CapeAnnWinterBirdingWeekend

CAPE ANN WINTER BIRDING WEEKEND

Each February birdwatchers from all over the country Cape Ann to participate in the “Cape Ann Winter Birding Weekend.”

Cape Ann is known worldwide for its exciting concentrations of winter seabirds. 7 Seas Whale Watch, along with the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, the Massachusetts Audubon Society, and many of the areas top ornithologists plans a weekend full of events for birdwatchers of all levels. Expert speakers offer presentations, exhibitors showcase their programs, products, and artists display their art and give demonstrations at the event headquarters at the Elks at Bass Rocks and at other venues in Gloucester.

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A Common murre photographed by Miles Brengle on the 2014 Cape Ann Winter Birding Weekend boat trip aboard the Privateer IV.

The Cape Ann Winter Birding Weekend is an opportunity for bird lovers of all skill levels to join expert guides on a tour of our birding hot spots – including a sea trip on the 7 Seas Whale Watch boat Privateer IV (weather permitting of course).

This is rare opportunity to visit Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary at a time of year when all other passenger vessels have closed down for the year. The possibilities of what we might see on this winter boat trip are endless, but in the four years we have been running this trip we have seen:

Black-legged Kittiwakes, Iceland gulls, Glaucous gulls, Razorbills, Dovekies, Common murres, Thick-billed murres, Atlantic puffins, Common eiders, King eiders, Long-tailed ducks, all three scoter species, Greater scaup, Northern gannets, Buffleheads, Common loons, Red-throated loons, Horned grebes, Red-necked grebes, and even a Snowy owl just to name a few!

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A flock of Common eiders swimming with “Elvis” the King eider in Gloucester harbor.  Elvis, as came to be known, spent the Winter and Spring of 2011 in Gloucester harbor. Photo by S. Jay Frontierro. 

If you would like to learn more about the Cape Ann Winter Birding Weekend please visit the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce website. There you will find information about the upcoming 2015 Cape Ann Winter Birding Weekend including information about registration, pricing, schedule and more. We hope you will join us for the fun!

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 Three Long-tailed ducks photographed by Miles Brengle on the 2014 Cape Ann Winter Birding Weekend boat trip aboard the Privateer IV.

*ALL OF THE PHOTOS YOU SEE TO THE RIGHT WERE ALSO TAKEN BY MILES BRENGLE DURING THE 2014 CAPE ANN WINTER BIRDING WEEKEND. THANKS FOR LETTING US USE YOUR WONDERFUL PICTURES, MILES!*