Category Archives: Life at the Edge of the Sea

PSA: Dogs on Beaches

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Why Can’t I Bring My Dog to the Beach?

According to the Gloucester City ordinance code, it is a $300.00 fine (doubled during the season) to bring a dog to Good Harbor Beach. For example, if you bring two dogs, that is 600. x 2 = $1200.

But stating the fines right off doesn’t explain why.

Health and Safety

Our beaches are wonderfully filled with beachgoers during the summer months. Can you imagine adding dogs, either on or off leash, to the mix? Dog ownership is at a record high, much greater than even a generation ago. In 2000 there were roughly 68 million pet dogs, today there are about 90 million dogs. What if everyone who owns a dog brought theirs to the beach?

Let’s face the facts, a great many dogs are not on voice command. We have dogs jumping on children, knocking over the young and old, biting people, and getting into dog fights and biting each other. That is not a safe scenario for any beachgoer.

But what if the law were changed to allow dogs on leash?

We would have half abiding by the leash law and half saying “I left my leash at home,” or “I thought it was okay to let my dog off leash after 5pm,” or “I thought it was okay before 8am,” etc. etc. How do we know this? Because we already hear these statements during the off leash/on leash days at Good Harbor Beach.Pile of poop at the Good Harbor Beach snack bar area

Dog Poop is a consequential environmental issue. During the season when dogs are allowed on the beach we see the gamut of poop-maintenance behaviors. Most people clean up after their pet. However, many people bury the poop in the sand or leave their poop bags behind. When someone leaves their bag by the footbridge, then other dog owners take it as a sign as a place to deposit their bag. The pile of dog poop in a rainbow color of bags grows and grows. Do we want beachgoers stepping in sand covered poop or being confronted with piles of dog poop? There is no poop cleaning fairy. It is left  to our awesome DPW or one of the very nice volunteers, like Chris Cefalo, his brother, and Michael Cook who regularly cleans GHB to remove garbage and also the bags of poop.

Good Harbor Beach footbridge

Keeping Dogs out of the Dunes During the Growing Season Helps Protect the Dune Ecosystem

If you regularly visit Good Harbor Beach during the off season, you can’t help but notice, the “Keep out of Dunes” signs are frequently ignored by pet owners. There are many who do respect this vital habitat, but also many who don’t. Dogs running and playing vigorously through the vegetation tears at the roots and weakens the plants. Vegetation holds the dune sand in place and without plants the dunes continually recede.

Over the past several years, you may also have noticed the vast improvement in the overall health of the dunes. There is a direct correlation to keeping the symbolically roped off areas up through out the summer season and into the fall because by preventing people and pets from recreating right up to the base of the dunes, it allows just that much more room for vegetation to take hold, and is one fantastic tool in the tool box against fighting erosion.

Dog going pooh within nesting area

Keeping Dogs off the Beach Helps Nesting Shorebirds Survive

Last, but not least, dogs on the beach are a well-known threat to shorebird nests and especially to young birds that can’t yet fly to escape danger.

How so you may wonder? “My dog is so sweet and would never harm a baby bird.”

When there are baby birds on the beach, the Plover parents do their absolute utmost best to keep the chicks safe. The parents exhibit all sorts of distraction behaviors including dragging and fluttering their wings on the ground to fake injury, thereby encouraging the predator to follow it and drawing the threat away from their most vulnerable chicks.

Plovers cannot tell the difference between a domestic dog, Fox, or Coyote. Dogs bound exuberantly on the beach through nesting areas and Coyotes and Fox dig in the sand for eggs and chicks. The ever vigilant Plover parent will  leave the nest and fly at any creature Canid. Often, both parents will fly away from the nest in a sort of tag team distraction method. But while they are busy defending the chicks from a member of the dog family, that is the perfect time for a gull, crow, hawk, or falcon to swoop in and snatch the eggs or eat the baby chicks. Crows focus on eggs and gulls not only eat the eggs, they also eat chicks at every stage of development, even fledglings that have grown as large as the parent. Coyotes eat both eggs and chicks.

Especially during pupping season, Red Fox scavenge the beach looking for shorebird eggs, small mammals, and birds to feed their growing family. Plovers cannot distinguish the difference between a Coyote, Fox, or domestic dog. 

Fierce Dad and FairFeathered Mom tag team distracting a Herring Gull

As I am writing this message, please know that we still have young birds at Good Harbor Beach that can’t yet fly well enough to escape predators. This is extremely late in the season and is due to the tremendous loss of nests during the May Nor-easter; losses all along the coast of Massachusetts. Many of the nesting birds eventually re-nested and we are seeing their offspring. Shorebird managers across Massachusetts  are contending with taking care of these late flying chicks.

