See this beautifully done new short film created by Cape Ann’s Lisa Smith and featuring marine biologist and habitat restoration expert Eric Hutchins in which they describe how the salt marsh at Wingaersheek was filled in. We learn what can be done to restore the estuary to vibrant thriving pools for fish, mudflats for clams, and a nursery for eels. Restoring the salt marsh will put Wingaersheek’s dune system back in equilibrium with nature and is our best defense against rising sea level.
“History will judge us by where we choose to stand right now, today. Future generations will ask: ‘What did we do when fellow human beings faced persecution? When our rights were being abridged? When our Constitution was under attack?’” Pritzker asked. “They’ll want to know whether we stood up or we stayed silent.”
Protestors form a human banner on Ocean Beach in San Francisco in support of California’s Proposition 50
You may have noticed an influx of sparrow-like birds foraging on the ground. They seem to be gathering along every lane and woodland edge. The Juncos blend in easily enough, until disturbed, and then all alight at once, softly twittering while heading for the nearest tree or bush.
Dark-eyed Juncos bear the nickname ‘Snowbird’ as they often signal the onset of the coming cold weather. The ones we are seeing in our neighborhoods at this time off year are feathered in lovely shades of charcoal gray to Mourning Dove brown, as you can see in the video and photos. This little flock was eating the tiniest seeds, grass seeds I think, and also foraging around the small cones of this very spectacular Red Spruce. I think of this native tree as spectacular, not only because of its majestic beauty, but because of the wonderful array of wildlife supported by its cones and resin.
Please write and let me know if you are seeing Dark-eyed Juncos in your area.
Sea Salps have returned. There is a bunch at Niles Beach currently. Write if you see them at your favorite beach.
Luminescent Sea Salps was filmed at night at a dock on Rocky Neck in the underwater lights of the FV Hot Tuna.
Sea salps are warm ocean water creatures, exploding in population during algae blooms. With beating heart, notochcord, and gills they are more closely evolutionarily linked to humans than to jellyfish. Sea salps are individual creatures that through asexual reproduction, can form linear chains up to fifteen feet long!
Salps are planktonic (free floating) members of the subphylum Tunicata. Tunicates get their name from the unique outer covering or “tunic,” which acts as an exoskeleton. The sea salp’s tunic is translucent and gelatinous; in some species it is tough and thick.
October’s Harvest Moon, the first of three 2025 Super Moons, descending over Gloucester City Hall, along with one of moonrise over Niles Pond.
Plant goldenrods, asters, and milkweeds to provide Monarchs (and as you can see, many other pollinators) all the sustenance they will need during their breeding season and southward migration.
Wildflowers in order of appearance:
Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens)
Smooth Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Elise writes,
We will be adding more produce and variety as it becomes available each week.
This week offers lots of winter squash! Check out our website for a full list of whats available now!
We also have Tea blends, syrups and oxymels from Milkyway Apothecary.
We will be listing new produce on our website each week as it become available and we will try to open the store online every Sunday to place orders for a Thursday pick up. If you have any questions at all please reach out.
We will also be at the Gloucester Farmers Market at Burnhams Field for the next two Wednesdays from 2:30 to 5:30.
I will be getting a farm letter out pretty soon with all the news and updates from the season and some things to look forward to for next season!
All the very best,
Elise
Feeling big and bad, despite the fact that I hatched only hours earlier and my eyes aren’t yet fully opened 🙂
Piping Plover hatchling
Harbor Seals at sunrise
Dear PiPl Friends,
I am delighted to share two good things. The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay has been accepted to the Brampton Canada International Film Festival, which is a relatively new festival based in Ontario, and we are having a film screening in December at the City Cinema, sponsored by the Island Nature Trust, which is located at Prince Edward Island. We love our neighbors to the north and I am deeply honored. Thank you BCIFF and Island Nature Trust. We are so very grateful for the opportunity to share our documentary with Canadians.
Recently I attended a great talk given by the entomologist and conservationist Doug Tallamy, which was sponsored by a fantastic local organization, 400 Trees Gloucester and hosted by the Annisquam Village Church. Please read more about local efforts to grow native here.
