The grand, and rarely seen on Cape Ann, King Eider, has been spotted for several weeks foraging in Essex alongside a raft of Common Eiders. It was too windy for my camera to capture a beautiful still close-up, but here you can see him diving for mussels at Conomo Point. The more typically seen male Common Eider, behind the King Eider in the footage, is also foraging for mussels. Amazingly, eiders swallow mussels whole! They have super strong gizzards that can digest the mussels, shell and all.
Yet another wonderful woodpecker is returning to our shoreline, ponds, and woodlands. This fabulous golden-winged boy is a Northern Flicker, so named because of the brilliant underwing feather shafts that flash gold when he is in flight. Listen to his drumming and songs to a female before take-off.
For well over a year, our garden has been graced with the fascinating Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. The visits began with a male eating Pokeberries in December of 2023 and have continued intermittently through today.
A female was here for a day last week however, we have had so many Cedar Waxwings in the Dragon Lady Holly, they may have frightened her off. For the past three days, a male YBSS has been industriously revitalizing the sap wells created by the female last year. He is also meowing!! That’s right, the appropriately named bird for a cartoon (or a proper insult), makes a crinkly mewing sound!
Listen for the mews-
Photos to Help ID Male, Female, or Juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Male YBSS – Red cap and red throat
Female YBSS – note that she does not have a red throat
Juvenile YBSS -softly mottled brown
Male Sapsucker in the rain yesterday
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Timeline
Summer 2023 – Newly seeded Pokeberry bush grows six feet first summer (most likely the seed was deposited by a bird).
December 2023 – First ever male YBSS. Stays for several days eating Pokeberries.
March – May 2024 – Female YBSS created striking grid pattern of sap wells on both the Dragon Lady Holly and Magnolia soulangeana trees, concentrating her efforts much more on the Holly. She spends many weeks drinking the sap, digging more wells, and eating insects attracted to the sap flows. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds discover the sap wells.
Summer 2024 – Ruby-throated Hummingbirds daily drink nectar from the small pinkish whiteish flowers of the Pokeweed.
October -November 2024 – Female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker returns. She is drinking nectar and eating insects attracted to the sap wells every day, through November 17th.
November 12, 2024 – Both a juvenile and female at the DLHolly saplicks.
March 26, 2025 – female YBSS at the Holly tree. Flock of Cedar Waxwings may have frightened her off.
April 3rd, 4th, and 5th – Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drumming and drilling at the Dragon Lady Holly, crabapple, and Magnolia soulangeana. Mewing frequently.
Do you want to help rid our community of rat poison, specifically SGARS, which is the rat poison attributed to killing our local hawks, eagles, owls, and falcons? Please attend the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aril 8th, and read the following from Caroline Haines, founder of the organization Rescue Gloucester Wildlife.
Dear Rescue Gloucester Wildlife supporters,
There is good news regarding our efforts to eliminate or reduce the use of SGARS (second-generation anti-coagulant rodenticides) in Gloucester. The Gloucester City Council will consider a proposed ordinance to ban the use of rodenticides on city owned property. It is scheduled for a Public Hearing at the next council meeting on Tuesday April 8th at City Hall. The meeting begins at 6, but the agenda is lengthy, and the ordinance is not early on the agenda. Advocates will have three minutes to speak about the proposal. I will be speaking, and I plan to prepare ahead so that I can get all of my points squeezed in, in the allotted time. I hope that many of you will consider giving heartfelt testimony, too. If you are not able to attend, sending an email or making a call to a councilor is another way you can make an impact. There is a lot of support on the council itself, but the more they hear from us, the better. Councilors Gilman, Gross, Grace, Nolan, and Benson have been very encouraging and helpful. And Councilor Worthley put the motion forward.