Here are on Cape Ann we are blessed with many beautiful alternative locations to walk our dogs, including Crab Beach (adjacent to  the Boulevard), which is open year round to dogs and dog owners.

If you would like to see scenes of Plovers displaying their fascinating distraction techniques and learn more about predators on beaches, please watch our film The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, which I created specifically for people to learn more about how we can all help protect shorebird wildlife and their habitats.  Our documentary is streaming on the PBS Passport AP 24/7. Anyone can become a member of PBS Passport by donating to PBS. It’s so worthwhile, especially for young children with curious minds.  What other streaming service can you get for $5.00 a month!!

As I first wrote, it is a $300.00 fine and doubled during the season to bring dogs to Good Harbor Beach, so please dog owners, for your sake, for the health of the beach ecosystem, and for the safety of growing shorebirds, please do not walk your dog at Good Harbor Beach or any beach where there is precious habitat and baby birds. Thank you!The No Dogs from April 1st through September 30th signs are boldly displayed at every entryway to Good Harbor Beach

Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay at the New Hope Film Festival Monday!

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I am very delighted to write that our Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is screening on Monday, August 18th at 6:00pm. We are sharing the billing with another animal welfare documentary, The Ramba Effect, about an Asian Elephant and her 2,550 mile journey to her new home at an elephant sanctuary. If you are in the New Hope area and would like to see The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay and The Rhamba Effect, please go here: https://www.goelevent.com/NewHopeFilmFestival/e/AnimalWelfareDocumentaries

Massachusetts is Leading the Way in Piping Plover Recovery – Outstanding Coastal Waterbird Cooperators’ Meeting!

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Carolyn Mostello, the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Biologist

Last week I has the opportunity to attend the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Cooperators’ Meeting. The meeting is held annually to bring together people and organizations that are involved with population monitoring and conservation efforts on behalf of coastal waterbirds.

Representatives from the seven Massachusetts coastal regions gather to share information, anecdotes, and data collected throughout the season. This year the meeting was held at Audubon’s stunning Barnstable Great Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary; hosted by Audubon staff and Carolyn Mostello, the Massachusetts Coastal Waterbird Biologist.

American Oystercatcher chicks

Threatened and endangered species such as Least Terns, Piping Plovers, Roseate Terns, and American Oystercatchers are given the greatest attention.

It’s fascinating to learn how we are all sharing similar experiences including egg predation by Crows, gulls, and Coyotes, disturbances of all shapes and kinds, low egg hatching, and storm washouts. Carolyn directs the event and she does an extraordinary job of weaving all the information together.

Reporting population numbers is followed by “Strange and Unusual,” a super fun section where field agents share funny/odd occurrences, photos, and videos. A special tribute was given to honor Shiloh Schulte, who perished in a tragic helicopter crash while studying shorebirds in Alaska. Shiloh Shulte was a beloved friend and mentor to shorebird conservationists every where and one of the  coordinators for the American Oystercatcher Recovery Program. You can read more about Shiloh and his work HERE.

The afternoon programs are especially interesting with presenters sharing experiments, projects, and best practices, including two of special interest to our region; one on launching in-depth data collection on fireworks, and best practice for engaging with landowners. All the programs are wonderfully educational.

Handicapped Mom and Super Dad’s second attempt at nesting

Despite an extremely challenging year, largely due to the fact that most of the nests around the State were washed out in a late spring storm, perhaps the most outstanding take-away is that this year again, Massachusetts is at the leading edge edge of Piping Plover recovery.  We should be super proud of our state. While many regions are seeing very little, none, or even worse, declining numbers, Massachusetts is leading the way in Piping Plover recovery!

 

 

Milkweed is the Bees Knees!

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This vibrantly hued milkweed is most commonly known as Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa). Orange Milkweed, Pleurisy Root, Chigger Flower, and Chiggerweed are a few of its other common names.

Butterflyweed blooms in a range of hot colors from buttery yellow to Spanish orange to fire orange red and is a welcome source of nectar for butterflies and bees.

MAX ALLEN Your 2025 Greasy Pole Saturday Champion!

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Congratulations to Max Allen! Max also won last year’s Friday night competition. He is the third generation in his family to win the flag, following in the footsteps of his uncle and grandfather.

Happy Summer Solstice

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Not the post I planned for this longest of days but it was just so beautiful watching three bucks foraging in the marsh this morning I had to share. Don’t you love their big brown soulful eyes and fuzzy antlers? Happy Solstice <3

Here is an image of one of them, no idea which, from the spring. Note the antler buds beginning to grow in.

WOW! So Much Great Stuff Happening at Cedar Rock Gardens!

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Elise at Cedar Rock Gardens says, It’s Not Too Late to Plant — and HAVE WE GOT A SALE FOR YOU!