Winged wonders continue to migrate across our shores, with Little Blue Herons the most recently departed. I posted photos of LBHerons and Snowy Egrets, along with a short video of a dragonfly run-in with a Little Blue here.
Monarch Butterflies and native wildflower Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens)
We had another wave of migrating Super Monarchs, the third this season however, the wind conditions have kept the butterflies moving and that is why we are not seeing many in our gardens during this year’s migration. Continue to keep on the lookout. Goldenrods are winding down their blooming period but asters, especially New England Asters and Smooth Asters, are still flowering.
Please continue to share what creatures you are seeing in your neighborhoods. Thank you 🙂 This morning I saw a tiny little member of the weasel family, a Short-tailed Weasel, also called an Ermine or a Stout. She was only about six inches in length, with chocolate brown fur and a bright white belly. She was so fast and darted between rocks before I could take a photo, but we did have a few seconds of startled eye to eye contact. Just adorable!
Thinking about Jane Goodall – her beautiful, thoughtful spirit and the extraordinary gift she left, inspiring all to protect our planet.
xxKim
Gombe, Tanzania – Jane Goodall and infant chimpanzee reach out to touch each other’s hands. (National Geographic Creative/ Hugo Van Lawick)
Can you tell which photo is of a Little Blue Heron?
If you thought all three images are Little Blue Herons, you are correct!
Friends often tell me about the “egrets” they are seeing at our local ponds. You would think yes, a small white heron is a Snowy Egret but look more closely. Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons are about the same size but a quick way to differentiate the two is that Snowy Egrets sport unmistakeable bright cadmium yellow feet whereas the legs and feet of a first hatch year Little Blue Heron are an even yellowish-grayish-greenish. Snowy Egrets also have yellow lores at the base of their bills that the Little Blues lack (see gallery at the bottom of the page).
In the gallery at the top of the page, the white bird is a first hatch year Little Blue; the calico patterned bird is a second year Little Blue transitioning from white to blue plumage; and the last photo is the adult Little Blue Heron with its body feathers a beautiful deep slate blue and neck feathers a rich magenta. Although the adult plumages of both birds are entirely different, the two species are closely related members of the genus Egretta.
You can also tell the difference by how the herons forage. Little Blues when feeding at our local ponds hunt in a stealthy manner. They stride slowly through the mud and hold very still, then strike swiftly for the fish, frog, dragonfly, or other insect. Little Blue Herons have another method of foraging called “aerial hunting.” The LBH flies out over the water looking for frogs. It will hover briefly overhead before plunging into the water to grab its prey.
Snowy Egrets appear much more excited when hunting. They animatedly run back and forth, and with their bright yellow feet, stir up the sand and mud to flush out prey. This hunting strategy is called “foot stirring.”
Watch as the Little Blue Heron gets an easy meal when the dragonfly perches on its leg!
A gallery of Snowy Egrets to compare the differences.
What are Homegrown National Parks? HNP is an exciting movement that raises awareness and urgently inspires EVERYONE to address the biodiversity crisis. How can we as individuals and organizations do this? By adding native plants and removing invasives where we live, work, learn, pray, and play.
We all know that wildlife populations are crashing the world over. The statistics are staggering, with approximately one-third of our breeding birds lost since 1970, or about 3 billion birds, and 40 percent of our insects (bird food!) in the past 40 years. HNP is showing people how we can address this crisis, backyard by backyard.
Sunday evening, Doug Tallamy, the esteemed entomologist, author, and co-founder of Homegrown National Parks, presented “The Power of Plants.” The event was hosted by 400 Trees and the Annisquam Village Church, and was followed the next morning by an informal idea-sharing discussion at our newly renovated gorgeous library. The presentation was rich with imagery and case studies of what can be accomplished in our own backyards, from teeny urban lots to suburban homes to substantial acreage. The group discussion was especially thoughtful and interesting, providing a wonderful opportunity to meet people in our community with similar interests, missions, and goals, Many, many thanks to Peter Lawrence and Sara Remsen for organizing the Tallamy talk and discussion.
