both in farm fields and at airports kept free of dense vegetation. Only a small scattering of occupied blocks bridged the gap from the Connecticut River Valley to the coast. The Coastal Plains had breeding Horned Larks on the beaches of Essex and Plymouth Counties, and the Bristol/Narragansett Lowlands reported several instances of inland breeding as well as nests found around the shores of Buzzards Bay. More than 60% of the species’ statewide distribution fell in Cape Cod and the Islands, where sandy dune habitat was readily available for Horned Larks looking to settle down.”

Horned Lark Breeding Bird Atlas 2 (2007-2011)

“Within the three decades between Atlas 1 and Atlas 2, the Horned Lark began to opt out of Massachusetts as a breeding locality. Distribution patterns in Atlas 2 weakly mirror those of Atlas 1: up the Connecticut River, sparsely spread eastward, with the species’ most notable breeding strongholds in the southeastern Coastal Plains and on Cape Cod and the Islands. Horned Larks completely retreated from the far west and almost completely retreated from the Bristol/Narragansett Lowlands. The birds posted only a symbolic guard in Essex County, and even in their stronghold on Cape Cod and the Islands they disappeared from a dozen of the most well-surveyed blocks.”

UP CLOSE WITH A YOUNG GLOSSY IBIS!

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Not a creature we see at Niles Pond everyday! The young Ibis stayed for awhile, resting, floofing its magnificent iridescent feathers, and drinking water before heading back out over the ocean. I used to see them only over on the west side of Gloucester, but this year there was a very large flock at pastures in Essex, and a beautiful flock foraging in the tidal marsh at Good Harbor Beach, too.

According to Cornell, “Glossy Ibises are found throughout the world. In North America, populations increased by an estimated 4.2% per year between 1966 and 2015 (indicating a cumulative increase of nearly eightfold over that period), according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. In 2002, the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan estimated 13,000–15,000 breeding Glossy Ibises in North America and listed it as a species of low concern.”

The Glossy Ibis breeding territory is indicated in orange and the coast of Massachusetts is part of that territory.

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD NOT SHARING GARDEN WITH MIGRATING MONARCHS!

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Our summer resident Ruby-throated Hummingbirds stayed at our Cape Ann garden well into the fall. Daily, and frequently throughout the day, they made their rounds from the back borders to the front borders, making brief stops at each nectar station. But the backyard was clearly their personal fiefdom. Here they spent a great deal of time splashing in the bird bath and preening while perched in the ancient pear trees.

The Monarchs and other late summer butterflies mostly stay in the sunnier front border however, whenever a Monarch ventured to the New England Aster patch round back, a hummingbird was sure to harass. The attacks were seemingly not vicious; the RTH would simply fly to and from the butterfly until it departed. I wondered if this was a juvenile RTHummingbird checking out a never-before-seen-butterfly-equal-to-its-size, or a more experienced female defending her territory.

Despite repeated attempts on my part, this was extremely hard to capture on film. I was looking at footage from this past season and was delighted to find a very few brief seconds of both beauties together.

WONDERFUL RIBBON CUTTING EVENT AT THE OPEN DOOR!

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Saturday the Open Door and our generous community celebrated its new Food and Nutrition Center with the best ribbon cutting event. Julie LaFontaine, the Open Door’s CEO, gave a heartfelt speech thanking all who had worked so hard and contributed so generously to make the Center a reality. Followed by a round of speeches given by Mayor Verga, State House Representative Ann Margaret Ferrante, and State Senate Representative Bruce Tarr, the ribbon was woven through the seated attendees. Everyone got to cut the ribbon and cheer on the new Center!

What a special event to be invited to photograph. Thank you Sarah and Julie, it was my joy!