Rainy weekends and a chilly spring couldn’t stop us—and now it’s officially go-time in the garden.

It is not too late to plant – We have a sale for you and Lettuce!

Come Visit Us for a sale this week!— Bring a Box or Tray to shop.
To help you get growing and keep growing, we’re offering 30% off all seedlings in the nursery starting on Wednesday, June 18th until Sunday, June 22nd. Yes, all of them. As a little bonus, every purchase comes with a free lettuce plant, because you deserve something green, crunchy, and satisfying after this soggy spring.

Our business hours:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – 8 am to 4 pm
Thursday – 8 am to 5 pm
Friday – 8 am to 4 pm
Saturday – 8 am to 4 pm
Sunday – 9 am to 3 pm
Hello friends,

We know—this spring’s been a journey. Between the endless rainy weekends and a chill that just wouldn’t quit, it felt like summer might never show up. I was totally ahead of myself predicting a warm spring – so much for that! Now that the weather is finally good enough for tender edible crops to grow lets keep a close eye on pests and critters. The soil is finally warm, the skies are (mostly) clearing, and the gardens are ready to GROW.

If you’ve been waiting to plant, now is your moment.
It is not too late to get your veggie garden going! In fact, it’s a great time to plant seedlings—especially for all those warm-weather crops that will flourish this time of year.

And for all you clever succession planters, leafy greens like lettuce, kale, chard, and herbs are ready for another round. Keep those salads coming well into summer. Direct Seed bush and pole beans now along with radish, hakurei, baby bok choy, greens and arugula.

We’d love to see your faces back at the nursery. The nursery is bursting with life, lots of bastil, squash, cutting flowers, tomatoes and peppers!

Catch Us at the Gloucester Farmers Market!
Every Wednesday from 2:30–6:30pm, you’ll find us at The Backyard Growcery at Burnhams field. Starting this week!!
We’ll have fresh-picked produce from our fields and plenty of hardy seedlings to fill your garden gaps.

Come say hi, grab a bunch of something delicious, and let us hook you up with a lettuce pun or two (we can’t help ourselves).

🌈 Happy Pride Month 🌈
At Cedar Rock Gardens, we believe that love is good, communities, just like gardens, are better with a wild mix of colors and personalities, and every person deserves to grow and thrive exactly as they want to be. We stand proudly with our queer community—not just this month, but always.

Here’s to vibrant veggies, inclusive spaces, and the joy of growing something beautiful together. 💚💜💛

From the Field: June Journal

Why are we closed on Mondays and Tuesday?? First, it is to have a full day to spend with our small children and keep the work/life balance in tact during this especially busy time of year. We are a small business and we are a couple running a farm, a family, a crew and a life outside of work. We are on 7 days a week all day keeping thousands of plants and a couple small humans alive and in order to navigate this livelihood we chose to be closed to the public 2 days a week. Second because, as stated above, we are farming greenhouse and field crops all year and we need all hands on deck a few days a week to plant, weed, prune, harvest wash and pack – for those of you who have asked.
We’ve officially changed our greenhouses over from seedling production and packed all 12,000 square feet of our greenhouses with summer crop stars: tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, basil, cucumbers, ginger, sweet potatoes and so many other warm-loving goodies.

Out in the fields, lettuce and greens are growing along beautifully. Bush beans are just about to get seeded, and both summer and winter squash are just about to go in the ground—and we are just about ready to tuck in our potatoes on July 2nd, right on schedule.

Why July 2nd? Because we’ve got beef with the Colorado potato beetle. These striped little tank-like pests emerge early in the season and love nothing more than feasting on tender potato foliage. By delaying planting until July, we dodge their peak egg-laying window—and still get a strong fall harvest without the beetle drama. Take that, nature’s tiny bulldozers.

Here are a few things I find myself repeating a lot at the nursery so I though I may share them here and hopefully give someone a tidbit that may help!
Pest Patrol + Growing Tips
Squash + Cucumber Success:

Use lightweight row cover early on to protect seedlings from bugs and cool nights. Remove the cover when the plants flower so they can be pollinated!
Mulch around the base with straw to deter squash bugs – or try the tip below from a neighbor!
Keep leaves dry by morning watering so they dry out over the day to discourage powdery mildew.
Harvest often and remove damaged or wilted fruit to keep plants productive.
And here’s a gem from our neighbor Newt: He cuts drinking straws into 3-inch segments, snips them open, and wraps them around the stems of his young cucurbits. It’s a surprisingly brilliant way to stop cutworms from snipping plants at the soil line—and may just discourage squash vine borers too. We raise a hoe to you, Newt.
Tomato TLC:

Prune lower leaves to improve airflow and reduce disease risk.
Mulch to retain moisture and prevent soil splash-up.
Tomatoes love heat—give them full sun and space to breathe.
Feed every couple weeks with a balanced organic fertilizer once they start fruiting.
Water consistently to prevent blossom end rot.
Pepper Wisdom:

Peppers want warmth—plant them in a sunny, wind-sheltered spot.
They’re slow to start but reward patience. Mulch them in, water evenly, and don’t overdo nitrogen (it’ll grow leaves, not fruit).
We won’t sugarcoat it: the political scene right now? A real mess. Between the corporate greenwashing, book bans, and folks who think “climate change” is just a suggestion—it’s enough to make you want to throw your phone into the compost pile.

