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Contact: Sue Haley, 508-255-3421
Cape Cod National Seashore provides critical habit for a variety of migratory species, including shorebirds, gray and harbor seals, and dragonflies.Three subject specialists will team up to share the stories of several of these migrations on Tuesday, October 21 at 6:30 PM at Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham. Cape Cod National Seashore Natural Resource Specialist and Shorebird Program Lead Mary Hake will discuss the value of national seashore beaches to several shorebird species, including the federally endangered roseate tern, that rest and feed here before departing on marathon migrations of several thousand miles each fall. Lisa Sette, researcher with the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, studies seal distribution, which ranges from the Canadian Maritimes to Long Island. Gray and harbor seals also depend on the secluded shoreline of the national seashore. In 2014, Sette began coordinating aerial surveys to better understand seal abundance and habitat use. Citizen Scientist Ken Shea will focus on the common green darner, one of many species of dragonflies that utilize Cape Cod's freshwater wetlands. The darner migrates south, though its final destination remains a mystery. The program is part of the national seashore's fall symposium, a five-week series on Tuesday nights to share with the public the national seashore's diverse resources and programs, ranging from salt marsh restoration and the technologies of tracking coastal change, to fire management and the upcoming National Park Service Centennial in 2016. All programs are free and wheelchair-accessible. The series will culminate on October 28 with a presentation by Cape Cod National Seashore Superintendent, George Price, State of the Seashore: Successes and Challenges of 2014, and a Look Ahead to 2015 and the National Park Centennial in 2016. ###
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Last updated: February 26, 2015