The Open Door is located at 28 Emerson Avenue Gloucester MA. For more information, please visit the Open Door’s website at: http://FOODPANTRY.org

From the Cape Ann Chamber –

The Food and Nutrition Center includes a larger, modernized kitchen with a double line, fulfillment center, food packing space, additional dry and cold storage, client meeting spaces, and more. The Open Door has also updated and reconfigured other areas of the building to maximize space.  

The $4.4 million capital campaign project was paid for by federal fiscal 2022 Community Project Funding secured by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem; Community Development Block Grant funding from the city; and private donations.

The organization is still seeking to raise $250,000 to cover costs of the project. (To inquire about making a donation, email development@foodpantry.org.)

MONARCH STRAGGLER ON CAPE ANN WHILE BUTTERFLIES ARRIVE TO THEIR MEXICAN WINTERING GROUNDS

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As Monarchs are beginning to arrive at the butterfly sanctuaries in Mexico, one more was spotted in our garden, intently fortifying for the long journey south. I am so thankful to the friend who gave me a clump of these old-fashioned pass-along daisies. The asters and goldenrods have turned to seed but the Korean Daisies are still going strong, providing nectar to the late, late stragglers.

Monarchs oftentimes, but not always, arrive at the sanctuaries around the time when Dia de Muertos is celebrated. In the language of indigenous Purépecha, a group centered in Michoacán (one of the states where the Monarchs overwinter), the name for the Monarch is the “Harvester.”Coronas de flores (crown of flowers) are replaced each year during the Day of the Dead – photo credit from the Moreno Family

Notes from Butterflies and Their People and the Moreno Family, November 3, 2023

We’re so happy to share the good news, just one day after Day of the Dead, It was 12:52 pm when Pato Moreno sent us a message saying they (BTP Guardians and CEPANAF Rangers) spotted the first monarch, and one hour later they’ve counted around 27.
Meanwhile in Macheros, Joel Moreno saw around 8 butterflies while he was staying on the rooftop at the B&B.

Also one of my sisters, Oralia Moreno, went to Zitacuaro and on the way back she saw at least 5 butterflies in a place called Rosa Santa, just like 20 minutes away from us, it was around 12:30 pm. (She came back to the village at 12:58 pm that’s when she told us she saw them).
The temperature right now is 63.8 F / 17.6°C.

Map of the places mentioned in the post

MYSTERIAL MERLIN! A CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY

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The Merlin seen perched atop the birch tree was spotted from a distance. I crept ever so cautiously toward her, expecting her to fly away at any second. I usually only see Merlins on the hunt, a dark silhouette torpedoing through the air. She was surprisingly very tolerant of my presence, allowing me to stand quietly under a tree observing her fierce beauty as she continuously scanned the surrounding landscape.

Merlins are a small falcon with a distinct robust shape. They are sometimes confused with Sharp-shinned Hawks for their similar feather patterning but Sharpies are more gangly in shape than Merlins. The Merlins small frame belies that fact that they are powerful, yet deft, hunters and can snatch songbirds mid-air. While filming the Merlin, two Bluejays took note of her. One even alighted on an adjacent branch. Not a good idea as Merlins regularly hunt Pigeons and have even been known to hunt small ducks.

Like so many species of raptors, Merlin populations are rebounding since DDT was banned in 1972. DDT interfered with the bird’s calcium production, which had the devastating effect of weakening their eggshells. Since the pesticide was banned, Merlin numbers are bouncing back in North America.

We are currently experiencing a wave of beautiful creatures migrating through and stopping over at our shores. Merlins travel through New England in the spring and fall. Fortunately, the Merlin’s breeding areas don’t overlap with Plover nesting sites along the Atlantic Coast. We don’t see Merlins on Cape Ann during the summer months. Why do I write fortunately? Because, like Peregrine Falcons, Merlins find nesting shorebirds easy prey (see article here).

The Merlin’s worldwide range is widespread.

