On the North Shore Rockport is the place to be during a storm. The best
views are available from Andrews Point but parking there is challenging
both because of restrictions and one of the neighbors. There is a small
lot nearby and street parking further away. Halibut Point is more exposed
and a longish walk to the viewpoints. It's probably not a safe spot if the
wind is blowing hard.
Northeast winds blow birds into Cape Cod Bay. While the winds remain NE
the mainland side can be good. Manomet Point is a good spot but very
exposed. Viewing might also be possible from the lawn at Manomet
Conservation Sciences, but others will have to comment on that.
During the current storm the south side of Cape Cod Bay has been good with
lots of Leach's Storm-Petrels being reported from both the Cape Cod Canal
at Scusset Beach and Sandy Neck. Once the winds shift the birds start to
head east along the arm of the Cape and pass places like Dennis Chapin
Beach then on to First Encounter Beach. There some birds fly straight over
the Cape to the ocean, as I understand it, while others head north along
the inside shore of the Cape. Race Point is probably good but very exposed
with a lot of blowing sand and salt spray at times like this. I'd stick to
First Encounter before heading there.
Cliff Cook
Watertown
On Sat, Sep 26, 2026 at 3:06 PM Josh <opihi...> wrote:
> Seems like I’ve always heard that First Encounter Beach (on Cape Cod) is
> the best place in the state to be during and immediately after a
> nor’easter. I’ve almost never been there, too long of a drive for me. The
> overall premise I’ve heard is that the nor’easter blows birds into Cape Cod
> Bay, and those birds try to fly southeast back toward the open ocean but
> run into the Cape, so follow the bayshore counter-clockwise until they can
> get around Race Point. If I’m recalling that correctly, then pretty much
> anywhere that sticks out into Cape Cod Bay, with a decent view and good
> access, might have potential. It’s best to be somewhere that you can see
> the ocean from inside your car, because your optics (including eyeglasses)
> become much less useful once exposed to the rain and blowing wet sand. Race
> Point probably has more and better birds than First Encounter, but you
> can’t really drive out to the water’s edge there: I think a permit is
> required, and there’s a!
> high risk of getting your car stuck in the sand, while First Encounter
> has a paved public parking lot right at the water’s edge.
>
> Further north, if Ipswich Bay has similar dynamics, then somewhere on the
> northwest side of Cape Ann might be good. Unfortunately, it seems like most
> of the places where you can park your car with a good view of the ocean are
> on the other side. Halibut Point might be ideal, but as I recall, one has
> to walk a fair distance across exposed rocks to reach a good ocean view
> there, not safe to do during a storm.
>
> Good birding,
>
> Josh
>
>
> Joshua S. Rose, Ph.D.
> Amherst, MA
> https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/opihiman > https://www.facebook.com/opihi >
> Writer/compiler, Bird Observer
> https://www.birdobserver.org/ >
> Columnist, “Earth Matters”
> https://www.gazettenet.com/search?bodysearch=earth+matters > https://www.hitchcockcenter.org/category/earth-matters/ >
> Vice-president, Hampshire Bird Club
> https://hampshirebirdclub.org/ >
> Northeast Chapter head, Dragonfly Society of the Americas
> https://www.dragonflysocietyamericas.org/northeastdsa >
>
> > On Sep 26, 2026, at 12:32 AM, Laura M <magrinha97...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi, anyone have tips for birding before, during or after this monster,
> prolonged rainstorm beginning now in eastern MA? As in where to go and what
> to look out for? Might it be worthwhile?
> >
> > Thanks, Laura
> > <magrinha97...>
> > South Boston
>
>
>
