The Point

Summer on the Cape and Island is a busy time for our bird population. Mark Faherty, ornithologist and science coordinator at Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, sits down in The Point studio with our host Mindy Todd to catch up on the latest Bird News.

WCAI News Director Steve Junker hosts a roundup of some of the top local and regional news of the week. His guests include Chris Lindahl of the Cape Cod Times; Sara Brown of the Vineyard Gazette; Tim Wood of the Cape Cod Chronicle; Andy Tomolonis with South Coast Today; Josh Balling of the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror; Ann Wood of the Provincetown Banner; and George Brennan of the Martha's Vineyard Times.

Birds are astonishingly smart creatures. Researchers are finding some birds rival primates, and even humans, in their remarkable forms of intelligence. On The Point, we talk with Jennifer Ackerman , who traveled the world to talk with bird researchers. Her book The Genius of Birds not only tells the story of how birds demonstrate their smarts, it delves into the latest findings about the brains of birds and what it means to be intelligent.

This time of year several species of sea turtles can be found in the waters off the Cape and Islands, all of whom are endangered. On The Point, we discuss research using TurtleCams to learn more about sea turtle behavior and movements, and a new website to help boaters avoid sea turtles in our waters. To report a seat turtle sighting, or to find out where sea turtles have been seen, link to seaturtlesightings.org

Actor and playwright John Cariani's off Broadway production Almost Maine was developed at the Cape Cod Theatre Project . It went on to become one of the most produced plays of the past decade. He’s back on the Cape again with another production, Cul de Sac. Mindy Todd hosts this interview on The Point.

You think you don't have any plans for July 4th? WRONG! SAD! Celebrate the holiday and pick up a few classified secrets by listening to the Capitol Steps as the popular satirical group pokes fun at today's news with this brand new, one-hour 4th of July romp. This special promises to be huge, fantastic, tremendous... at least according to leaks heard coming from White House!

We say goodbye to News Director Sean Corcoran. Arriving as a reporter when WCAI was still a fledgling station, Sean has been instrumental in shaping our news coverage and sound. We’ll look back on the stories and people he’s covered over the years; it’s a snapshot not just of his work, but of our region over the last 12 years. We’ll also look ahead with incoming News Director Steve Junker.

Our book experts sit down to talk over favorite summer reading picks. Mindy Todd, Jill Erickson, and Jennifer Gaines have a long list of titles to share, and we hear from listeners throughout the region with ideas for great summer reading.

On The Point, we discuss the developmental and social impacts on children of having an incarcerated parent. 7 million people are on probation or parole in the U.S. We hear from an adult who experienced parental incarceration as a child, and about a residential camp for children with incarcerated parents. In 2014 an estimated 1.4 million U.S. Children had a parent in jail or in prison, according to the National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated.

For most of us, riding a bike, paddling a kayak, or hiking a trail is something we take for granted. But for those with physical or cognitive limitations, engaging in sports can be a challenge. One solution is adaptive sports. On The Point, we talk with sight impaired individuals who have accomplished incredible feats in sailing and hiking, and a new adaptive sports program at Nickerson Sate Park in Brewster.