Amazing Shorebirds of Cape Cod

Wednesday, August 21st, 9:00am-12:30pm

Cape Cod isn’t just a favorite vacation destination for people—it is also a critical home and stopover site for shorebirds! Many shorebirds on Cape Cod in July include Piping Plovers, Sanderling, Least Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plovers, Red Knot, and Whimbrels, among others. Whimbrels use Cape Cod as their final fueling stop before flying to the north coast of South America… approximately 2,500 miles away. That is 84 hours of non-stop flight! Cape Cod’s array of habitats and geographic position makes it a prime location for hundreds of shorebird species throughout the year—nesting and raising their young during the spring and summer, and resting and feeding during spring and fall migration.

Join Alan Kneidel, Conservation Biologist, and Liana DiNunzio, Shorebird Biologist, on Wednesday, August 21st, for a shorebirding adventure to the southern tip of the Cape Cod National Seashore! We’ll begin at the  Wequassett Resort & Golf Club in Harwich, MA, and take a boat charter out to southern Nauset Beach, where we’ll stroll the beach looking for shorebirds and enjoy the serene views. As we watch flocks mill about and graze on what they can find in the sand, we’ll hear from Alan and Liana about their work on Cape Cod and at the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, including the satellite tracking of migratory shorebirds, and how this work pertains to both local and global ecosystems.

Please note, there are no docks on Nauset Beach. Once our charter arrives, we will walk in calf-deep water to the beach and climb in and out of the boat. 

Fill out the registration form below, and then review the full itinerary and boat FAQs.

For any questions, contact Justin Barrett at jbarrett@manomet.org or 508-224-6521.

Itinerary & Boat FAQs

Itinerary

9:00am– Arrive at Wequassett Resort & Golf Club and make your way down to the docks where you’ll join our staff on the charter.

9:30am– The charter will set off for Nauset Beach. This is about a 20-minute ride. Be sure to keep an eye out for wildlife along the way!

9:50am– Arrive near the shore of Nauset beach, and walk in calf-deep water to the beach.

10:00am– Our shorebirding adventure begins!

11:45am– We’ll start to wrap up and head back to where we landed.

12:00pm– Make our way out to the boat and enjoy a beautiful ride back to the resort.

12:30pm– Arrive back at the Wequassett Resort & Golf Club.

 

Boat FAQs

What to Bring

  • Please wear boat shoes, non-scuffing white-soled sneakers or relax and go barefoot.
  • An additional layer of clothing. Even if its t-shirt weather in your driveway, always assume it will be cooler on the water. A light jacket is often enough.
  • Small Snacks/beverages. Bottled water is provided, and there is a cooler on board!
  • Sunscreen (non-spray only).
  • Polarized sunglasses.
  • Binoculars.
  • A small bag.

Will I get seasick?

Tours that stay within the protected waters of Pleasant Bay carry virtually zero risk of seasickness. The swell and chop that you might encounter on the open Atlantic Ocean or Nantucket Sound is simply not present within the bay.

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