But here’s the thing: planting seeds, supporting small farms, feeding your neighbors, and standing up for inclusion and sustainability? That’s hopeful. That’s powerful.

So let’s plant more. Grow more. Share more. Support with our dollars, our forks, and our hearts.

With muddy hands and a hope for sunshine,
— Elise and the Cedar Rock Gardens crew

Plover Lovers Update!

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Dear PiPl Friends,

I am behind in providing updates and I apologize for that. Frankly, with the scale of all that is so very dark currently taking place in our country, I struggle with focusing on what is positive and good in the world of wildlife. Fortunately for them they know none of this. Happy news to share is that our Good Harbor Beach Plovers are recovered from the very late season nor’easter and are back on track with nesting activities. Not only Gloucester Plovers, but Plovers all around the region are regaining their bearings after the catastrophic loss of nests and habitat.

Plovers will re-nest (in other words, lay another clutch of eggs) as much as 3 to 4 times and in some extreme cases, have been known to re-nest 7 times. We always hope the first clutch is successful for several reasons. The earlier in the season the chicks hatch, the earlier they will fledge and be off the beaches. It is also very taxing on the female to lay additional eggs. Conservation biologists are very protective of breeding pairs, in a way even more so than chicks, because pairs that are known to breed are the birds that will carry on the species.

Wonderful news for our documentary The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, which has been accepted to the New Hope Film Festival, a truly stellar festival founded by a gentleman Doug Whipple, with the intention of highlighting independent filmmakers. New Hope sounds like a fun boho arts community and I am looking forward to attending this festival. The dates are August 15-24th and as we get closer to the event,  I’ll let you know more.

Rockport Middle Schoolers Cora and Juniper reached out to me for information about Piping Plovers for a project they were working on for their civics class. Don’t you love that Plovers are part of a civics discussion! I was delighted to help the girls with their project. They did an absolutely fantastic job and with permission, I am sharing the storyboard they put together for their presentation. Many thanks to Juniper and Cora for their interest in Plover conservation. I have been inspired by the two of them to create a shorter program for middle school kids as an hour long film presentation is suitable for high school, but the class periods are shorter in middle school from what I have learned.

My friend Jane in Nova Scotia shares an amazing ‘Plover Resiliency’ photo – the Plovers in her community are nesting at the TOP of the breakwater. The pair have found a tiny bit of grass and sand amidst the rocks. In case you were wondering, as was I, she reports that the tide never goes that high.

And my new Plover friend, Rhonda, in Ocean City, New Jersey, shares that their chicks have hatched and are doing well. Like Good Harbor Beach, the beach where their Plovers are nesting is also a highly trafficked location and has been consistently voted New Jersey’s most popular beach. Rhonda organized a screening of POMB with a virtual QandA at the Ocean City Public Library and the audience was so engaged. It was an utter joy to present to this very enthusiastic crowd. You can read more about the screening here: Ocean City Has Some Good Things to Say About The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay

That’s all the Plover news for now. Happy Sunday!
xxKim

 

Apple Filming at Widow’s Bay Island Today (aka Good Harbor Beach!)

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Widow’s Bay Island – it sure sounds like a spooky and foreboding place!

Parked at the Good Harbor Beach lot is an assemblage of vintage cars as Apple TV + sets the stage for a new series, titled Widow’s Bay. Filming is planned to begin today. The series is starring one of our favorite actors, Matthew Rhys. While at my daughter’s in LA, we binged watched Perry Mason and it was truly gripping, with a stellar performance by Rhys.

From The Cinemaholic –

“Matthew Rhys is heading to The Bay State and Pine Tree State for his next show! The Welsh actor is set to star in the new Apple TV+ series, ‘Widow’s Bay,’ which will begin filming in Massachusetts and Maine in May 2025. Katie Dippold will serve as the showrunner, with Hiro Murai directing the series. There has been no revelation about the rest of the cast so far.

