Walk along the edge of a meadow, the perimeter of a farm, or into a clearing in a deciduous forest on Martha’s Vineyard, and one plant you can almost count on finding is the black cherry tree. The black cherry, or Prunus serotina, is native to the Island and a vitally important source of food and shelter for a remarkable number of animals.

A mosquito caught on Monday in the town of Tisbury has tested positive for the West Nile virus, confirmed Thomas Pachico, health agent. It is the second Island appearance of the virus this year. The town was notified Thursday evening.

Benton Wesley hesitated, but once Frank Hardy got the feel of sand beneath his flippers, he made a beeline for the surf, soon disappearing under a crashing wave on the Vineyard’s south shore.

About 10 months after the two rare Kemp’s Ridley turtles washed up on a Cape Cod beach in a hypothermic state, they were returned to the waves off Long Point in West Tisbury Wednesday.

The moon appears low in the south in our evening skies this weekend.

With geological studies under way to determine more precisely how much more land may be lost to storms this winter, the Gay Head Lighthouse now sits just 47 feet from the edge of the rapidly eroding Clay Cliffs. A plan that has the backing of the town of Aquinnah is taking shape to relocate the historic tower in the fall of 2014. The Coast Guard currently owns the lighthouse, which is managed by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum.

There is a seasonal change on the water this week. Atlantic bonito are showing up in greater numbers just south of the Island and false albacore are only a few weeks away. There are also more stories of tuna.

Steve Morris of Dick’s Bait and Tackle Shop had an early birthday present on Monday. Mr. Morris turns 50 years-old next Thursday and to celebrate he went offshore fishing with Greg Lee. They went on Mr. Lee’s boat, Sea Ox II, and caught long-fin albacore and one 40-pound wahoo.