Field School: Winter Ducks and Seabirds

Cape Cod is beautiful year-round, but winter brings a special beauty--long stretches of quiet beaches, seals hauled out on shore, starry nights--and the great opportunity to enjoy watching ducks and seabirds that are absent from the Cape's landscape in other seasons. The sheltered harbors, Cape Cod Bay, Atlantic Ocean, and ice-free freshwater ponds attract thousands of wintering waterfowl and seaducks. Seabirds are also present in the winter months, and strong onshore winds can blow them close to shore for fantastic looks at these pelagic species which spend most of their lives offshore.

Through field trips coupled with indoor presentations, we will sort out the differences between dabbling ducks and diving ducks, the heavy-bodied loons and cormorants, and geese by learning their field identification, natural history, and fascinating adaptations.

Species highlights will include loons, grebes, bufflehead, eiders, long-tailed ducks, mergansers, scoters, brant, scaup, ring-necked ducks, northern gannets, and alcids (the penguins of the north).

This is just one of many Cape Cod Field Schools offered. For a complete list and to download a brochure visit www.massaudubon.org/capecodfieldschools