It’s hard to believe it’s already two thirds of the way through September but here we are. The air is cooler, the birds are gathering to migrate, and the flowers are giving up their blooms.
We went for a walk around Hathaway’s Pond this morning to see what we could see. I took along my lightweight travel bag, a big old plastic bag I’ve used for years, and a pair of garden shears. My goal was to clip some plants and leaves along the way to bring back to my studio to draw and paint, having just completed five days of John Muir Laws‘s Wild Wonder Nature Journal Conference. Although I’ve kept a nature journal for many years, I admit I’d been slacking so this was the incentive I needed to get back to it.
The water level at the pond was exceptionally low and I found many wildflowers around the edge. Most are common, some are even invasive, but I clipped them anyway, to look up, draw and paint. I’m far from a botanist so I’m always learning new plants. I looked everything up but I may be wrong so feel free to correct me.
Here’s what I brought back after an hour or so of wandering
I put everything that needed water in a jar of water and the other things back in the bag until I was ready to work with them. I drew in ink and then added watercolor.
Pondside plants, Mary Richmond’s nature journal, Cape CodWoodland plants, Mary Richmond’s nature journal, Cape CodRandom finds on the woodland floor, Mary Richmond’s nature journal, Cape Cod
I spent most of the day on this project–collecting, sorting, looking things up, sketching, painting. I often don’t have that sort of time but when I do it always enriches me. It’s good to slow down, take note, appreciate the small things we see around us but tend to take for granted.
Sure, the summer was hot, humid, and still incredibly dry here on Cape Cod. Twice I cancelled class because of predicted rain that never materialized. Mostly, however? This summer was amazing. We went to locations all over the Cape on Thursday mornings and sketched and watercolored enough memories to help get us through the cold months ahead.
We begain in early June at one of my favorite outdoor places to paint, the Shirley Cross Wildflower Garden and grounds of the Green Briar Nature Center in East Sandwich. We were serenaded by birds, watched by painted turtles and rabbits, and surrounded by beauty everywhere we turned.
The Stony Brook Herring Run and Grist Mill in Brewster is always a wonderful location. The birds were amazing–herons and egrets in feeding frenzies down in the creek with ospreys calling overhead as the baby herring headed back toward the sea. There are so many lovely vistas and subjects to draw and paint that we could return there again and again.
The next class was held at Frances Crane Wildlife Refuge off Rt. 151 in Falmouth (Hatchville). Always a wonderful place for colorful wildflowers and butterflies and on this day, model airplanes being flown by the local club.
Work by Michelle Law
A private garden tucked away in historic Sandwich Village is always one of our favorite spots and it didn’t disappoint this summer. In fact, the gardens seemed even more beautiful this year.
Popponesset Marketplace in Mashpee seemed like a fun spot to try out. There were lots of architectural elements and some fun people watching and sketching, too.
Bismore Park at Hyannis Harbor is another picturesque spot that is easily accessible and fun to visit.
The green in YarmouthPort where the Gorey House is located was a new one for us this year and although rain was predicted it waited– just until we had finished.
Our plan to visit Bourne Farm was quashed when we got there and found it closed for a special event but the lovely director there pointed us to a nearby cranberry bog which turned out to be a lovely location.
The grounds of the Aptucxet Museum and Trading Post in Bourne have turned out to be among our regular places to go since it offers multiple subjects and views. This summer most students chose to paint by the Cape Cod Canal where there was a breeze.
This week is our last and we will meet at Spohr Gardens in Falmouth to close out the season.
After that we will have 3 all day trips–to Provincetown, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard.
Thanks to all who attended my outdoor classes. We had crowds of 14 and intimate groups of 2 and 3. These classes have been my favorites every year ever since I began them back in the 80s.
If you are interested in learning more, please email me at capecodartandnature at gmail.com to be added to my email list.
Every now and then I head out for a walk thinking I’ll look for a certain thing but I end up finding something even more magical than what I was originally looking for.
In this case, I’d heard about a very visible nest of green herons not far from where I live. So of course I got up super early and went to see what I could see. It took only a minute to find them because mom or dad was sitting right out in plain sight in the morning light. The first picture shows the adult plus two babies behind it. There wasn’t another soul around, just the birds and me.