Currently the proposed ordinance is being reviewed by the city’s legal department and some technical language is being revised. There is a caveat in subsection (d) that allows that “the Director of Public Works may choose, after determining that less toxic integrated pest management strategies would be or are ineffective, to use SGARS for the period of time he/she deems necessary. The only requirement is that he/she share this information publicly as well as directly with the Mayor and the City Council.” This is somewhat concerning. I would prefer a clear time limit on the temporary use of SGARS and I don’t like the “would be” language, which seems to imply that the DPW doesn’t have to try integrated pest management first, before resorting to rodenticide use. If this concerns you, too, please speak up about it, or email your councilor. Council email addresses are simply first initial, last name @gloucester-ma.gov (i.e., tgross@gloucester-ma.gov).
Council Chair Tony Gross has promised to keep me posted if the proposed ordinance is rescheduled for any reason. I will post on our Rescue Gloucester Wildlife Facebook page if this should happen. Otherwise, I hope to see some of you at the Council meeting on April 8th. Thank you all for interest and efforts in eliminating these destructive poisons from our environment.
Onward,Caroline HainesRaptors are the Solution!
Raptors are on the move, including the exquisite American Kestrel. I typically find these pint-sized falcons perched on sparse trees above low growing vegetation, scanning the landscape for their next meal. Kestrels eat a wide variety of invertebrates – mostly grasshoppers, beetles, cicadas, dragonflies, scorpions, spiders, butterflies, and moths. They also eat voles, mice, shrews, bats, small songbirds, snakes, and lizards.
From a distance, this male Kestrel I thought was at first a Mourning Dove, though possibly not. I took several snapshots before realizing my exposure setting was still set for filming creatures in dark foliage. He flew away as I was adjusting the exposure. The photo is very overexposed, nonetheless, I like how brilliant his feather patterning and colors show in the image.
Tip – The American Kestrel is the smallest and most common falcon found in North America however, the population has declined by 50 percent. The primary reasons are loss of habitat and pesticides. You can help these North American beauties by leaving dead trees standing where ever possible. Kestrels nest in natural tree cavities and nests excavated by other tree cavity nesters. They will also nest in manmade nest boxes designed for Screech Owls!
American Kestrel Male
Dear Friends,
We have wonderful news to share. Our Gloucester Plovers are returning! Not only that, but the original pair that have been nesting at GHB since 2016 were the first to arrive. Both Mom and Dad appeared on the very same day, March 19th, the earliest date ever. At this time of year, my husband and I check the beach daily so that we can track from year to year when Plovers begin arriving. Last year I believe it was March 25th.
Super Dad and Handicapped Mom, March 19, 2025
A Plover love story for the ages is how my friend Todd describes it when Plover pairs nest together for many years. These two sweet Plovers must be at a minimum of 11 years old because Plovers don’t begin breeding until they are at least one year old. Eleven years is quite a ripe old age for Plovers as most live on average only five years. We wait with a combination of fear and excitement each spring, hoping and praying our Plover family makes it through another winter, especially now that Mom’s right foot is missing. She lost her foot several years ago after nylon fishing line and seaweed became tightly wound around her lower leg.
When you think about it, we have been through so much with this little Mom and Dad. The first several years especially were extremely challenging. Beachgoers did not yet understand how to help protect the birds and pets had the run of the beach. In fact, conditions were so bad on the beach that in 2018 Mom and Dad decided ‘enough with dog disturbances,’ and the safest place to nest was the GHB parking lot. Because of this, Massachusetts State and US Federal wildlife officials became heavily involved with helping to protect Gloucester Plovers and the local government began to take Plover protections more seriously. Little by little, things began to change for the better.
I remember our tender little handicapped Plover, nicknamed HipHop for his gimpy walk. It was Mom’s first season breeding without her right foot and she was extremely clumsy when transitioning to get in and out of the nest and when she was snuggling the chicks. I think she must have injured HipHop somehow because his injury manifested itself when he was about ten days old. Mother and chick were quite the pair with their hip hopping gaits. We thought HipHop would never grow to the size of his siblings and wondered if he would ever be able to fly. Mom departed early as is not unusual for females to begin migrating before their mates. Our Super Dad stayed with HipHop for many weeks after and throughout the entire summer. Both departed around the beginning of September, but not until HipHop was flying just as well as his siblings.
Dean Horne, Brian Watson, John Trupiano, and Adam Kelley installing Piping Plover protections
Thank you to the Gloucester DPW crew for installing the symbolic ropes and Plover signs. We appreciate everything the DPW does to keep Plovers safe and our local beaches looking beautiful!
