Obviously this is a fishing site, but we also have members in here who love birding, and Cape Cod is one of the best places around to view an amazing variety of birds.
For example, when I was growing up in the town of Bourne, I probably saw only a handful of hummingbirds, but since my wife Lauren and I began growing a garden, we have started seeing hummingbirds on a daily, often hourly basis.
These amazing creatures are the world’s most iridescent birds. They’re important pollinators and they play an important role in the Cape’s ecology. However, like every other animal on Planet Earth, hummingbirds need the right habitat in order to do their thing.
To help the hummingbirds out, Lauren and I have planted some of their favorite plants, and you can too! We’ve found that hummingbirds LOVE salvia, and pretty much any flower that has a tube shape to it, such as honeysuckle.
In today’s day and age, most of us realize that Mother Earth could use a helping hand. We all know about global warming and most of us understand the toll human development has taken on the planet. Nevertheless it’s easy to feel helpless in the face of it all, not knowing what to do to help fix the situation.
Our personal way of helping to restore the Earth to its pristine state is to focus on our own little house and 1 acre of land, and to do everything we can to turn our parcel into a little “corner of paradise” by planting a garden filled with edible plants and flowers.
The fact that I once only saw a couple hummingbirds per year, and now I see them regularly throughout each and every day, is enough proof for Lauren and I to know we are helping to make a difference, however small. I know for a fact that at least one little hummingbird really appreciates it.
The great part is that anyone can do this, even folks living in an apartment in a city. It’s very easy and simple to take a small space and turn it into something special that benefits birds, bees and other wildlife.
Anyways, enough of my non-fishing related post. I hope you enjoyed this video of the little hummingbird that lives in our yard June through October. He is an absolute joy to see every day. Tight lines and good luck birding! 🙂
Just saw a hummingbird in the pines around Schoolhouse Pond in Chatham. A first for us there.
Awesome CJ! I bet you’ll see more and more of them now that you are aware and watching for them. I just had one swoop over my head this morning here in my backyard. Also saw a coyote yesterday and got within 20 feet of a deer today. It’s been a good weekend for wildlife!
My Birding Cape Cod. Think about it. There are so many bird lovers and experts on the Cape. Beautiful video. You should do more. Seabirds and shorebirds.
Sounds good James. I will definitely keep that in mind! I’m really happy you enjoyed the vid. Happy Birding. 🦅
They join me for my morning coffee.
Love it. It’s the same story here at our house. Excellent way to start the day.
We have two feeders by our windows and have regular visitors in the morning and evening every day.
On another note we had a rabbit nest in our backyard in early June this year. First time I ever saw that.
We had one too Ken! First time I’d ever seen it as well. Unfortunately our dog Rosie is the one who discovered the bunnies, and I’m sad to say the bunnies did not fare too well. Rosie is a sweetheart of a dog but her natural instincts took over…
Been feeding these little guys for 24 years. It is my favorite harbinger of spring (and the smell of Korean spice viburnum).
One year I was late to put the feeder out and a little guy flew over to my window in the kitchen (the window that looks out on the feeder) and hovered and looked right at me as if to say – hey buddy where’s my food.
I would not be surprised if that was the case! Of course I can’t prove it, but I have a feeling the same hummingbird has returned to our yard. I would imagine they probably revisit the same areas each season, much like fish do. Thanks for the comment Bob and have a great weekend.
In the past ten years or so, five different species of Hummingbirds have been seen in Massachusetts, but only two with any regularity- the Ruby-throated and the Rufous.
The Ruby-throated is very common and nests through-out New England. Only adult males show the black or ruby throat, ruby when the light is at a ceratin angle. One or two Rufous Hummingbirds are seen in the fall almost every year as accidental migrants, and many times on Cape Cod.
If you see a hummer with an obvious rufous color below the “chin” on the back or the underside, you should post that sighting on Ebird.com because it is rare enough that experienced birders will be very interested, and need to differentiate it from an Allen’s Hummingbird.
