No, I’m not talking about the time of year when the insect activity dies off…its the time of year when the hawks migrate

Fall hawk migration takes place September/October, where a lot of the species fly as far as South America.

Anyhow, I have been noticing an increase in hawk activity on the base, especially this week. Usually the field in the picture below is patrolled by a pair of Northern Harriers, which I haven’t seen at all this week. In their place though was this handsome red-tailed hawk.

I went to the marsh the other night for some last minute birding. There was a dense fog over the cape, so I thought I had no hope for seeing any birds. But surprise…whimbrels (I think, haha).

Crappy pictures, I know, but I swear it was the fog’s fault

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Green Heron with breakfast

Snowy Egret

Great Blue Heron

Hope this guy didn’t think I was taking a picture of him

Josh and I were on the salt marsh this morning, he took the picture above, which I think it really pretty with the colors of the marsh in the background. We also saw a pair of snowy egrets. You can tell they are snowy egrets because of the black bills and black legs with yellow feet. Now I just need to get me one of those longer distance lenses.

We went to Monomoy Island yesterday, which is a 7,600 acre national wildlife refuge off of Chatham (Cape Cod) that is home to several endangered and threatened animals as well as being a hot spot for migratory birds. Some of the important animals on this island include the Roseate Tern (added onto the endangered and threatened wildlife list in 1987), the Piping Plover (under the protection of the Endangered Species Act since 1986) and the Northeastern Beach Tiger beetle.

Other very cool birds on the island include the American Oystercatcher

Semipalmated Plovers

Common Terns

And even Horned Larks

I didn’t find any of the Northeastern Beach Tiger beetles, but did find this Big Sand Tiger beetle.

Don’t you think this grasshopper is cleverly camouflaged?

The island is also famous stopping point for sea lions…

It was just last weekend that people reported seeing a great white shark feeding on a sea lion off of Chatham here on the Cape.

We originally went because there were reports earlier in the week of a tricolored heron, sandwich terns, and roseate terns spotted there. No luck on seeing those species though.

Josh and I went back to our new favorite spot, the cedar swamp, with the kayaks this morning. We didn’t see any black-crowned night herons like the previous time…but saw tons of green herons.

We watched this great blue heron for a while in hopes of getting a picture of it with a fish…but no luck.

And how many people can get a picture of an osprey defecating in mid-air? My husband can…

Lastly, this pictures was taken back at our condo and is of a male gypsy moth. He’s a little dirty.