Visit the Homegrown National Parks website. It is overflowing with super helpful information to get you started on your native plants journey. You can also listen to several of his excellent talks right there on the website. I have been teaching people how to grow pollinator gardens and documenting the wildlife supported by native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and ground covers for over twenty years now. Not a day goes by where I don’t observe and learn some new, vital and fascinating information about the beautiful ecosystems created in a native plant’s habitat. When you plant native they will come!
1. Plant Native
2. Remove Invasives
3. Get on the Map
Images courtesy Doug Tallamy “The Power of Plants”
Identify the most productive plants. How to find native plants keystone species –
Native Plant Finder from the National Wildlife Federation: go to the following website and type in your zip code for an extensive list of highly valuable native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and ground covers specifically beneficial to wildlife in your region. https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/
I was listening to Doug’s talk via Zoom in my office, which is also Charlotte’s art room. Charlotte is illustrating a book she is working on, all about the history of Gloucester’s monsters. It’s very imaginative and even includes mini side bars of illustrations of the eggs unique to each monster, along with the monster’s baby pictures (Nessie is well-represented). She was also enjoying glancing over at all the fascinating caterpillar images in Doug’s slideshow, when she overheard the expression ‘keystone species.’ She commented, “just like oysters are a keystone species for the ocean.” We had been to the Seacoast Science Center a week earlier where she had learned about the importance of keystone species in an ecosystem. I just thought how wonderful for her to connect the two and how much like mental sponges are these beautiful curious-minded children of the up and coming generation. I surely never learned at eight years old what a keystone species is, but how easy it was for her to understand the concept. If for no other reason, our beautiful children, and our children’s children, are why we simply can not leave to them a barren, diversity-less world.
Dear Friends,
The much needed rainy weather is giving me time to catch up with you. During this past month the days have been lovely and the early mornings filled with documenting the beautiful migration occurring along our shores. We have had two waves of migrating Monarchs, one very modest at the beginning of September and one recent, quite robust movement, when a large population flew in off the water. The Monarchs didn’t stay though despite that the meadows are rife with Seaside Goldenrod in full glorious bloom. Wind conditions were just right to carry them further along and they only stopped briefly to nectar before attempting to fly over the bay toward Westport.
Autumn Meadowhawk
Saturday was spectacular weather for observing migrating creatures. Warblers were out in full force, which usually means a Merlin is not too far away. Sure enough, he/she was perched at the tip of a tall dead tree, intently scoping out its next meal. That same morning, an American Pipit was spotted wagging its tail feathers while foraging atop a pile of seaweed. A large mixed flock of Semipalmated Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and Sanderlings were devouring the invertebrates in the surf and seaweed and were joined by three Yellowlegs. An abundance of Autumn Meadowhawk Dragonflies were mating during the warmth of mid-day and I filmed a dragonfly landing on a Little Blue Heron’s leg. Not a good place to perch as it instantly became a heron snack. That beautiful day ended with a last sighting of the Whimbrel pair while three American Oystercatchers flew overhead.
The following morning I eagerly returned to find only our ubiquitous Song Sparrows and Catbirds. It’s interesting and mysterious how migration patterns unfold. There is still a bounty of nectar-rich wildflowers, ripe berries, and fruit for more traveling warblers and what nots. I imagine additional waves of winged wonders will be passing through. Please write and let me know what you are seeing in your neighborhood. I have posted several posts, and more posts are planned, featuring these beautiful creatures so please check in with my website for all the photos and short videos, more than I can send in emails.
Two events/activities for local friends that you may be interested in – Saturday, the 27th, from 2 to 4pm, historian Maria Millefoglie will be at the stunning newly renovated Sawyer Free Library to discuss some little known history about Gloucester, which she uncovered when working on a project for Gloucester’s 400th anniversary celebration. “Branded: Enemy Aliens in Gloucester” chronicles the discrimination towards Italian Americans during WWII. And through the weekend, my friend Paul’s sunflower and dahlia fields are still open. His farm is wonderfully family friendly with adorable pet-able bunnies and goats and you can also pick your own flowers.