Look at the second picture to see how many baby green herons you can see. Check out those ginormous feet and bills and big yellow eyes! Green herons are quite common but because they are small and so well camouflaged many people have never seen one. I’m betting most people won’t see this nest because they don’t know what to look for. It’s pretty well hidden. Both adults watch over the nest and the young. The other parent was probably away gathering food. Young herons are fed by the parent regurgitating food, such as fish, right into their crops.
I hung around for a while watching them as the sun went in and out and as the shadows shifted I heard a loud squawk and saw that the adult bird was very agitated, chasing a large bird away from the nest. An immature black crowned night heron had interrupted the morning bliss for a minute but it soon landed on a half submerged log below the nest where it began to hunt for fish.
Night herons are much larger than green herons and are quite predatory. Was the immature bird after one of the nestlings? It may have just been a clumsy mistake. In any case, the parent green heron immediately quieted its young and promptly sat on them, covering them up and protecting them. The night heron was unimpressed and proceeded to catch and eat several small fish while I watched, right under the branch where the nest was.
It was joined by a brother or sister who was hunting under the overhanging greenery. It was a good game of peekaboo, as I’d see it one minute and completely lose sight of it the next.
There is a big meadow on this property and I hoped to catch some butterfly action so I headed in that direction before the heat got too intense. Like much of the rest of the world we are having a bit of a heat wave here. Staying cool was definitely on my mind.
The meadow is full of milkweed, goldenrod, chicory, Queen Anne’s lace, and all sorts of thistles and vetches. It’s full of bees, butterflies, and other insects I won’t even pretend to know or name. It’s also full of birds. Swallows and purple martins swoop and swirl overhead. Goldfinches fill the air with their twitters and calls. The bright yellow males move from blossom to blossom as the females settle in for a longer meal.
Male American goldfinchFemale American goldfinch feeding on thistle
Not only were goldfinches feeding like crazy but I kept hearing cedar waxwings. All of a sudden they were all around me, landing on top of goldenrod stalks, nibbling at the buds and new leaves. What a bonanza. They moved very quickly and were very aware of me so it was difficult to get a good shot that wasn’t blurry. This was the best one. Personally, I think they are one of the loveliest and beautiful of birds.
Cedar waxwing on goldenrod
The morning had barely begun and I felt like I’d been surrounded by magic. I came to see one thing but was rewarded with so much more.
Being out in nature is always reward enough in itself for me. I’m never sure what I will see, hear, smell, or experience but it’s always something memorable. When one allows oneself to be happy in a meadow surrounded by butterflies, birds, and blossoms, one doesn’t really need much more to feel content and satisfied.
There’s magic all around us every day. We just have to remember to slow down, look, and listen to find it.
It’s June and that means the dunes are in bloom on Cape Cod. Don’t wait too long to get out there and enjoy the colors and scents of the dune flowers, though, because their splendor is short lived.
Rosa rugosa, also called beach rose, is in bloom all over in June
Beach roses, correctly known as rosa rugosa, are not local to the Cape and Islands but are so common here that they are used on promotional materials for many summer programs. Brought here by sea captains from Asia back in the 1800s, they have adapted and proliferated here. Some stories say they were brought back as a romantic gift for a sea captain’s wife. Less romantic stories say seeds floated over in bilge water. I say, take your pick.
Beach peas are easy to find at area beaches and dune areas.
Beach peas are very common at almost all Cape beaches and dune areas. They are low growing and sprawl across the sand with pink and purple blossoms. They really do grow pea pods and although some people say they are not edible, others insist they are delicious. They are usually full of bugs, so I usually leave them to the wildlife to consume. Wild rabbits and even red foxes gobble them up and birds peck apart the pods in late summer to eat the dried peas.
Dusty miller grows in the hottest, driest places on the beach and in the dunes. It will have stalks of yellow flowers by the end of this month and seems to be pretty drought resistent. It perseveres even through the driest, hottest summers.
Hudsonia, also called poverty grass or woolly beach heather, is in bloom right now
For me, one of the most amazing sights of the year is the hudsonia in bloom in the dunes in June. This low to the ground yellow flower is tough as nails and as beautiful a carpet of flowers as you’ll ever find on the Cape. It’s bloom doesn’t last long so get out there now to enjoy it.
