A lot of ospreys were seen on Sept. 1, as there were 17 osprey sightings that day. Most notably, Pete Gray reports “a spectacular showdown between a nesting osprey and a marauding bald eagle over the Aunt Rhoda’s Pond extension of Lake Tashmoo.
A lot of ospreys were seen on Sept. 1, as there were 17 osprey sightings that day. Most notably, Pete Gray reports “a spectacular showdown between a nesting osprey and a marauding bald eagle over the Aunt Rhoda’s Pond extension of Lake Tashmoo. The eagle was hunting for fish when an osprey chased it into the trees with shrieking dives.”
Tree Swallows
Tree Swallows
The sightings that day came from 10 locations: Brush Pond (Sharon Simonin), Wasque (Tim Leland, one youngster fledged from the temporary osprey platform), Moshup Trail (two, Adam Markham), Felix Neck (three, Steve Allen and one, Shea Fee), Pumping Station (two, Nancy Weaver and 1, Emma Johnson), Nashaquitsa Pond (five, Eve Jacobs-Carnahan), Stonewall Pond (three, Richard and Diane Audette), Katama Farm (one, Dave Oster, Nancy Nordin and Nancy Weaver, two, Shea Fee), West Tisbury South Shore (one, Philip Edmundson), Watcha Pond (one, Jennifer Slossberg), and Old Oklahoma Avenue (two, Bernice McIntyre).
These numerous sightings likely reflect their southbound migration. Only a few ospreys were reported during the rest of the week.
In other hawk news from Sept. 1, Nancy Nordin and Nancy Weaver found a peregrine falcon at Katama Farm, and Adam Markham observed a merlin at Menemsha.
Cape May Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Ruby-throated hummingbirds were also prevalent this week. On Sept. 1, Adam Markham saw one along Moshup Trail, Luanne Johnson had one at her West Tisbury feeders, Philip Edmundson observed two in the Watcha Pond woodlands, Richard and Diane Audette watched two near Stonewall Pond, and Thaw Malin and Cynthia Bloomquist found two at home. The next day, Nancy Weaver spotted one at Tashmoo Springs. On Sept. 2, Bernice McIntyre saw one at her Vineyard Haven home and Dave Oster located one along Great Plains Road and another at Blackwater Pond Preserve on Sept. 3. Robert Wernerehl and Ann Ramminger found two at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary on Sept. 3, and Dana Bangs saw two at Felix Neck on Sept. 5.
Least terns were reported this week. Laura Lennihan spotted three at Norton Point on Sept. 1, and Philip Edmundson found eight at Tisbury Great Pond on Sept. 2. They are on their way south.
Common terns were more common, with Adam Markham finding seven from Moshup Trail and five in Menemsha on Sept. 1. On Sept. 2, Laura Lennihan spotted one at Grove avenue beach, Steve Allen located four at Felix Neck, Philip Edmundson observed 12 on Tisbury Great Pond, Diane and Richard Audette watched 21 in Menemsha Harbor, and Dave Oster counted 75 from Red Beach. Steve Allen observed 25 common terns at Felix Neck on Sept. 3, and Bob Shriber saw 12 in Aquinnah on Sept. 5.
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Other less frequently observed terns include Dave Oster finding one black tern at the Big Bridge on Sept. 1, David Tenenbaum observing two black and 10 Forster’s terns in Menemsha Channel on Sept. 6, Nancy Weaver watching one Forster’s at Tashmoo Springs on Sept. 2, and Dave Oster finding one roseate tern Red Beach on Sept. 2.
The great cormorant, an unusual summer resident, is still here. Bob Shriber identified it among a flock of 23 double-crested cormorants at Pilots Landing on Sept. 5. The greats are typically a winter resident that will start arriving in October.
I spotted a migrating great blue heron at Squibnocket Pond South on Sept. 4. It flew from Lilly Pond to about 100 yards offshore and 100 feet above the ocean and then flew westward and out of sight. Other sightings include one by Ira Goldklang off North Road on Aug. 30, and Ruth Richards found one on Sept. 1 at Katama Farm. Nancy Weaver spotted two at the pumping station, as did Emme Johnson, and Adam Markham saw one in Menemsha. Philip Edmundson discovered three at Tisbury Great Pond on Sept. 2, and both Steve Allen and Laura Lennihan found one at Felix Neck on Sept. 3.
Least Terns with Roseate and Common Terns
Least Terns with Roseate and Common Terns
On Sept. 2, Holly Mercier spotted a red-eyed vireo at her Edgartown home, Nancy Weaver observed two of them at Tashmoo Springs, and Laura Lennihan found one near Middle Road on Sept. 3.
Tree swallows may be in super large flocks as they migrate southward at this time of the year. Dave Oster observed a flock of 250 tree swallows at Priester’s Pond on Sept. 5. Keep an eye out for much larger flocks, especially along the South Shore. Charles Morano found a barn swallow at Katama Farm on Sept. 3, and Chris Scott spotted two purple martins and eight barn swallows at Katama Farm on Sept. 4.
There are Savannah sparrows at Katama Farm and Felix Neck. At Katama Farm on Sept. 1, Ruth Richards found three, Dave Oster saw four and Nancy Nordin observed one. Then Charles Morano spotted two Savannahs there on Sept. 3, and Chris watched six there on Sept. 4. Who knows if all of these are the same birds. Elsewhere Philip Edmundson located five Savannahs at Tisbury Great Pond on Sept. 2, and Shea Fee found a Savannah at Felix Neck on Sept. 4.
Savannah Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
I was quite surprised to identify three saltmarsh sparrows along the shoreline of Lilly Pond at Squibnocket Pond Reservation South on Sept. 3. A much more expected location is on Norton Point, where Mari Ryan spotted one on Sept. 6.
A few of our summer resident warblers were seen this week, including common yellowthroat, American redstart, prairie warbler and pine warbler. Migrant warblers from further north were also seen. Susan Whiting found a black-throated green warbler at Old Fields Path on August 29, Adam Markham spotted a Cape May warbler along Moshup Trail on Sept. 1, and Allan Keith saw one yellow warbler at Squibnocket Point on Sept. 5. This is just the beginning. Peak warbler migration will be in a few weeks.
Great Cormorant
Great Cormorant
A few final notes from this week. Adam Markham found a dickcissel near Moshup Trail on Sept. 1. The next day, Holly Mercier observed fledgling northern cardinals and tufted titmice at her Edgartown home on Sept. 2, and Thaw watched an adult ruby-throated hummingbird feeding young at his West Tisbury feeders on Sept. 3.
The Felix Neck Early Birders got a treat when they spotted a Bald Eagle as it flew out of the woods and away from us, then turned so we got a full profile view over Major’s Cove on Sept. 4. To quote Steve Allan, “Super exciting!”
Please email your sightings to [email protected].
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven.
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