Osprey rehab, beach hikes and more nature-based events happening on Cape Cod this week

Spring has officially sprung. May is here to stay (for another two weeks) and everything is feeling a little less dreary.

In the spirit of the weather warming up enough to allow us to return to the great outdoors, I’ve decided to select a couple of nature-themed best bets for this week’s roundup.

From learning how to raise and nurture an osprey to taking a hike along the beach, there’s a nature event for you happening this upcoming week:

Stephanie Ellis, executive director of Wild Care, a wildlife rehabilitation hospital in Eastham, is giving a talk about her experience rescuing, raising and releasing baby ospreys at 6 p.m. on May 14 at the Truro Public Library.

Ellis, a bird lover, will go into detail about the trials and tribulations of raising the orphaned birds, covering everything from their incubation to their eventual release into wild foster nests at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History.

The event is free to attend. To register, call 508-487-1125 or email tpl_mail@clamsnet.org/. The Truro Public Library is located at 7 Standish Way in North Truro.

Other nature events happening on the Cape

Cape Cod Museum of Natural History

Learn about the history and archaeology of Wing Island during a guided walk with Cape Cod Museum of Natural History archeologist Dan Zoto at 1 p.m. on May 18.

Discover more about the island’s rich history and unique archaeology across a 90-minute tour. The walk does cross over some challenging terrain so wear appropriate shoes!

Tickets are $15 per person not including museum admission and can be purchased online at www.ccmnh.org/. The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History is located at 869 Route 6A in Brewster.

Barnstable Land Trust

Go on a hike through Sandy Neck’s Great Marsh with the Barnstable Land Trust and Sandy Neck Park staff at 10 a.m. on May 14.

The free walk is sponsored by the Trust and the Town of Barnstable Department of Natural Resources and covers a 1.5-mile trail through the marsh and sand dunes. On the walk, hikers will learn more about the beach’s flora and fauna plus ongoing initiatives to protect and restore the beach.

Hikers should come prepared wearing hiking boots as the walk goes over sandy and uneven terrain. To register or for more information, visit www.blt.org/.

Osterville Village Library

Each year, dozens of the Cape’s rivers see herring run upstream towards freshwater ponds every April and May to spawn in the summer. And each year, a select few gather to watch the phenomenon and count the number of fish.

Stephen G Waller and Jane Ward are some of the lucky few. In a talk at 1 p.m. on May 11 at the Osterville Village Library, Waller and Ward will share pictures, videos and stories from their times watching the herring run and detail how the counting process works.

The event is free. To register or for more information, contact Amy Wolfe at awolfe@clamsnet.org or by calling the Osterville Village Library directly at (508) 428-5757.

Frankie Rowley covers entertainment and things to do. Contact her at frowley@capecodonline.com.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Osprey talks, archeology and beach walks: What's happening on Cape Cod