If you happen to see Plovers on the beach, please give them lots and lots of space. Know that they are weary from the long migration and need to rest and refuel before ‘setting up house.’
Piping Plovers are returning to beaches all along the Atlantic Coast. The addendum to this note is for several new Plover friends from beaches in Maine and New Jersey who have written to ask how they can better help their community’s Plover families successfully fledge chicks.
Happy Spring from Ploverville!
Warmest wishes,
Kim
Actions that communities and beachgoers can take early in the season to help Plovers successfully breed include the following. I can not stress ‘early in the season’ enough. The earlier the Plovers nest without disturbances, the earlier they will begin laying eggs, and the earlier the chicks will fledge and begin migrating.
1) Disallow all pets on the beach, ideally beginning March 15th, April 1st at the latest.
2) Install symbolic roping around known Plover nesting areas by March 15th.
3) Install informational signage on beaches where Plovers nest by March 15th.
4) Do not permit off-road vehicles on beaches where shorebirds are nesting.
5) Do not rake the beach. Beach raking destroys a vital food source and machines can scoop up and kill chicks that can’t yet fly out of the way of danger.
6) Respect symbolically roped off areas. Do not play ball close to the roping. It is against state and federal law to run into the nesting area to retrieve a ball or for any other reason. Do not allow pets to run through the roped off areas and do not cross the roped off areas to take shortcuts through the dunes.
Thank you to all who attended our documentary screening of The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay on Sunday afternoon. We had a terrific group of attendees, both very generous and wonderfully engaged in the Qand A following the screening. I loved discussing Plovers and filmmaking with our guests and appreciate so much everyone who took the time out of their busy schedules to come and support the film.
Many, many thanks to Sarah, MAGMA’s founder and director, for hosting the event. In addition to offering a range of youth and adult dance classes, MAGMA provides an exceptional space for the community. Sarah hosts a range of events including films, dance performances, and local musicians, from punk bands, to string quartets! See MAGMA’s upcoming events here.
A very special shout out to Piping Plover Ambassadors Jonathan and Sally for their continued support and kind generosity. They provided all the beverages, Jonathan made an excellent bartender, and they both made everyone feel very welcome.
Male and female Piping Plover
Welcoming Spring with the most joyful celebration – Happy St. Joseph’s Day, Happy Spring!
Viva San Giuseppe!
Dear Friends,
I hope to see you Sunday at our film screening fundraiser. Refreshments will be provided and following the screening, we’ll have lots of good discussion and wonderful news to share.
Although the postcard says handicapped accessible, unfortunately the elevator is now temporarily not working. Please let me know if you have purchased tickets and can no longer attend due to inaccessibility.
The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is a 57-minute narrated documentary by Kim Smith that tells the story of the Piping Plover as it unfolds along the North Atlantic coastline. The film features a pair of courageous Plovers that overcome life-threatening obstacles while nesting at one of the region’s most popular beaches.
Each spring, northward migrating Atlantic coast Piping Plovers return to breeding sites located from North Carolina to Newfoundland. Amazingly, nesting often takes place on public beaches, where anyone can observe their beautiful life story unfolding. But in such areas, where people enjoy a full range of recreational activities, nesting and raising chicks is a perilous occupation.
Set against the backdrop of the ever-dynamic Atlantic shoreline, the documentary illustrates how conservation partners have provided safe corridors that allow these highly vulnerable birds to raise chicks to fledge at even the most well-loved beaches.
The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is a film for all ages, and was created to inspire a love for wild creatures and their habitats, and to develop a deeper understanding of the vital role that wildlife play in our interconnected ecosystem.
Every stage of the Plover’s life cycle is experienced in vibrant HD and 4K close-up, from egg to chick to adult.
Production and distribution of The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay will be made possible by tax-deductible contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, and public agencies.
To date, among other generous donations, we have received a leadership grant of $15,000 from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Gifts for The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay will support post production and distribution costs, color and sound editors, picture mastering, studio time, festival fees and applications, music and map rights, and an underwriting agent to bring the film to the wide audience of public television. Our goal is to raise $115,000.