 

LAST MONARCH FROM THE GARDEN

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Last of the season’s Monarchs from our garden eclosed, despite being so late in the year and the big dent in her chrysalis. Happily, Charlotte was home when she emerged. The butterfly attached itself to Charlotte’s hair, and to her great joy, stayed there while she skipped around the garden collecting flowers and food for her fairies.

Monarchs that emerge late in the year, when some are already arriving to Mexico, migrate nonetheless and have a good chance of reaching their destination.

Fairy Tree House

NEW VIDEO – A BALD EAGLE SOARS OVER GLOUCESTER!

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What a thrill to see the Eagle close-up, and to see it fly by our City skyline!

After a great morning filming local wildlife and as I was heading home, flying down the road overhead was a large brown bird with an entourage of Crows and gulls in tow. Wow. That’s weird I thought, Crows don’t usually dive bomb Turkey Vultures. To everyone walking down the road’s utter delight, it was not a Turkey Vulture, but a gorgeous Bald Eagle.

The not yet fully mature Eagle hovered over Niles Beach at one location for some time, circling back several times. I couldn’t figure out what he/she was so interested in. Perhaps it was the giant fish head that had washed ashore several days ago. After a bit, the Eagle flew off to the tippy top of a pine tree overlooking the water.

Eagles are superb hunters and fishers, and also love to scavenge carrion.

I think the Eagle is a sub-adult, about 3 and a half to four and a half years old. The above photo is of a mated adult and a sub-adult, taken in Gloucester last spring.

THE SWEETEST PINK PLOVER ONESIES AND MATCHING T-SHIRTS NOW AVAILABLE AT ALEXANDRA’S BREAD

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We now have PINK onesies (and a matching pink tee for Mom, Auntie, Grandma!).

Thinking about the current rage for Barbie and all things pink, we ordered six onesies and six tees in the pink to see if there is interest. The onesies are adorable and I hope so much everyone likes them! The pink tees are available in S, M, and L. The onesies are available in sizes 6-12 months and 18-24 months

Alexandra also has a brand new batch of unisex cerulean blue tees, in sizes small through extra large.

You can pick up your Plover tees, onesies, and stickers at our wonderful local bakery and home goods shop, Alexandra’s Bread, located at 265 Main Street in Gloucester. Alexandra also carries super cute Twin Lights onesies, too!

As we are building inventory and navigating our way through selling T-shirts, the sales from the tees/onesies goes to ordering more. Eventually, we hope that $13.00 from the sale of each T-shirt will go towards helping to fund our documentary, The Piping Plover of Moonlight Bay. To read our most recent progress update and learn how you can help support the Piping Plover Film Project, please go here.

HORSEHEADED SEALS!

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Lately there has been a pod of Gray Seals just off shore. I counted five one morning. Mostly they yawn and doze but the other day, two were sort of “frolicking,” if you can call it that.

I read Gray Seals mate and pup at this time of year. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what their next moves are. They’re official name is Gray Seal, but I love one of their nicknames, the Horsehead Seal, because it is aptly descriptive. The bulls especially have large heads.

One of the ways to tell the difference between a Harbor Seal and a Gray Seal is by looking at their heads. Harbor Seals have the large round “puppy dog” eyes, heart-shaped nostrils, and proportionately smaller heads.

Harbor Seal

Gray Seals have proportionately large heads and flaring nostrils.

Harbor Seal head shape left, Gray Seal head right

Harbor Seals have a concave shaped forehead, with a dog-like snout. The head of a Grey Seal is elongated, with a flatter forehead and nose.

TALL SHIP LYNX ROUNDING EASTERN POINT LIGHT!

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The stunning Tall Ship Lynx rounded Eastern Point light just after sunset and headed in for its annual maintenance haul-out at the Marine Railways. Schooner Adventure greeted the vessel and they were firing off guns as they came into port.

The Tall Ship Lynx travels throughout New England in the warmer months and winters in the Golden Isles of Georgia at St. Simons Island.

For more information about the Lynx, visit www.TallShipLynx.org.