Have a lovely week and please again let me know what creatures you are seeing in your neighborhoods. Thank you 🙂
xxKim
P.S. Please keep in mind Lights out for Birds! during these weeks of peak migration. Thank you again <3
For over a week an elusive pair of Whimbrels was foraging along our rocky shores. They were fattening up for the next leg of their journey. About half of the eastern population of Whimbrels is thought to stop next at Deveaux Bank in South Carolina. This special place was only discovered in 2019 when Felicia Sanders, a biologist working for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, happened to witness masses arriving after sunset. You can read more about Whimbrels at Deveaux Bank Here.
Like many, many shorebird species the world over, the Whimbrel population is in decline. More than 50 percent of the population has been lost in the past fifty years. Cape Ann’s many beaches, both public and the more undisturbed locales, offer refueling stations for these winged wonders. Our community is so very blessed to experience a window into their travels and is only made possible because we are providing safe places for the birds to rest and to forage.
Whimbrels are a member of the Curlew family of shorebirds. They are elegant and large with long, decurved bills, perfect for probing deeply into the sand to extract invertebrates. This is only the third time I have seen Whimbrels on Cape Ann, all three during the autumn migration; once at Good Harbor and twice at Brace Cove. The birds are returning from their breeding grounds in the subarctic and alpine tundra.
When I was visiting our daughter in Los Angeles this past winter we were delighted to see several Whimbrels foraging along the Central Coast.
We see Yellowlegs at our local waterways during both the spring and summer migration. Yellowlegs are fairly easy to identify when foraging, with their purposeful gait and bright yellow legs however, are these Greater or Lesser Yellowlegs? I think Greater because I heard their penetrating call from overhead but if you know differently, please write 🙂
Gray Seals, also known as Horsehead Seals, are considered largely solitary creatures however they become social during breeding season. When in the water off our local Cape Ann beaches, typically we see one or two at a time, possibly three of four, with some distance between each other. What fun to see a dozen Gray Seals bobbing alongside one another, sleeping and sunning in these last days of summer. It’s not yet mating season and the females are pregnant at this time of year. This little aggregate looks like congenial bro time although that will all change when mating season begins.
Gray Seals are found on both shores of the Atlantic, and at the Baltic Sea. The map below shows the distribution of the western Atlantic coast population.
Lucky us that Charlotte and I were able to spend the day together on primary election day, Tuesday. When asked what she wanted to do she instantly said the Seacoast Science Center, and to visit the bunnies and pick flowers for her Mom’s birthday at my friend Paul Wegzyn’s sunflower farm, Felix’s Family Farm.
As always the Seacoast Science Center was super interesting and educational with its touch tanks, displays about local marine habitats, and highly knowledgeable staff of young biologists. The highlights were seahorse feeding time and when Raspberry, the endangered Box Turtle, was brought out of his pen to sun himself outdoors. The five seahorses currently at the aquarium are Lined Seahorses (Hippocampus erectus) and they can be found all along the Atlantic coast, from Nova Scotia to Uruguay. They are considered a slow moving fish and that is one of the reasons why seahorses are endangered. Because they are relatively easy to catch, Lined Seahorses are also easily exploited for ornamental display, the aquarium trade, and Chinese medicine.
Paul Wegzyn, Sr. and son Paul Wegzyn Felix’s Family Farm
In these last lingering days of summer and first days of autumn, don’t miss taking your family to Paul’s flower fields. The sunflowers currently blooming are a gorgeous fresh new batch and his exquisite dahlia fields are at peak. As you can see in the photos, for Charlotte, the highlight of the day is bunnies. You can never get too much bunny love and all of Paul’s rabbits are sweet, friendly, and wonderfully pet-able. The favorite of the favorites is Ryan the Rabbit, a breed called a Mini Rex, and he is the softest, sweetest creature you can imagine. He was wholly engaged with Charlotte and she was wondering if it is because of her flowered dress.
Felix’s Family Farm is located at 20 Lowes Lane, Ipswich, and is open everyday for the next two weeks, until September 28th however, as we get closer to October, be sure to call for hours (978-229-1071).
What a delight to spy this adorable baby Wild Turkey in mid-September. Based on its size, I think it is only about three weeks old, which is very late in the season for poults.
At one point the hen and poult were separated and they were softly vocalizing back and forth to each other. The poult then flew into a low lying tree branch. Poults learn to fly early on in life to keep safe from predators.