The year 2025 marks the Groppo Family’s 30 year tradition of hosting the nine day novena and Saint Joseph Feast Day.
People from all walks of life are invited to the Feast of Saint Joseph at the Groppo’s welcoming home. There was a steady stream of hungry celebrants throughout the day and evening. Tables were laden with wonderfully delicious dishes, featuring both Sicilian cuisine and Gloucester seafood. Thank you to Nina, Franco, Maria, Enza, and this wonderful community of family and friends for sharing the very special tradition of the Feast of St. Joseph.
Viva San Giuseppe!
More photos and footage to come –
See one of our latest 30 second promos –
February’s Full Snow Moon descending behind the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church
In case you happened to be driving along backshore roads over the weekend, you may have noticed the large crowds of enthusiastic bird watching paparazzi (myself included). We have a celebrity bird in our midst, a most beautiful Swainson’s Hawk. Why such fame you may wonder? Doubly so, note on the range map below – Swainson’s Hawks are very rare to the eastern half of the US and at this time of year, Swainson’s are more typically found in South America! More than 90% of the global population winters in grasslands, from southern Brazil to northern Argentina. Reportedly, this Swainson’s has been seen in other areas of New England this winter, including New Hampshire and Plum Island.
Earlier in the week, I was fortunate to film him with no one around so he was very chill. He flew into a tree that I was standing near and began to preen his lusciously long feathers for perhaps twenty minutes or so. Mostly, though I just got to see his his backside. Then off he soared into the marsh to hunt. Swainson’s Hawks eat small mammals and insects and I read they have the habit of running on the ground to catch prey. I would love to film that behavior, especially after filming the very funny lope of a Peregrine Falcon running on the beach.
There are also a number of Red-tailed Hawks in the neighborhood. Easy field marks for a quick ID include the Red-tailed has its distinct red tail, the Swainson’s is striped buffy white, brown, and gray; the Swainson’s yellow feet and yellow around its beak is very bright compared to the paler yellow of the RTH; and the Swainson’s head is darker, with a reddish beard below the head.
Swainson’s Hawk with reddish beard and darker head
Red-tailed lacking beard, with paler breast
Swainson’s Hawk deeper yellow beak
Red-tailed Hawk paler yellow beak and feet
Two more dead Snowies. I hope so much it is not bird flu however that is only one of a number of reasons why Snowies are struggling to survive in our region. As quoted in the article by RI Department of Environmental Management “LaCross said the owls face new challenges when they journey south. Human disturbance, different predators, and lack of habitat are all contributing factors hampering the chances of survival for Snowy Owls in our area.”
We can add rodenticide. Testing was not done on the Rhode Island Owl, but the Duxbury bird was swabbed.
For well over a month a Killdeer has been residing on Cape Ann. I am sure he is the same one we daily observe as he has a tuft of feathers protruding from the back of his head.
Seeing for the first time from a distance and because of the protuberance of feathers, I initially thought it was a Northern Lapwing (!) but soon realized it was a Killdeer. Other than the tuft of feathers, which he has had the entire time he has been here, the Killdeer appears to be healthy. I wonder if he was injured during migration and has decided to spend the winter here. Whatever the reason, he appears to be managing the frigid temps and finding plenty of sand flies in the seaweed and mini mollusks along the water’s edge.
Dear PiPl Friends,
I hope you are doing well. We are keeping our family and friends in our hearts as they struggle to return to a normal way of life after the tragic LA firestorms. I hope the winds die down soon so recovery can begin in earnest. Our daughter shares that she and her boyfriend are bringing supplies to firehouse donation centers and she is keeping her hummingbird feeders well-filled as there are more birds than ever in her garden.
Thursday night I am giving a screening and Q and A of our Monarch film, Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly for the Carlisle Conservation Foundation at the Gleason Public Library. We have super good news to share regarding the Monarch film – the contract has been renewed with American Public Television, which means our documentary will be airing on PBS for another three years! We will have two nature documentaries simultaneously airing on public television 🙂 Our film about the magnificent migrating Monarchs provides a wealth of information not only about the life story of the butterfly, but also suggestions on what to plant to support the Monarchs throughout their time spent in their northern breeding range.