‘Widow’s Bay’ takes place on a secluded New England island shrouded in mystery and plagued by an ominous curse — at least, that’s what its deeply superstitious residents believe. At the center of it all is Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), a pragmatic and no-nonsense single father who remains steadfast in his refusal to entertain such notions. Determined to transform the island into a sought-after destination, he envisions it as the next Nantucket. However, his unwavering ambition clashes with the townspeople’s persistent fears, forcing him to navigate the delicate balance between progress and the long-held superstitions threatening to hold Widow’s Bay in their grip.”

 

 

Common Eider Crèche

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The ducklings just kept coming and coming! Moms, aunties, grandmoms, and sisters raise Common Eider ducklings in large communal nurseries called crèches. This crèche of Common Eiders was feeding at Good Harbor Beach on the abundant seaweed brought in by the recent nor’easter.

Common Eider male, duckling, and female

Hilary Frye, Extraordinary Duckling Rescuer!  The Common Eider ducklings in the photos above are a pair that Hilary Frye and I rescued several years back. With soooo many ducklings in a crèche, it’s easy for ducklings to become separated from their family. But, as I learned from Hilary, the adults aren’t too fussy about taking in a few more!

Why Can’t I Fly My Drone Over Good Harbor Beach?

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Fairly frequently when coming onto Good Harbor Beach to check on the Plovers, we find the birds off their nests and in utter panic. I have learned over time that there is only one reason why the birds along the one mile stretch of beach are frightened enough to leave their nests, in unison.  Sure enough, in a moment or two, you hear the drone’s whirring motor first and then observe as it passes over the protected areas of the beach. Usually not one go around, but the operators make repeated passes over the birds. Whether zooming at top speed or hovering, the Plovers are terrified by these modern day avian predator-like cameras.

It is illegal and considered harassment under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to operate a drone over breeding areas. People are either unaware, feign ignorance, or even worse, are aware and simply don’t care. Countless times we have come onto our shifts to find all the birds in the area in complete meltdown mode. The birds think the drone is a predator that has come to eat their eggs, chicks, or themselves. There are even instances where a bird has flown after the drone and becomes injured. Today a man told me he was fully licensed to fly his drone over Good Harbor Beach. Drone operators need to understand that state, federal, and local ordinances supersede any licensing permit (see below for Good Harbor Beach regulations regarding drones).

There is accumulating evidence that the mere presence of drones causes direct harm to birds, not just during breeding season. The unfamiliarity and noise interrupts courtship, mating, and feeding. Entire tern and heron colonies have been abandoned due to drone disturbances.

Plover in crouched position, frightened by overhead drone, and off her nest

This past spring there was a political rally at Good Harbor Beach. We thought it tremendous that people were gathering in support of their views and the birds had absolutely no problem with the steady stream of people entering the beach from all directions. However, the representative’s organizers began preparing a sign that could be read only from an aerial pov, which meant they intended to fly a drone over the beach. We asked the organizers to please not fly the drone but they ignored our pleas and told us the drone was only going to fly over the water and the drone would only be on the beach for a few minutes. Of course we knew that would not be the case and sure enough the drone flew repeatedly over the dunes, disturbing every bird along the entire length of the beach. After fifteen minutes of sounding their alarm calls, all the birds on the beach flew off in unison. The drone was documented flying low over the beach for 45 minutes. Clearly, a beach with nesting birds is not the place to hold a rally if a drone is part of the equation, particularly when there are other locations as easily accessed.

Over millennia, nesting birds evolved with the constant threat of avian predators, including hawks, falcons, crows, gulls, and eagles. They have not adapted to understand that a drone is not a predator, no matter how much the drone operator protests that the birds are unbothered by the drone and have become used to its presence.

It is imperative for the safety of the birds that they have a healthy fear of drones. The last thing we want are nestlings thinking that hovering airborne shapes are nothing to be afraid of.

In our collective experiences monitoring the Plovers, we come across unethical behavior not only on the part of drone operators but also by fellow wildlife enthusiasts. We have seen photographers mashed up against the symbolically roped off areas, despite massively long telephoto lens, parking themselves for hours on end, and also following the birds relentlessly up and down the beach, despite the bird’s clear signals it is trying to get away and/or tend to its chicks. Early on in the pursuit of my dream to document wildlife, I was part of crowds that photographed owls. Observing how sensitive are owls, I no longer film owls in known locations. If I come across an owl or rare bird when out filming, I take a few photos and footage and go on my way. Crowds and hovering persons are also the reason why I no longer post specific locales and keep location information general.

To ethically document wildlife requires thought and is also a tremendous responsibility. We can all do our part to protect the beautiful creatures in our midst by being mindful and sensing their boundaries, especially, especially during the time of year when they are breeding.

