Nature & Science
There is a Sphyrapicus varius on a holly tree in Luanne Johnson’s North Tisbury yard. No this is not a disease, but a yellow-bellied sapsucker. Sphyrapicus, for translation purposes, is Sphyra (mallet or hammer) and picus (woodpecker), varius (variegated or multicolored). So the sapsucker is a woodpecker with a mallet of a bill sporting various colors. This is indeed a great description of this woodpecker which is a spring and fall migrant and becoming a common winter resident of the Vineyard.
Pending legislation to make striped bass a game fish in Massachusetts was further delayed this week when a public hearing was postponed at the request of backers of the bill.
The hearing by the joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture was due to be held on Tuesday on Beacon Hill, but has now been rescheduled for January.
Cape and Islands Sen. Robert O’Leary and Rep. Timothy Madden both sit on the committee.
Sometimes life is perfect.
As I write, there is a bucket of Island oysters in my sink, a quart of heavy cream in the fridge, and a handsome French chef to put it all together. I guess that I am lucky in love and in shellfish.
The oysters were collected from Tisbury Great Pond, and the French chef, well, that’s another story.
Announcing that there are no wild turkeys on Martha’s Vineyard is akin to breaking the news that there is no Santa Claus. But that is the truth whether you like it or not. Barbara Pesch and I noted in Vineyard Birds 2 that wild turkeys were introduced by Gus Ben David from Arkansas in the 1970s. These wild turkeys were extirpated in the 1990s. What the heck are all the turkeys that are wandering around the Vineyard from Aquinnah to Edgartown?
By LYNNE IRONS
The gibbous moon will dominate the sky over the coming weekend. The moon is in the zodiacal constellation Aries over the weekend and slips into the zodiacal constellation Taurus early in the week. The moon is full on Tuesday and has the seasonal name Holly Moon.
Almanac
A comprehensive guide to weather and tides on the Island.
Vineyard Gardener
I guess this past week weather-wise is called a January thaw. We did not really experience it the last several years as December was unseasonably warm.
Farm & Field
Beige and brown and tan and black, with horns spiraled or semicircular or in undulating waves, a legion of goats marched up the hill toward us, bleating in anticipation of fresh grass and leaves.