We had a beautiful snowfall this past weekend. Snow storms and snowfalls have become so few and far between over the past few years in our area that I hopped in my car before sunrise and headed north to film what I could, hopefully before the snow stopped. There was hardly a soul about. A wonderful variety of songbirds was foraging in the falling snow and also a very hungry Barred Owl was zooming from tree to tree surrounding an adjacent field. I pulled myself away before she caught her prey because I didn’t want to have any part in preventing her from capturing her breakfast. Fortuitously, the very next day, a friend shared a post on how to tell the difference between a male and female Barred Owl. You can read the post here. I concluded the BO flying to and from her tree perches was a female. It was magical watching her in the falling snow. Link to video of her flying –https://vimeo.com/1047197766 or you can watch it on Facebook or Instagram.
The deadline is fast approaching for underwriting opportunities for our documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. We need to have all the names of underwriters in by January 20th to fulfill our contract with American Public Television. If you would like to join our underwriting pod with a contribution to our film and have your name or your organization’s name included in our underwriting credit pod please email me asap. An example of an underwriting pod – This film was brought to you by the Apple Tree Foundation, The Shorebird Conservation Fund, Lark and Phoenix Bird, …, and viewers like you (these are just sample names). Please note that every time the film airs and streams on PBS over the next three years, possibly six years, the name of your organization will be acknowledged. Of course, we gratefully accept all contributions to our documentary at any time, but if you would like to be recognized in this way, please let me know. 
Common Grackle Eating Plover eggs
I can’t believe that in only two short months Plovers and shorebirds will be returning to our beaches. Please contact me if you would like to join our Plover Ambassador team. Research from scientists in the Michigan Great Lakes region made Plover news this past week. Common Grackles were documented foraging on Piping Plover eggs. This is very noteworthy but not too surprising to our Cape Ann Plover Ambassadors as we have seen our Plovers defending their nests from Grackles. There is a very large roost of Common Grackles on Nautilus Road, opposite Good Harbor Beach. The Plovers distract the Grackles with their broken wing display and tag-team attack behavior. We wondered, were the Grackles posing a real threat or did the Plovers behave this way because Common Crows and Grackles look somewhat similar? Crows notoriously eat Plover eggs at every stage of development, from newly laid to near hatch date. We now know definitively the answer as to why our Good Harbor Beach Plovers are on high alert around Grackles!
Stay safe and warm and cozy,
xxKim
A favorite winter visitor to our shores is the wonderfully engaging Snow Bunting. Whether foraging on snow covered scapes or on windswept sand, they appear at first to the untrained eye to be convivial. Don’t let their social foraging habits fool. Snow Buntings spend a great deal of energy tussling amongst themselves for seeds, even snatching food from another’s beak. I have taken a number of images and much footage of little Snow Bunting fights and am looking forward to making a video of this behavior. In the meantime here is a short video taken on a super windy morning. Notice all the seaweed flies in the photo below. The tide was extremely high that day forcing all the flies to move out and up from the seaweed and onto higher ground, making for a very easily accessed breakfast.
Snow Buntings are Arctic specialist. They are ground dwellers with toes well adapted to snow and ice, which I think makes their toes also especially well-suited for running and hopping in the sand, along rocky shores, and in piles of seaweed. Their toes look like snowshoes as they bound about finding seeds buried in snowdrifts. When they are here in our region, I see them mostly feeding on insects found in seaweed and the intertidal zone, along with a variety of wildflower seeds.
“The snow bunting is the most northerly passerine bird in the world. It breeds in a circumpolar range, south to Scotland and Iceland, and it is a common breeder in suitable habitats in northern Scandinavia, Greenland, Svalbard, arctic parts of Russia and the northerly parts of North America.” However, the species is in significant decline in North America with reasons ranging from habitat redistribution to the heavy use of pesticides in croplands where the birds feed heavily during the winter months.