Thank you for taking the time to read this information. I hope your question is answered, and why. Please share this post. Thank you 🙂

Nesting birds that are negatively impacted by drone operators include, but are not limited to, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, Little Blue Herons, and Piping Plovers

City of Gloucester Good Harbor Beach Regulations for Model Airplanes, Radio Controlled Aircraft, Drones

Good Harbor Beach Parking Lot

1. Permitted to fly only when beach parking lot is not in operation (no attendant on duty).

2. Restricted to times when pedestrian and vehicle traffic are at a minimum.

3. Not permitted before 8:30am.

4. Shall fly over the parking lot and marsh areas, not the road or beach.

5. Noise levels will be restricted to an acceptable level (non-flow thru, expansion chamber mufflers only).

6. Pilots shall fly in a safe and responsible manner at all times.

7. Pilots will be responsible and liable for their actions.

8. Pilots will abide by regulations in effect and maintain a safe environment.

9. Pilots will be considerate of wetlands and wildlife.

Sea Smoke Studio Grand Opening!

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Please join artist Nancy LeGendre in celebrating the grand opening of her painting studio on Thursday, June 12th. We hope to see you there!

Screenshot

Featuring Sweet Warblers and The Bird Collision Prevention Alliance

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Dear PiPl Friends,

This lovely little Yellowthroat accompanied me on a recent early morning walk, or rather, we were both headed in the same direction. The warbler foraged all along the way, snatching insects as he darted from branch to branch before descending to the ground, where he found a rotting log rife with bugs.

His official name is Common Yellowthroat, but I don’t see anything common about the striking feather pattern of this petite bandited warbler.

According to Cornell, Common Yellowthroats are “resident to long-distance migrant. Most populations migrate; some go short distances and others journey all the way from northern Canada to Central America. Some populations in the southern United States and Mexico stay in place year-round.”

Speaking of bird migration, I met in person a new friend this week, Jane Alexander. Not exactly a new friend as Jane and I have been corresponding for many months over email. She stopped by with her son, Tony Sherin, on their road trip northward. What a joy to meet this extraordinary woman and her son. Jane is not only a gifted actress of stage and screen, but a passionate conservationist. And she has been an ardent social activist her entire adult life (The Great White Hope, Testament, Eleanor and Franklin). Her son is a documentary filmmaker and editor (and also a fellow Fujifilm camera lover) so we had lots and lots to talk about.  The time flew by and was much much too short.

Jane has been watching over Piping Plovers at her summer home for decades. She very kindly donated to our documentary The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay and I am so grateful for her generosity and for her true love of these valiant little birds. Amongst many of her projects, Jane has been involved in launching the Bird Collisions Prevention Alliance. Their brand new website is up and running with the tagline: More than 1 billion birds die in collisions with glass every year. The time to act is now! The website includes the reasons as to why birds hit glass, guidelines on solutions on how to help, and a call to action. Please visit the website to learn more more about how we can prevent a billion birds perishing every year.

Note the difference between the female and male Common Yellowthroat

Glossy Ibis Catches a Frog!

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I was amazed to watch a Glossy Ibis capture a large Bullfrog and had just assumed they were foraging on insects and other small invertebrates when probing about in fields. Subsequently I have learned that they eat a remarkable variety of food including leeches, earthworms, marine worms, dragonflies, crickets, grasshoppers, many species of beetles, soldierflies, crabs, shrimp, crayfish, mollusks, snails, fish, frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, snakes, lizards, and grains such as rice and sorghum.

HELP NEEDED – Homeowner Development Again Attempting to Ruin Atlantic Road: This time it’s a 1.5 MILE STRETCH

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Help is needed opposing the NOI (Notice of Intent) to remove vegetation, build a parking lot, a walkway, and firepit on the ocean side of Atlantic Road.

WHEN: May7th, meeting begins at 5:30pm The Conservation Commission meeting is both live and in-person. Zoom: https://gloucester-ma-gov.zoom.us//88956014036 Or join by phone: 301 715 8592 or 312 626 6799 or 929 205 6099 Webinar ID: 889 5601 4036

Jayne Knot from Hydro Predictions writes, “The land where the work is proposed is in the FEMA VE Zone (high wave velocity), where we need substantial natural vegetation to protect the coastline and Atlantic Road rather than grass, plantings, a parking lot, and a fire pit. The NOI hearing will be held at the Conservation Commission’s May 7th meeting this week.” The hearing is under New Business: NOI 028-3056, which is later in the meeting.

Abutter Mark writes, “We need help from Save Salt Island Folks. Specifically, the people who are knowledgeable in coastal banks. The owner of this property wants to put a parking lot and firepit on the ocean side of Atlantic Rd. and ruin a 1.5 mile stretch of undeveloped coastline. They have filed an NOI and on the agenda for May 7th.

Link to city docs below.  We sent a letter to Con Comm and hoping we can get others to do the same; staying focused on facts that are within ConComm’s scope.”

