Friends of Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge

06/23/2026

Save the Date and Register for this walk on June 30th at 10 am!

06/23/2026

Yesterday morning, the three chicks at the Waquoit Bay Reserve osprey nest were banded by DCR’s Office of Natural Resources, with assistance from DCR Forestry, and volunteers from Waquoit Bay Reserve, the Friends of Mashpee NWR and Mass Audubon. Having the chicks banded will help for future identification, tracking of sightings as they migrate, when they return, and other research purposes. This is not an electronic tracking device, just Federal and auxiliary bands with alphanumeric codes. The chicks were removed from the nest, brought to the ground for banding, then returned to the nest. The entire process took about 15 minutes. More photos and videos can be found on our highlights page. https://www.friendsofmashpeenationalwildliferefuge.org/osprey-cam-highlights-season-five/

06/21/2026

Did you know National Pollinator Week runs from June 22-28? Download our brochure about pollinator gardening to learn how you can attract pollinators to your own home garden.

Read our new brochure about establishing nectar and pollen sources for Cape Cod pollinators. It is intended to guide home gardeners in creating a garden that fosters habitat for pollinators and provides a visually appealing and sustainable landscape for your home. Download here.

06/20/2026

Today is International Horseshoe Crab Day!

One of the most intriguing and memorable wildlife observations at the national seashore is horseshoe crab spawning. Females begin to come ashore to spawn along protected sandy beaches during evening high tides around the full and new moons in May and June. As the females approach the beach, males, which are 1/3 the size of females, use a pair of modified claws that look like boxing gloves to attach themselves to females. You may see more than one male crowding a pair, forming a large cluster along the water's edge. The fertilized eggs, which are laid in nests that females dig in the sand, are a critical food resource for migrating shorebirds.

Some horseshoe crabs have tags! Report tagged crabs to help scientists and wildlife managers care for the ocean. Be sure to include the tag number, horseshoe crab condition and location information: Horseshoe Crab Monitoring and Recapture Form

Read more: https://www.nps.gov/caco/learn/nature/horseshoe-crabs.htm

NPS Photo

06/20/2026

Where will you be next Monday, June 22nd?

Want to know more about ospreys?

Are you watching Rachel and Carson on the Osprey Cam?

You will want to hear this presentation.

06/20/2026

Fascinating presentation next week…

If you are a member of Mashpee Senior Center, make sure you register!

If not, please let us know in the comments, so we can tell the management at the Mashpee Senior Center.

06/15/2026

Have you checked out the Osprey Cam? It is on 24/7!

We're keeping an eye on an Osprey nest - you can too! This live stream of an osprey nest at Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is the result of a collaboration between The Friends of Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge, Waquoit Bay Reserve, a Refuge partner, and Comcast.