Hummers are easily attracted to the home from late May to early September with hummingbird feeders filled with a 4 part tap water to one part white sugar feeder mix. We boil the water first, then add the sugar and stir. Replace the food about every three or four days as it gets old and gross.
Wash the feeders, glass and plastic, in the dishwasher to keep them clean. In Cataumet we hang two feeders, and often have four or five hummers zipping around the feeders at once.
Thanks for the insight. I wonder if global temperatures continue to increase, we will start seeing more species of hummingbirds in our area. Have a nice weekend Doug and good luck if you get out after the tuna.
Ryan, I hope you look for the tremendous variety of hummingbirds when you go to Costa Rica. We only get one species up here, but many varieties as you head south. Here is a little trick I used to use to get good views of hummingbirds when hiking: place a little red sticker on the bill of your baseball cap when you go hiking, and hummingbirds will hover right in front of your face checking out the red dot for nectar. Best views of hummingbirds you can get!
Wow that’s a great tip! Thank you Scott! I will have to give that a shot, especially the next time we are down in Costa Rica.
Ryan,
Do the bunnies eat your Salvia? I planted 5 and they look like sticks! 😡 There is a bunch of Lavender nearby and they don’t touch those.
I don’t know Dex because we don’t have any bunnies around our property this year. We had a bunny nest this spring, but unfortunately our dog Rosie got to them and things did not turn out well for the bunnies. 🙁
Bird Watchers indeed The Hummers are a very good bird to observe and at time hard to come to the feeders . If you fish we have a few other birds that as fishermen we should understand and watch when we can. Shearwaters are a bird of interest, especially out in the open waters of Cape Cod Bay and Vineyard Sound. They can tell you a lot when out fishing especially when looking for bait. A majestic bird in flight and a hard diver when on bait.
Loons are another bird that also in the fall on the bays, one can hear them calling COO COO. This is the beginning of the fall fishing as they also will feed on the mackerel and what ever else is small and in large numbers . This is a special time of the year for me to hear and see them. They in most times will drift into the east end of the canal telling you that the Blue Bullets are underneath, and you should catch a few if you are into catching mackerel.
Then again, we have the herring gathers that make their nests on top of high poles that mark the spring run of fish we all enjoy watching. A bird that comes back to nest with the same partner every year the Osprey.
Now I have seen our majestic Eagle cruising the canal in another time, swoop down and take a mackerel from a surface school of mackerel. Fly off with the mackerel in its talon’s.
No camera , but I can still see that happening in another time while I was down near the Herring River at the canal.
We have many birds that use the salt water to swim and obtain rest during the year from fling and one is a very small bird that often will light on your boat while out fishing and in some cases will allow you to pick it up and pet, before it flies off.
Then we have the one bird that is like a seal and eats all the small flounder and fluke leaves a mess all over the place that is the Comanrant. sp and also like to go after your bait when drifting. They have sharp beaks and can cut you deep , so when you get one hooked make sure that you cover the beak or head with some type of cloth while taking the hook out and sneak up from the back to hold it.
Another bird is our Piping Plovers that some do not like, because it closes down the beaches when they nest, however given this is another bird that will help you find bait at times, like sand eels along a beach front as they feed the young ones as part of nature’s way of surviving.
Bird watchers indeed that can tell you a lot if you know the signs that in fact can help you catch some fish many times. The different ways the bird of the oceans can float high above in the air currents without flapping a wing like the Albatross. Eagles, Sea gulls , Gannets as they search out protentional sources of nourishment are a sight to behold and is all part of why when out fishing you need to observe what is going on around you and enjoy nature along with your time out on the water. Peace and Prayers
Terrific Carl, thank you for tying-in fishing to this post. The birds are the best anglers of all and we can certainly learn a lot by observing them.
Serendipitous you posted this today.
I saw a hummingbird out of my walk this morning and got to observe it for a good 15 seconds before it flew away.
They’re amazing little creatures.
That’s an awesome sighting! We had two hummingbirds “battling it out” this morning over access to the honeysuckle vine. Apparently they are quite territorial. Hope you have a good weekend Tim and catch ’em up. 🎣