See below (googledrive link) the many thoughtful letters stating the reasons as to why people are so opposed to the development

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QpDxIM2rzyQ5Zk7vo90Fbspu4AGfLPqy

development

Black Scoter Washed Ashore

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Black Scoter resting at GHB

A seaduck we don’t often see on shore. I believe he is a juvenile male. He came in with a storm and I think just needed to rest and recharge before heading back into the rough surf.

Darling Dunlins

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We see Dunlins in late summer and fall as the birds are heading south for the winter. They often travel in great flocks however, last October, a singleton was migrating along with an American Golden Plover and the two spent a few days at Brace Cove.

They are rather plain looking in feathers shaded sandy gray and taupe.

Dunlin in October

What a treat to see a northward bound Dunlin that is transitioning to its striking breeding plumage. I almost didn’t recognize the fellow in his fancier feathers!  

Dunlin at Eastern Point in mid-April

Dunlin range map

Love is in the Air

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There are currently so many creatures migrating through our region that it is challenging to keep up with all. In addition to the beautiful northward migrating shorebirds and songbirds, our resident wildlife are setting up house, and also mating like crazy! On Friday I took the entire day off to film and was delighted that in the span of an hour, a pair of Killdeers mated several times, and at every Osprey nest that I like to check in on, pairs were mating, also repeatedly!Great Egret with it’s distinctive green eye feathers, only seen during mating season

Killdeers mating

Male Osprey swooping in to mate

Male and female White-tailed Deer. Look closely and you can see the male’s budding antlers.

Mom and Dad PiPl mating

Plover nest scrapes

Female Red-winged Blackbird building her nest in the reeds.

Male Red-winged Blackbird

 

 

Thoughts About Leaf Blowers and How We Can Possibly Find a Solution Working Together :)

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Whether or not to ban gas-powered leaf blowers sure is creating a maelstrom of divisiveness in our communities. Everyone who has an opinion feels strongly, very strongly, that their viewpoint is the correct pov. Let’s think of the pros and cons and perhaps there is a solution. If I missed a pro or con, please feel free to write so we can include your point of view.

PROS of Gas Powered Leaf Blowers

Landscapers and homeowners appreciate the lower cost associated with gas-powered leaf blowers.

GPs are more powerful than electric, saving time and money.

Many landscapers and homeowners already own gas powered blowers.

CONS of Gas Powered Leaf Blowers

Gas powered leaf blowers are very loud particularly when multiple blowers are in use simultaneously.  The noise pollution is disruptive and unpleasant to neighbors.

GP blowers emit a strong odor of gas fumes, harmful to the environment and to the person operating the leaf blower.

Some observations – our home is located in a middle class neighborhood where leaf blowing does not occur regularly, if at all, whether gas or electric. I do however have clients in more affluent neighborhoods where the use of leaf blowers is much more prevalent. People are correct, the noise level is extremely loud. A crew of men, typically Latino, will disembark from company pick-up trucks, with gas powered blowers strapped to their backs and ear phones snugly wrapped over their ears. The crew of half dozen or so will spend a good part of an hour blowing the leaves off a driveway that won’t even be driven on again until the summer resident homeowner returns the following year. Not only does it seem like an utter waste of time, it concerns me that the employees are breathing the fumes. This is also the same crew that I see spraying pesticides around the base of the homeowner’s foundations, also not wearing protective covering. I am wondering if protective masks and clothing can be provided to the employees that are required to use gas-powered leaf blowers and pesticides.

Do homeowners need half a dozen men blowing leaves off driveways and the street in front of their homes? Perhaps with less demand for an immaculate leaf-be-gone landscape, one gentleman wearing a mask, as opposed to six maskless men, could do the work. If a homeowner is having considerable work done and a leaf blower is needed to assist in clean-up, that seems to me like a reasonable use. Or if a pathway is covered with wet leaves creating an unsafe situation for an elderly person, that too seems like a reasonable use.

In my own landscape design firm, I encourage clients and friends not to remove leaves and the expired stalks of flowering plants. To my way of thinking, leaves on lawns and in flower beds is a beautiful thing! Not only are the decaying leaves providing a protective layer and adding nutrients to the soil, leaves also provide habitat for all manner of insects. I think at this point in our shared awareness about the environment, we all understand that insect populations the world over have plummeted.  We homeowners and landscapers can help insect populations by leaving leaf litter in our gardens. The most delightful benefit of a garden that supports insects, is that the insects attract a host of beautiful songbirds that in turn conveniently eat the insects <3

For the benefit of insects, especially native bees, we also do not cut down the expired stalks of flowers until the end of April. In the late summer and early fall, native bees and other insects burrow into the stalks. When we do eventually cut down the stalks, we leave them in a pile for several weeks before discarding, hoping our little pollinator friends have wiggled out of their winter home.