Tall Ship Lynx in Gloucester through the years

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ARE DONATING TO OUR PIPING PLOVER FILM PROJECT!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

A huge shout out to our newest contributors to our Piping Plover film project fundraiser. My deepest thanks and appreciation to Alice and David Gardner (Beverly), JoeAnn Hart (Gloucester), Kim Tieger (Manchester), Joanne Hurd (Gloucester), Holly Niperus (Phoenix), Bill Girolamo (Melrose), Claudia Bermudez (Gloucester), Paula and Alexa Niziak (Rockport), Todd Pover (Springfield), Cynthia Dunn (Gloucester), Nancy Mattern (Albuquerque), Sally Jackson (Gloucester), and my sweet husband Tom 🙂 Thank you so very much for your support and for seeing the tender beauty in the life story of the Piping Plover.

Progress update – We are currently working with the stellar editing staff at Modulus Studios in Boston. Eric Masunaga and his assistant Shannon also worked on our sister film project, Beauty on the Wing. Keeping my fingers crossed and not wanting to jinx our progress, but the hope/goal is to have a cut ready to begin submitting to film festivals by the end of 2023. We have also received exceptionally helpful content advice from both Carolyn Mostello, the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Biologist and Todd Pover, Senior Wildlife Biologist for Conserve Wildlife New Jersey.

Thank you so very much again for your kind help.

Warmest wishes,

Kim

To contribute to The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our online Network for Good fundraiser DONATE HERE

 

To learn more about The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay documentary please go here.

HipHop

APPLE PICKING AND MONARCHS AT RUSSELL ORCHARDS!

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Last week on Election Day, the elementary kids that attend East Veteran’s had the day off.  Charlotte is in love with Cloud, the resident sheep at Russell Orchards, so off we went to go visit Cloud. We were in luck as one of my favorite apples, Gala, was perfectly ripe for the picking. To find out which variety of apples are available to pick, check out Russell Orchard’s website here.

After filling two bags with sweetly delicious little pink gems, we stopped at the gorgeous zinnia patch adjacent to the apple orchard. The patch was abuzz with myriad pollinators, including Monarchs, Sulphurs, Swallowtails, bees, and as is typical at this time of year, Yellow Jackets. The Yellow Jackers weren’t interested in Charlotte and I, only in pestering the Monarchs. One even alighted on a Monarch’s wings!

Russel Orchard’s zinnias are a knock this year and I believe the variety of zinnias is Benary’s Giant.

Flowers of the Air

FUNNY PIPING PLOVER CHICKS NEW SHORT FILM

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Tiny Piping Plover chicks weigh about as much as a nickel at the time of hatching. Although capable of running about within a few hours after pushing out of their eggshells, one-day-old chicks are extraordinarily vulnerable. They are also adorably funny as they learn how to navigate the varied beach terrain and to forage for food. The hatchlings study their out-sized feet, stretch tiny wing buds, fall into mini fox holes, and tumble over even while only trying to scratch themselves. It’s not easy being one-day-old!

Mom and Dad spend a great deal of time helping the chicks to regulate their body temperature, especially in the earliest days of the chick’s life. In the last clips, Dad calls to the four siblings to warm up under his downy soft underwing feathers.  And by the way, Plover Dads are truly super heroes in the life story of the Piping Plover, co-parenting equally, and even then some.

The footage in this short is from the forthcoming film, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our online fundraiser to help complete our documentary. Filming is finished however, post-production and festival costs have sky-rocketed; they are much greater than when we released our sister film project about species at risk, Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly. Without our community’s help, we could not have launched Beauty on the Wing. Working with the community to produce Beauty on the Wing made it far more meaningful.

We are deeply appreciative of any gifts given. Thank you.

Please donate here to our Network for Good online fundraiser https://filmmakerscollab.networkforgood.com/projects/55077-filmmakers-collaborative-the-piping-plovers-of-moonlight-bay