There is also a type of locust in bloom right now, one with pink blossoms.
You may also be seeing clusters of leaves with maroon bottoms–these are the beginnings of seaside goldenrod plants. They won’t bloom until late summer or early fall but for now their foliage is beautiful.
Dune and beach plants have to be very tough, drought tolerant, and adaptive to constantly changing weather conditions. Many are prickly or thick. Some feel furry. These are all ways plants protect themselves. Most have deep roots, which not only help them find moisture, but which hold sand in place as well.
When you’re out walking this June, take a closer look at the plants you see. These guys have earned our appreciation and respect. Without them, our beaches and dunes would not only look different but could be severely compromised by waves and wind that move sand around with abandon.
The roses get a lot of attention but trust me, the hudsonia can give them a run for their money. Get out there and enjoy them while you can.
As many of you know, I’m a huge supporter of Mass Audubon. My family first brought us to the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary back in the 60s when it was housed in a home on the property and most of it was field, forest, and marsh with only a few rough trails. I remember vividily almost stepping on a nest of bob whites and also seeing the albino robin the sanctuary director was taking care of in a cage by the home’s back door when I was 8 or 9 years old. They’ve grown a lot! In the 90s and early 2000s I was fortunate to work for them as a seasonal and classroom naturalist educator.
My grandson scanning for seabirds at Manomet Point, Plymouth
For the past ten years or so I have supported the Mass Audubon Bird-a-thon, the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year. My youngest grandson does this with me and is a great spotter and listener for our team. He’s now 15 and this is his sixth year.
We bird with Stu and Kathy Parsons and here is my grandson getting some good advice from Stu when he was first starting out. Now he’s almost as tall as Stu.
The Bird-a-thon is a fun team event that has a bit of a competitive edge to it. Which team will see the most species? Which will raise the most money? Each region has multiple teams that will begin logging the birds they see at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 13th. For 24 hours they will spread out over the state in all sorts of habitats to see what they can see. Each sighting or birdsong must be attested to by at least two members of a team and in our team’s case, we try to spot the singing bird as well, especially if it is an unusual or unfamiliar bird.
Last year at Burrage Pond in Hanson where we hoped to repeat our sighting of the sandhill cranes that can often be seen there.
Our team begins in Sandwich, at Sandy Neck and the Game Farm and we head off Cape very, very early on Saturday morning. We have until 6 p.m. that day, giving us a full 24 hours to add to our sightings. We usually log over a hundren species which is good, but other teams will often log many more. We don’t mind, we have fun doing what we do. We go out no matter what the weather is doing, by the way, so we always hope for a rain free day. That doesn’t always work but that’s what rain coats are for, right?
I’m writing this hoping you will join us in spirit and perhaps donate as well. My grandson and I have our own page and hope to raise a nice donation for Mass Audubon. Your help would be much appreciated. I will post results here after the event so stay tuned.
Here we are at Danial Webster Sanctuary in Duxbury, one of my grandson’s favorite spots. This is where we can always count on seeing the bobolinks sing and court, a bird sometimes known as the skunk bird, due to the stripes on its back.
I’ve included photos of my grandson from over the years, including 2020 when we birded within a square mile of our homes due to the pandemic.
I get asked all the time about teaching classes on keeping a nature journal so I’m offering an all day workshop at Cotuit Center for the Arts on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. No experience is necessary, just a desire to go out in nature and take some notes or write some poetry or draw a picture–whatever you want. We will discuss all sorts of different ways to go about this because there is no ONE way–there’s YOUR way. This will be fun class and will be held rain or shine. Click on the Cotuit Center for the Arts link above for more information and to register. This is the perfect time of year to begin your nature journal.
It’s starting to green up in the woods and in the meadows but also at the beach. It always amazes me to see the amount of plants that sprout in the sand. It’s a good thing because it’s the roots of all those wonderful green things that keeps the sand on the beach!
Beach grass can be found on dunes and on the upper parts of the beach that don’t get inundated by the tides. It has long, tenacious roots, often going six feet or more down through the sand to reach water. This is what stabilizes the dunes and helps the plants stay in place even in the toughest of storms.
Rosa rugosa, also known commonly as our beach rose, is another feisty plant that weathers all sorts of wind and rain, erosion and tidal sweeps. It is just starting to sprout leaves and it won’t be too long before it flowers.