A snowy morning flock of Snow Buntings from a year ago January
Dear PiPl Friends,
Thank you to all our Piping Plover ambassadors, volunteers, shorebird organizations, film donors, and well-wishers. Your kind support over the years for both our volunteer program and film project is so very greatly appreciated.
We have many people and conservation organizations to be thankful for, especially here in Massachusetts, where we are at the forefront of Piping Plover recovery. Organizations such as Mass Audubon’s Coastal Waterbird Program, Mass Wildlife, Trustees of Reservations, and Essex County Greenbelt Association have created stellar programs to help protect , monitor, and engage in our communities. Nationwide, Piping Plovers were once on the brink of extinction. In 1986, there were fewer than 200 pairs breeding in Massachusetts. Preliminary data from MassWildlife reports that there were 1,196 nesting pairs in 2024, a whopping 500 percent increase from 1986. PiPl recovery is not as bright in other regions as it is in Massachusetts. Plovers are counting on Massachusetts peoples and programs!
We have new and expanded Plover projects and programs planned for the coming year and more good news to share for our forthcoming documentary. If you are interested in becoming a Piping Plover Ambassador, please leave a comment or email me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com.
Wishing us all peace and joy and more conservation success stories in the coming New Year!
Warmest wishes,
Kim
Jon, Owen, and Alexandra
Our family has a cozy tradition of serving fondue on Christmas Eve and we always purchase the bread at Alexandra’s a few days ahead of time. Their homemade baguettes are the absolute perfect dipping bread. Awhile back we bought a second, vintage fondue pot (from Alexandra’s) and now we have two pots going, one with only cheeses and a second pot with cheese, artichokes hearts, and crabmeat (you could switch the crabmeat for lobster). In addition to the bread, we dip steamed asparagus tips along with broccoli and cauliflower florets.
The photos are of two neighborhood Coyotes suffering from varying degrees of the parasitic disease, mange. Both are slowly dying from pain and starvation. The two are elusive, yet seen frequently roaming backyards and roadways in East Gloucester and Eastern Point in broad daylight.
The photo below shows what a Coyote typically looks like at this time of year. His coat is full and lush and will keep him warm on the coldest of days. His eyes are wide open, alert, and bright and he is standing strong.
The disease is treatable by wildlife rehabbers, if they can get to the animal in time however, it is especially challenging to capture Coyotes.
What exactly is mange? There are several types but the one that most often affects members of the Canid Family (dogs, fox, coyote, and wolf) is Sarcoptic Mange.
Sarcoptic Mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by parasitic mites that burrow under the creature’s skin.
Signs of Sarcoptic Mange include hair loss, scabs, and foul smelling crusts as a result of secondary skin infections.
How does untreated mange kill? Mange causes the animal to lose weight, which leads to dehydration. Animals with mange are too weak to forage for food and usually starve to death. Hair loss from mange leads to hypothermia in cold weather and mange also leads to secondary infections that can cause blindness and impaired hearing.
What is the connection between Sarcoptic mange and household rat poison? Simply put, when a rat or mouse consumes rat poison (rodenticide), these toxins accumulate in the rodent’s body. When a mammal eats a rodent poisoned by rat poison, the poison accumulates in the mammal’s body, weakening its immune system and making the mammal much more susceptible to diseases like mange.
How does rat poison typically kill raptors? The household rat poison currently on the market and readily purchased is called second generation anti-coagulant rodenticides (the acronym is SGARS). These rodenticides work by depleting the body of vitamin K, which is critical for the development of clotting factors. Without these factors, blood cannot clot properly which results in hemorrhage both internally and externally.
SGARS do not work immediately and the rodent may repeatedly visit the bait station. The slowly dying rat or mouse often behaves erratically and is easily caught by a predator, whether avian or canid. The anti-coagulating properties of the poison do not stop working on the rodent prey once it is consumed by the predator. The poison enters the bloodstream of the predator that has eaten the rodent. Especially when the rodent has visited the bait station multiple times, a raptor may consume a lethal dose with only a single rodent. The predator suffering from secondary rat poison is also more susceptible to starvation and other diseases. A recently completed study by Tufts Wildlife Clinic reported that 100 percent of the 43 Red-tailed Hawks treated over the past two years tested positive for SGARS.