Wild Turkey poults eat a wide variety of insects and gradually begin to include nuts, seeds, and berries. Watch how the hen is teaching the poult how to forage. I think the poult is taking an insect from the hen’s beak but I can’t tell for sure if it is berry or bug.
Wild Turkey Mom looking for her poult
Not phased in the least, this Super Monarch tolerates the Red-spotted Purple visiting his garden patch.
The great North to Central to South American magnificent southward migration of wildlife is fully underway. These beautiful creatures do not see borders, religion, nor ethnicities and bind us together in myriad meaningful ways. As birds are taking to the skies by the hundreds of thousands, we are seeing the beginnings of the Monarch migration as well. During these first weeks of September local meadows and gardens are graced with newly emerged Monarchs. At this time of year, these recently eclosed butterflies are nicknamed the “Super” Monarchs.
You can see the above Monarch has just emerged from his chrysalis as his wing cells are still a bit crumpled.
A tell tale sign of a male Super Monarch, also called a Methuselah Monarch, is that they are not at all interested in finding a mate. A male Monarch that is not migrating stops only briefly to nectar. For the most part he ceaselessly patrols the milkweed looking for a female and chases away any other winged pollinator. He has evolved with the main objective of reproducing; whereas a Methuselah Monarch takes its time sucking up nectar and is very tolerant of other butterflies it encounters.
Methuselah Monarchs emerge in a state of sexual immaturity, called diapause. They evolved to drink lots and lots of nectar to build their fat reserves for the long journey south and to sustain them through the winter. This super generation of Monarchs are oftentimes larger but will lose some of their body weight by the time they reach the trans-Mexican volcanic forests
The Monarchs rest through the winter, then will break diapause next spring when they begin their journey north.
To help all of our winged friends during the spectacular southward migration please remember Lights Out for Birds
To learn more about the magnificent Monarch migration see our documentary Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly streaming on PBS Passport. To arrange a screening and QandA for your organization, please contact me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com or leave a comment in the comment section.
I hope you enjoy these last glowing days of summer,
xxKim
Female (left) and male Monarch Butterflies, Stone Harbor Point NJ
Wanting to know more about Mackerel fishing in Gloucester because of the striking new public art mural created by Josh Falk, these bits of info, and painting by the Luminism master Fitz Henry Lane, came right up in my search –
Mackerel Fishing Expanded on Georges Bank
“Prior to 1820, mackerel were primarily used for bait, when Gloucester’s catch rarely exceeded 100,000 pounds or 500 barrels. With the introduction of salt mackerel, this fishery quickly expanded up and down the East Coast. In 1822, the Gloucester fleet found large schools of mackerel on Georges Bank, to the east and south of Cape Cod. This summer fishery landed 1.3 million pounds in 1821 and 6.8 million pounds in 1828. By the 1860s, the annual Gloucester catch was more than 30 million pounds. But mackerel could also prove elusive, with dramatic shifts in fish landings from year to year. For example, the enormous schools that predictably migrated each spring from off the Carolinas would nearly disappear in the 1830s, only to suddenly reappear by the early 1840s. Gloucester fishermen pursued mackerel up and down the Eastern seaboard and as far north as the Gulf of St. Lawrence.”
“At the Fishing Grounds” 1851 by Fitz Henry Lane
“This is one of a very few paintings by Lane that depict vessels at work on the fishing grounds. It was initially presumed to illustrate hand-lining for cod, but in fact shows schooners jigging for mackerel. Close inspection will show the fish to have mackerel stripes and the schooners are fitted with chum (bait) boxes on their sides from which the bait is scattered in a way called “tolling.”
In spring, mackerel form large schools off the mid-Atlantic coast and migrate northward with small groups going off to their local spawning grounds as the main school heads northward. When Georges Bank is reached, the school pauses to take advantage of this rich feeding ground; it thereafter breaks up into regional schools which swim off to smaller grounds in Cape Cod Bay, the Gulf of Maine, Canadian coastal waters, and particularly the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The significance of this scene is that it shows the last great gathering of mackerel schooners before the fleet breaks up to follow the smaller schools to their spawning grounds. The 1850s marked a peak period in this fishery when the catching of mackerel by hooks was to give way to capture using the purse seine and subsequent rises and falls in the fortunes of this fishery.”