Beach peas are another plant we see all over our beaches. It starts with these funny little purple sprouts but don’t let them fool you. Beach peas are strong and supple plants that vine along the sand producing purply-pink blossoms before the peas form. There is some debate as to whether these peas are good to eat or even edible but the birds and animals sure love them.You will find many other plants starting to green up at our local beaches, including the ubiquitous seaside goldenrod and beach heathers.
I love seeing these plants push through the sand, maybe even more than the woodland ephemerals. These plants earn their keep by the seaside and I respect that about them, even the homeliest among them.
It’s been a while since I’ve even looked at my website , mostly because the rules changed about making our sites secure. Anyway, that is now fixed so let’s talk about spring.
Spring on Cape Cod is as ephemeral as the wildflowers associated with her—here one minute, gone the next. As always, I head out hopeful, even on the coldest of days.
Our beaches have taken a lot of hits this past year and erosion is intense and extreme almost everywhere.
Yesterday I went looking for ospreys and piping plovers and found both. I only had my phone with me so pictures aren’t great. Here’s a little video of one of the plovers I saw.
I’m going to leave this here for now as I figure out how to get this back up and running.
Spring is always more of an idea than a reality on Cape Cod. The cold ocean keeps the temperatures on land cooler than farther inland and we have wind, a lot of wind, most days, as well.
Signs of spring are here, though. The ospreys and piping plovers have arrived. Crocuses are blooming. So are the stinky skunk cabbages. Red maple is starting to flower, peepers are starting to peep and the woodcocks are doing their springtime fling thing.
I have a super busy spring ahead, teaching lots of classes and doing lots of painting and writing myself.
Two special sketching and watercolor retreats are planned for May and June. In May we’ll be staying at a farmhouse in Truro for three days, May 17-19, and traveling about Truro and Provincetown to do our work. We have a great indoor space as well, in case the weather doesn’t cooperate. Cost is $450 and is all inclusive; bed, board and lessons.
June 21-23 I’ll be heading to Deer Isle on the coast of Maine, just in time for the explosion of lupines all over the island. There are amazing views from pretty much everywhere and it’s a lobster fishing village. Accommodations are rustic but adequate and most of the time we’ll be out and about exploring, sketching and painting. Again, everything is included for $450.
Both retreats are filling fast so please be in touch soon if you wish to reserve a spot. capecodartandnature at gmail dot com is the address. Sorry, this host doesn’t allow email links for some reason.
If you’re a real beginner I have both a Sketching for Scaredy Cats and a Watercolor for Scaredy Cats class that have just started at Cotuit Center for the Arts. These will repeat in the summer so keep watch if they’re something you’d like to try. I’ll also be teaching my Watercolor and Sketching on Location all over the Cape all summer long.
It’s that time of year when the robins from the north head south to Cape Cod to feed on berries. Many birds feast on berries all winter long, including mockingbirds, bluebirds, cardinals and cedar waxwings. Fortunately for them, we have many berry-licious plants that hold berries throughout the winter or at least until they are stripped clean.
Birds are not the only wildlife that eats berries. Rabbits, deer, mice and even foxes will nibble on berries as well as rose hips.
Winterberry is quickly being consumed by birds as the temperature drops. The bright red berries of this deciduous holly are a hands or wings down favorite of birds. They get eaten first and a stand of these can be cleaned out in only a few days.
This stand of berries was being attacked by a flock of dozens of hungry robins one recent afternoon. The bush was full of birds, while others waited in the trees nearby. You can see that the bush is already half stripped of berries.
As I watched the robins gorge themselves I noticed smaller birds sneaking in to get their share. I knew immediately they were cedar waxwings from the high trills coming from a tree on the other side of the huge berry bush. You can see their silhouettes are sleeker as well as smaller than the chunkier robins.
Winterberries, holly berries, rose hips, privet berries and cat brier berries will all be gobbled down by winter’s end. Many of these will be planted wherever these birds and animals leave their leavings behind and new plants will grow.
One plant that is full of berries is one that fools people into picking them. They may get a virulent rash and wonder where it came from. Those sweet looking white berries are poison ivy berries! It’s best to leave them for the birds.