Seabrook, the Snowy Owl found at death’s door, was successfully treated for SGARs in 2022
Is mange contagious? Mange is highly, highly contagious between members of the same species and across species. For example, Coyotes often use Red Fox dens for pupping where they would come in contact with the parasite. From Cornell, “A host becomes infected by direct contact with an affected animal or by coming into a contaminated environment like burrows or nests where free-living mites can survive for several weeks in high humidity and low temperatures. Once infected, the mites burrow into the outer layer of skin and form tunnels where females lay their eggs. In 3 or 4 days, the eggs hatch into larvae, which either remain in the tunnels or move to the surface of the skin. The larvae develop into nymphs in 3 to 4 days and then into adults in another 5 to 7 days. The complete life cycle of a male take 13 to 16 days and a female about 18 to 23 days.”
To report sightings of mange infected mammals call MassWildlife at 508-389-6300 or email. MassWildlife@mass.gov
Cape Ann Wildlife specializes in treating raptors suffering from rat poison.
Newhouse Wildlife rescue specializes in treating mammals with mange.
Support the petition to ban SGARS in Massachusetts
Sending best, best wishes to Aimee and David Brooks on the birth of their beautiful baby girl Naia Rumi Brooks. David and Aimee could not be present at the Lobster Trap Tree lighting with new baby born the night before, but we all want to thank David, Shawn Henry, the extraordinary Lobster Trap Tree building crew, Art Haven’s Traci Thayne Corbett and the sweetest buoy painters for their glorious gift to Gloucester.
Wishing the Brooks Family a lifetime of love, happiness, and joy.
We so look forward to the return each winter of flocks of American Robins and Cedar Waxwings. Currently on our shores we have a mixed flock traveling also with three beautiful Bluebirds and several juvenile Cedar Waxwings!
Juvenile Cedar Waxwing
The Robin photographed here reached on tiptoes to get at the crabapple tree fruit, brandished his wings while almost losing his balance, and then success 🙂 If you have planted your garden with any of the following, including hollies, winterberries, crabapples, Chokecherry, cedars or junipers, you will most definitely be graced with the beautiful winter Robins.
I wrote the following post 10 years ago and it is still very relevant to attracting Robins to your garden –
During the winter months Cape Ann often becomes home to large flocks of robins, and we have had the joy of hosting numerous numbers in our garden. I can’t help but notice their arrival. Their shadows descend, crisscrossing the window light, followed by a wild rumpus in the ‘Dragon Lady’ hollies. This pair of hollies is planted on opposing sides of the garden path, alongside my home office. I have learned to stealthily sneak up to a window, as any sudden activity inside startles birds that are investigating our garden, and they quickly disperse. Dining not only on berries of the ‘Dragon Ladies’, but also the ‘Blue Princess’ Meserve holly and winterberry bushes, I find dozens of noisy, hungry robins.
These winter nomads flock to trees and shrubs that hold their fruit through December, January, and February, feasting on red cedar, American holly, Meserve hollies, chokecherries, crabapples, and juniper. Robins traveling along the shores of Cape Ann also comb the shoreline for mollusks, and go belly-deep for fish fry. Depleting their food supply, they move onto the next location. Gardens rife with fruiting shrubs and trees make an ideal destination for our migrating friends.
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
Habitat Gardening Tip:
The garden designed to attract nesting pairs of summer resident robins, as well as flocks of winter travelers, would be comprised of trees and shrubs for nest building, plants that bear fruit and berries that are edible during the summer and fall, and plants that bear fruits that persist through the winter months. Suburban gardens and agricultural areas provide the ideal habitat, with open fields and lawns for foraging insects as well as trees and hedgerows in which to build their nests.
The following plants, suggested with robins in mind, will also attract legions of songbirds and Lepidoptera. The list is comprised primarily of indigenous species with a few non-native, but not invasive, plants included.
Trees for nesting ~ American Holly (Ilex opaca), Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida).
