Strange and Unusual Sightings on Cape Cod
Rich and I pulled into the Chatham Fish Pier on a recent afternoon road trip to watch the fisherman unload their haul for the day. We saw dogfish, cod, and flounder, not an unusual array from the chilly Atlantic waters off Cape Cod. It’s fun to watch the gray seals and seagulls darting about in hopes of catching a remnant or two from the decks of the fishing trawlers when they are hosed down at the end of the day. And the banter of the fishermen…well, let’s just say it’s entertaining to listen to and leave it at that.
We strolled along the pier, Rich snapping photos, and me just breathing deeply and savoring the summer smells of saltwater, sunscreen, and seaweed. We noticed a bright red lobster boat at the dock and sauntered over to take a look at the catch. He had some doosies! I asked the weight of one in particular that looked like a granddaddy to me, but was surprised to hear the estimate of only 8 pounds. I wondered how old a 6-8 pound lobster was. Now I can’t vouch for the following, but I read later if you multiply a lobster’s weight by 4, then add 3, you’ve got a pretty good estimate of it’s age. So that 8 pound lobster was roughly 35 years old!
Jumbo Lobster
Turning away we spotted a truck with a couple of tubs of huge lobsters spilling out over the top. They were so large that their claws, which would normally be secured with a rubber band, were wrapped with duck tape! I made Rich take a picture of these beasts with my hand as a reference for size. I’ve never seen such a monster lobster. Imagine how old he must be?!
White or Albino Finch
Later that same week we were cleaning up the kitchen from our normal breakfast service. It was a warm day, humid, with unsettled air that kept us inside rather than serving breakfast out on the deck in the summer sunshine. From a distance, we spotted a white bird on a tree limb in the dense foliage that is our back yard. As we watched, this beautiful creature approached our feeders on the deck. Hovering for position, it had to out maneuver the titmice, cardinals, sparrows, chicadees, and gold finches that feast on our humble offerings each morning. But soon enough he found a spot and took a perch. Rich ran for his camera, never thinking the unusual bird would sit still for a candid. But he lingered long enough for Rich to get his shot. We think it was either a white or albino finch, which is very rare I am told. And we haven’t seen it again since. But we’ll keep watching and hoping.