–Erik Ronnberg, Cape Ann Museum
Mackerel fishing today in Gloucester – Atlantic Mackerel fishing varies moderately throughout the year. High season is May to September. Low season is January to March and November to December. There is no closed season.
Mackerel image courtesy wik commons media
Love Gloucester’s newest public art, brought to you by artist Josh Falk and Awesome Gloucester –
Sal Zerilli writes, “Awesome Gloucester trustees proudly present the latest addition to our maritime mural series: The Holy Mackerel Mural!
Milestone moment: With this award, Awesome Gloucester has now distributed $218,000 in community support!
The project: Created by local artist Josh Falk! A companion to our beloved “Sacred Cod” mural, honoring the fish that have profoundly shaped Gloucester as America’s oldest seaport. This new piece will grace Americold’s prominent Rogers Street wall – one of our city’s most visible and iconic locations.
Community collaboration: Americold has been generous and truly community-oriented throughout this partnership. Additional support comes from the Rotary Club of Gloucester and Institution for Savings. Our dedicated trustees Rick Doucette, Stefan Edick, Bonnie Fendrock, Shawn Henry, Julie La Fontaine, Sue Salem, and Sal Zerilli made additional personal contributions to make this vision reality.
The impact: Our 9th mural continues Gloucester’s tradition of accessible public art that celebrates our maritime heritage and enriches daily life for residents and visitors alike.
Learn more about this outstanding project:
http://www.awesomefoundation.org/…/363927-the-holy…
Congratulations to all our community partners making public art possible”
Happy Bday to our 45-day-old Piping Plover fledgling! He/she is the last of the Good Harbor Beach flyers. The photo/video was taken on Thursday when the little one was 42 days, or six weeks old. This is the age when we typically see them head out for their southbound migration. He’s still here as of Saturday but we are hoping to not see him any day now 🙂
I am very sorry to share that the rescue Plover did not survive. Tufts wrote that the chick had multiple chronic healed fractures and that the wing was held in a permanently drooped position. He would never be able to fly. I was at first feeling extremely low about this but both our partners at Audubon and Lis from DCR wrote that if left on the beach its demise would have been very traumatic and, if not eaten by a predator, would slowly starve to death.
Thank you so very much to everyone who wrote with well-wishes for the injured Plover.
A special Waves of Impact event is happening right now at Good Harbor Beach. They were setting up for the day when I was there earlier this morning with Liv to check on Plovers. When I drove past just now the beach is full of families having a wonderful time and learning how to surf!
Waves of Impact is a surf camp, with branches in California, Texas, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Their mission statement reads, “Waves of Impact is dedicated to providing access to the healing and therapeutic power of the ocean to individuals with exceptional challenges. Our mission is to foster growth, self-esteem, and wellness through adaptive surfing. We strive to create an inclusive and safe space for our participants, and to provide the highest quality of surf and ocean-based therapy to those in need.”
Gloucester lifeguard volunteers John Dalone, Kansas Ricci-Munn, and Charlotte Morris
Every year volunteers are needed on the beach and to help with the kids in the water. I’d love to learn more about the camp and help next year. Read more about Waves of Impact here.
Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality
Paul Wegzyn and his family have created a most magical family friendly farm event. The theme this season is LOVE and beautiful quotes are placed throughout the fields.
Every season Paul develops new and wonderful experiences for people and this year is no exception. If you do, as do we, have a bunny- and goat-loving youngster in your family, they will be utterly delighted with the very pet-able, softest bunnies and sweetest goats around!
He has created a lovely butterfly garden with Mexican Sunflowers, Zinnias, and Cleome and you can PYO all the flowers on the farm, including Paul’s beautiful dahlias.
A new crop of lavender is almost ready to pick as is a freshly opening field of orange sunflowers with dark centers, which I can not wait to see.
Felix’s Family Farm is open everyday from now until about the third week in September, or as long as the flowers last.
20 Lowes Lane, Ipswich, MA
978-229-1071
The following is a list of even more activities Felix’s Family Farm has to offer. To learn more, please go here.