Summer and autumn fruit bearing trees, shrubs and vines for robins ~ Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), Blackberry (Rubus spp.), Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida), Gray Dogwood (C. racemosa), Red-osier Dogwood (C. sericea), Silky Dogwood (C. amomum), Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Apple (Malus pumila), Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana), Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), Wild Grape (Vitis spp.).
Trees and shrubs with fruits persisting through winter ~ Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), Mountain Ash (Sorbus americana), Crabapple (Malus spp.), Sargent’s Crabapple (Malus sargentii), American Holly (Ilex opaca), Meserve Hollies (Ilex x meserveae), Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Common Juniper (Juniperus communis), Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra), Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina).
Snowy Owls Are Back in Massachusetts—Here’s What You Need to Know
Mass Audubon December 3, 2024
Every fall, usually in November, enchanted visitors make their way from the Arctic tundra to the (relatively) warmer lands in Massachusetts. With white feathers speckled grey and piercing yellow eyes, the return of Snowy Owls brings joy to birders, photographers, and Harry Potter fans alike. These majestic birds spend the winter in open spaces such as large salt marshes, agricultural fields, and even airports, before heading back to their northern breeding grounds around April.
While their arrival causes excitement among many, there are a few important things to keep in mind before searching them out.
Why Am I Hearing More About Snowy Owls Now?
Snowy Owls (or “snowies”) travel south every winter to hunt and feed in warmer weather, but the number that appear each season varies from year to year. An irruptive species, they respond to changes in the conditions of their home territory by moving elsewhere in search of food. Some of the factors that trigger irruptions include variations in their Arctic food supply, severe snow and ice cover in their usual wintering areas, or a superabundance of owls resulting from an exceptional nesting season.
Snowy Owl swooping on beach dune. Photo by Marilyn Blake
Snowy Owls Face Challenges
Most of the owls found in Massachusetts during the winter are young, inexperienced, and face many challenges. They must master hunting prey and evading predators; avoid being hit by vehicles or getting electrocuted; fend off disease and rodenticide poison; and deal with disruptions by people while roosting and hunting. While some challenges are beyond our control, individual actions can help minimize human disturbances.
Don’t Disturb the Snowies While Viewing Them
As a community of bird-lovers and conservationists, we can avoid making survival any more difficult for these spectacular raptors by giving them plenty of space.
Primarily nocturnal, Snowy Owls mostly roost (rest or sleep) during the daytime to conserve energy. Groups of observers can keep Snowy Owls from resting; birds are often forced to fly and relocate repeatedly if multiple photographers or birders approach them. To protect the Snowy Owls, give them the space they need to survive.
Distance is Key: When observing an owl, stay at least 50 yards (150 feet) away. That’s about half of a football field, or five school buses stacked end-to-end. Bring and utilize your binoculars or a zoom camera lens to keep your distance while viewing.
Manage Your Group: When viewing an owl with a group of people, view from one location and never surround or attempt to approach the owl to get a better view or photograph.
Watch for Behavioral Clues: If the bird becomes alert, extends its neck upright, and eyes become wide open, you have disturbed it and you should back off immediately.
By following these ethical birding and bird photography best practices, you can help ensure a successful breeding season for future generations.
How Mass Audubon is Helping Snowy Owls
Norman Smith Photo by John Cole
Logan Airport has the largest known concentration of Snowy Owls in the Northeast. The airport owls help by scaring away other birds that might endanger aircraft. Unfortunately, they are also large enough to pose a threat themselves. To protect both birds and jets, Mass Audubon’s Norman Smith has been safely capturing and relocating Snowy Owls since 1981. These re-releases allow our team to learn more about the birds’ health, flight patterns, and more. Learn more about the Snowy Owl Project
Explore Opportunities to View Snowy Owls Respectfully
Mass Audubon offers bird walks and Snowy Owl-focused programs, where our expert naturalists will lead the way in observing owls without disrupting their much-needed daytime rest.
Stop at the Blue Hills Trailside Museum in Milton for a guaranteed way to see two Snowy Owls up close without disturbing them. The owls in their exhibit cannot survive in the wild due to injuries and now serves as animal ambassadors.