Perhaps if we can change people’s mindsets about what constitutes a healthy landscape, the fashion of blowing leaves will become mush less problematic.

The song of a Carolina Wren chortling from a treetop has to be one of the sweetest songs you can imagine hearing in you garden. They love to rumple about in the leaf litter, foraging for insects. Insects are an important part of a songbird’s diet, especially during the breeding season when the females are producing eggs.

Carolina Wren nest with eggs tucked under our porch eaves – 

Later in the season, a Carolina Wren fledgling is perched on the back fence. She was made fat and healthy from a diet rich in your average garden variety insects – 

 

Golden-crowned Kinglet Alert!

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When the tiniest of songbirds with the fanciest of names flits alongside on your walk, you may be lucky enough to catch a photo. Well-camouflaged in their generally olive plumage, they elusively dart about the wooded edge of the path but flashes of their little golden crown gives them away.

Kinglets, both the Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned are migrating through eastern Massachusetts. They are laser focused on insect meals and are often found along shrubby woodland pond banks where there is typically no shortage of bite-sized-for-kinglets arthropods.

For previous posts about kinglets, see the following –

Invasion of the Golden-crowned Kinglets

Pocket-sized Ruby-crowned Kinglet

King Eider Mussel Diver!

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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.

 

Golden-winged Northern Flicker

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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.

Go here to download a nest box plan for a Northern Flicker

Instructions for completing the nest box.

Piping Plovers Coming to France! Les pluviers siffleurs de Moonlight Bay

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Our Piping Plovers are crossing the Atlantic Ocean! The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay will be featured at the splendid Festival de l’Oiseau et de la Nature on April 18th and 19th.

This annual festival takes place at the Bay of Somme and is not only a film festival but a magnificent celebration of the natural world. There are over 400 guided walks, photo and art exhibits, screenings of the best nature documentaries, activities dedicated to children such as workshops and shows, debates, and conferences.

Our documentary has been translated into French for the exhibition and the festival organizers have created a new trailer, also in French, which you can watch here: https://www.festival-oiseau-nature.com/film/les-pluviers-siffleurs-de-moonlight-bay/

Les pluviers siffleurs de Moonlight Bay

Un film de KIM SMITH 

Ce documentaire raconte l’histoire de pluviers siffleurs, des petits oiseaux menacés. Ses héros sont un couple courageux et leurs turbulents petits.

Elever des poussins de la taille d’un marshmallow sur une plage urbaine très prisée n’est pas de tout repos et la famille doit faire face à de nombreux obstacles. Les pluviers siffleurs sont des indicateurs qui montrent comment humains et faune peuvent cohabiter, en particulier dans le cadre de la réduction de leur habitat. Ces oiseaux très résilients sont bien adaptés à la vie sur la plage, cependant, sans mesures de protection adéquates, ils ne pourront résister à la pression causée par les humains et les prédateurs.

Google Translate

This documentary tells the story of piping plovers, endangered little birds. Its protagonists are a courageous couple and their boisterous young.

Raising marshmallow-sized chicks on a popular urban beach is no easy task, and the family faces many obstacles. Piping Plovers are indicators of how humans and wildlife can coexist, especially in the face of shrinking habitats. These highly resilient birds are well adapted to beach life; however, without adequate protection measures, they will be unable to withstand the pressures caused by humans and predators.

Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay to Air in LA on Tuesday April 15th at 8pm

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See what Los Angeles PBS has to say about our film!

The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay airs Tuesday, April 15 at 8 PM

“Against the ever-changing tides of the Atlantic, a tiny but mighty family fights for survival. The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay follows a devoted pair of these rare shorebirds as they raise their marshmallow-sized chicks on a bustling urban beach. Every day is a test of their resilience—avoiding predators, braving unpredictable weather, and navigating a world where humans and wildlife collide. Will their fragile brood make it to adulthood?

This heartwarming and visually stunning special takes you inside the incredible journey of one of nature’s most determined parents. Witness breathtaking moments of survival and the deep bonds that keep these feathered families together. A story of hope, adaptation, and the delicate balance of our ecosystems.

Tune in for an unforgettable look at one of nature’s most compelling underdog stories. Sometimes, the smallest creatures have the most powerful stories to tell.”

California Friends, please check listings as The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is airing at your local stations – KCET, KOCE, KVCR, KPJK, KQED, KQEH, KRCB, and KVPT.

California Friends, please check listings as The Piping Plovers of Moonlight bay is airing at the following California stations – KCET, KOCE, KVCR, KPJK, KQED, KQEH, KRCB, and KVPT.

Return of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker(s)!

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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.