Bird News
Last week I asked people who had barn owls to let me know if they have pairs around their property. I received this marvelous description from Rebecca Gilbert of the Native Earth Teaching Farm on North Road:
Why is it when an accidental (rare, unusual or vagrant) bird arrives on Martha’s Vineyard there is always a scenario where there is a good cop/bad cop gig? In this case Allan Keith is the good cop. On March 24 and then again on March 25 he spotted and spread the word that a male common teal arrived in the pond at Turtle Brook Farm, Chilmark. Lanny McDowell took great photos of this bird and a male green-winged teal that was in the same pond.
Central America is a fascinating area to visit. It is a relatively short plane ride and boasts an excellent variety of habitats. Recently we visited both El Salvador and Nicaragua. I could write a book about the 18-day journey, but will spare you. The Nicaragua leg of the trip was marvelous although not as birdy as I had hoped.
March 14 was the magical day when several signs of spring flew in, even though they were accompanied by a tad of snow in the afternoon. Fortunately, the snow did not stick around, but the signs of spring will.
“Raining robins” was how West Tisbury’s Pat Szucs described the scene in her yard last Sunday morning. A good-sized flock of these popular thrushes turned up there, socializing actively as they fed on juniper berries. Pat noted that robins have been scarce or absent in her yard for many weeks now, and her astute observation illustrates how one tells arriving migrant birds from individuals that have wintered here: The migrants simply behave differently, showing up in different places and displaying a much higher level of energy. Over-wintering birds are in survival mode, intent on staying sheltered and conserving energy; migrants are intent on moving, take more chances, and act a bit randy. I noted a similar flock of robins in Oak Bluffs the same day.
On Thursday, Feb. 17, I led the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation’s winter walk at the Phillips Preserve hoping to hear the great horned owls that nest nearby.