The Point

On The Point, Mark Faherty, naturalist at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary , joins our host Mindy Todd to discuss winter birds. From the subtleties of female sparrows, to the huge flocks of sea ducks that can be seen this month commuting between bays and beaches, and preparations for the upcoming Chrismas bird counts. A "winter finch invasion" is currently happening in our region, and local birders have been seeing more evening grossbeaks than in many years. Mark describes how to spot them

WCAI News Director Steve Junker hosts a roundup of some of the top local and regional news of the week, including: a vote on a new regional middle school highlights a divide between Dennis and Yarmouth; the Army Corps of Engineers wants to hear from you, as officials are taking comment on the future of the Bourne and Sagamore bridges; and a new government report on Vineyard Wind finds no major obstacles for the proposed offshore windfarm.

Cape Cod is primarily white. Even if we notice the lack of diversity we rarely discuss it. And if we do, the focus is typically on black and white. Today we broaden the discussion of race with two of our reporters who are relatively new to us and to Cape Cod. We hear about their experiences being Asian American on the Cape, some of the explicit and implicit racism they’ve encountered and the responsibility all of us have to be more thoughtful about our words and actions.

The New England Patriots: whether you love or hate them, the Pats have captured this country's attention like no other franchise. On The Point, Mindy Todd interviews Glenn Stout and Richard A. Johnson , the authors of a new, complete, and lavishly illustrated book entitled " The Pats: an illustrated History of the New England Patriots ."

The 2016 election of Donald Trump brought into sharp focus how divided we’ve become as nation. What’s at the root of our political differences? Why are the two political parties becoming more polarized and what does it mean for the future of our country?

WCAI News Director Steve Junker hosts a roundup of some of the top local and regional news of the week, including: a move to modify water quality regulations in Barnstable draws town-wide attention, some Wellfleet residents have concerns about an extension to the Rail trail, and a popular observation tower on the mid-Cape’s highest hill is closed for repairs.

It’s been a holiday tradition for 15 years: the Christmas Cavalcade Benefit for the Homeless . It’s an opportunity to enjoy some of the region’s best musicians playing their seasonal favorites while supporting the services and programs of the Housing Assistance Corporation . We talk with musician Fred Boak, Anne Van Vlec, Chief Development Officer at HAC and enjoy some of the highlights from last year’s Cavalcade performance.

It's our monthly BOOKS show on The Point, and the theme is the American West. Kathryn Eident hosts. She is joined by Jill Erickson of the Falmouth Public Library , and author Peter Abrahams .

Should you stay in your home in retirement? We’ve heard a lot about people wanting to “age in place.” Is that the best personal and financial decision? Penelope Tzougros is a financial advisor who has helped many plan for how and where to live in retirement. We talk with her about her new book Y our Home Sweet Home: How to Decide Whether You Should Stay or Move in Retirement , and the questions we should be asking ourselves as we plan where we’ll live in retirement.

Philip Hoare is fascinated by the sea. He swims in it every day, regardless of the season. He studies the creatures who call the sea home: those living and those found dead along the shore. He muses about the relationship humans have with the sea, and he writes about it all, beautifully. We talk with him about his lifelong fascination with the sea and his new book RisingTideFallingStar .