Oystercatchers & Kestrels

I've seen American Oystercatchers during the summer months along the Atlantic coast especially on Cape Cod and nearby islands. This was a treat seeing three wintering Oystercatchers poking among the rocky crevices on Malmok. They were very skittish and it didn't take much for them to utter their squeaky "wheep wheep" calls while flying further up the coastline.

A common inhabitant is the American kestrel sometimes referred to as the sparrow hawk. A diminutive member of the falcon family, kestrels are well-adapted to more urbanized habitats. They consume insects and small mammals. This kestrel was enjoying a dust bath in a driveway not far from Arikok National Park.

Banana(quit) for Breakfast

This Bananaquit joined us for breakfast in the courtyard every morning. We would hear his song and know he had arrived. Although it's said that the bananaquits will come to your table to steal a nibble, this fellow was content with sipping nectar from the tubular flowers and a hummingbird feeder.