Birds that do not stay through the winter sometimes linger longer into the fall. Why not? We are in the midst of a nice and generally warm September.
Birds that do not stay through the winter sometimes linger longer into the fall. Why not? We are in the midst of a nice and generally warm September. Hopefully October will be the same.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are one example of this trend. We had 20 different sightings in the first two weeks of September, but only five sightings this past week. Charles Morano found three of them, with one each at Dogfish Bar and Gay Head Moraine on Sept. 15 and one at Felix Neck on Sept. 18.
Blue Headed Vireo
Blue Headed Vireo
John and Sarah Nelson had an adult female at their Harthaven feeder on both Sept. 17 and Sept. 19, and Cynthia Bloomquist saw one at her West Tisbury home on Sept. 20. While their numbers may be declining, we are now entering the season that western stray hummingbirds may show up, so please keep your feeders filled.
A Glossy ibis has been hanging around in the marsh at Felix Neck. Steve Allen and Courtney Yancy saw it on Sept. 17, Charles Morano, Ruth Richards, and Jay Adams found it on Sept. 18 and Steve Allen located it again on Sept. 19.
Lingering ospreys are still common, as they were seen at 11 locations. Lisa Maxfield saw one at Brush Pond on Sept. 15. At Felix Neck, Ken Molczan spotted one on Sept. 15. Steve Allen located one on Sept. 17, and both Steve Allen and David Bergstrom observed one on Sept. 18. On Sept. 16 Charles Morano watched three at Wasque, Nancy Weaver and Janet Woodcock counted two at Tisbury Great Pond and Caroline Heald located two at Chappaquonsett. The next day Nancy Nordin discovered two at Pocha Pond Preserve and Michael Adriaansen had one over Ocean Park. Ken Molczan spotted one at Dike Bridge on Sept. 18, Ruth Richards and Jay Adams saw two near the Gay Head Cliffs on Sept. 19, Caroline Heald had two at Cedar Tree Neck on Sept. 20 and Bernice McIntyre watched two at Cronig avenue in Vineyard Haven on Sept. 21.
Dickcissel
Dickcissel
Baltimore orioles are also lingering. Charles Morano observed one at the Cape Pogue lighthouse area on Sept. 19 and one at Farm Pond on Sept. 21, while Ruth Richards and Jay Adams observed one at the Gay Head Cliffs on Sept. 19.
Also lingering is a northern waterthrush, normally one of the first of the warblers migrating southward. Charles Morano saw one at Dogfish Bar on Sept. 15. The other warblers he found there are more expected at this time of the year: two common yellowthroats, four American redstarts and one magnolia warbler.
Another unexpectedly late migrant is a prothonotary warbler, which Dana Bangs found at the pumping station on Sept. 19.
The MV Bird Club’s field trip to the Gay Head Cliffs on Sept. 19 produced an unexpected sighting: a broad-winged hawk. This species is widespread in New England, but they seldom cross the water to get here. The 14 observers on this walk got good views of this smallish buteo. It was also seen by Bob Shriber, Ruth Richards and Thaw Malin later that day.
The Bird Club also observed a flock of seven common ravens, 43 bobolinks, one black-and-white warbler, four Cape May warblers, three northern parulas, one black-throated green warbler, one yellow warbler, one blackpoll warbler, a scarlet tanager and one golden-crowned kinglet, the latter being a first for the season.
A sighting of a harlequin duck is a harbinger of the many seaducks that will arrive later this year. Ruth Richards found one from Squibnocket Beach on Sept. 19.
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Towhee
Some flycatchers will stay north until the weather gets too cold for insects to be active. Charles Morano found a great crested flycatcher at the Gay Head Moraine on Sept. 15, and Dana Bangs located one at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary on Sept. 18. Caroline Heald spotted an eastern wood-pewee at Chappaquonsett on Sept. 16 and another at Cedar Tree Neck on Sept. 20, along with an eastern phoebe. Nancy Weaver saw one phoebe at Tashmoo Springs on Sept. 15, and David Bergstrom found another phoebe at Long Point on Sept. 19. Nancy Weaver and Janet Woodcock observed two eastern kingbirds near Squibnocket Pond on Sept. 18.
Vireos will also linger. The most abundant vireo all summer — red-eyed vireos had 10 sightings this past week. Charles Morano had all three sightings of Philadelphia vireos: two at the Gay Head Moraine on Sept. 15, one at the Cape Pogue lighthouse area on Sept. 19, and one at Farm Pond on Sept. 21.
There were two sightings of blue-headed vireos. Charles Morano had two at Tom’s Neck on Sept. 19, and Caroline Heald found one at Cedar Tree Neck on Sept. 20. Charles Morano also spotted a warbling vireo at the Gay Head Cliffs on Sept. 15, and one adult with two juveniles at Tom’s Neck on Sept. 19. Charles is the vireo spotter this week.
Glossy Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Bob Shriber heard the distinctive buzzer-like pzzzt of a dickcissel and then saw it in Aquinnah on Sept. 15.
We see three species of mimic thrushes: gray catbirds, northern mockingbirds and brown thrashers. Catbirds were by far the most frequently seen, with 15 sightings this week from across the Island. The most astounding report comes from Dana Bangs who counted 25 catbirds at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary on Sept. 18.
The next most common species is the mockingbird. Bob Shriber found three in Aquinnah on Sept. 15 at the Gay Head Cliffs, Ruth Richards and Jay Adams report one on Sept. 19, the MV Bird Club observed two on Sept. 20, and Matt Pelikan spotted one at Dogfish Bar and five at the Gay Head Cliffs on Sept. 21. Brown thrashers are the least common. Caroline Heald spotted one at Chappaquonsett on Sept. 16 and another at Cedar Tree Neck on Sept. 20. Charles Morano saw one at Tom’s Neck on Sept. 19.
Gray Catbird
Gray Catbird
Dana Bangs found Eel Pond’s lingering horned grebe on Sept. 18. This individual is waiting for the rest of his species to arrive for the winter.
Two thousand double-crested cormorants are a lot! But that is how many Jane, John and Kitty Culbert estimated were on Big Gravel Island in the northern end of Sengekontacket Pond on Sept. 20. They told me that the island was completely covered with cormorants.
Please email your sightings to [email protected].
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven.
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