American robins are on the move, migrating even though they are present throughout the year.
American robins are on the move, migrating even though they are present throughout the year. The robins that are here in the summer move south and the robins that nest in Canada are arriving. The summer robins are yard specialists eating earthworms and insects, while the winter birds are in flocks that specialize on berries.
Flocks of robins have been seen this week. Nancy Weaver and Janet Woodcock spotted seven robins along Moshup Trail on Oct. 6. Then on Oct. 10, Bob Shriber spotted 16 robins in Aquinnah. I watched a flock of at least 10 eating crabapples and otherwise cavorting around my Vineyard Haven yard, and Nancy Nordin and Bob Shriber located seven robins in a thicket in Aquinnah on Oct. 11. Smaller groups were also observed by Charles Morano (Squibnocket Pond and Tiasquam Valley Reservation), Chris Rimmer (Lighthouse Beach), Nancy Nordin (Gay Head Cliffs), and Bridget Dunnigan and Sea Williams (Hoft Farm).
Hooded Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Other thrushes this week include two hermit thrushes seen by Nancy Weaver and Bob Shriber at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 9, and a veery found by Nancy Nordin and Bob Shriber in a thicket in Aquinnah on Oct. 11.
October 11 was a busy day for arriving ducks. On that day Susan Whiting counted 16 ruddy ducks in Tisbury Great Pond, while Luanne Johnson, Shea Fee, Thaw Malin and Cynthia Bloomquist had three in nearby Long Cove.
Twelve observers spotted a large flock of 200 white-winged scoters and 19 red-breasted mergansers on Norton Point. Bridget Dunnigan and Sea Williams found 24 common eiders at Squibnocket Beach, one green-winged teal at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary, three American wigeon at Crystal Lake and 10 more wigeon at the Pumping Station. Luanne Johnson and Nancy Weaver observed 25 wigeon and two ring-necked ducks at the pumping station on Oct. 12.
Fish crows nest on the Island, but we have larger numbers of them from now through March. Sophia-Millicent Pierce-Cabral spotted the first of our winter resident fish crows, 35 of them, at the Lagoon Pond boat ramp on Oct. 10.
Indigo Bunting
Indigo Bunting
October marks the month that the migration of seed-eating birds really begins. This group includes finches, sparrows and buntings. Eight species in one day? Charles Morano did that, finding seven species of sparrows: one chipping, two field, four dark-eyed juncos, two white-throateds, one savannah, two song and five swamp sparrows at Squibnocket Pond on Oct. 9. Nancy Nordin did similarly well the next day at the Gay Head Cliffs: two chipping, one clay-colored, one field, one white-throated, one savannah, one Lincoln’s, two swamp and one dickcissel.
Other Lincoln’s sparrows were seen by David Padulo, who found one at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 10, and Bob Shriber and Nancy Nordin found one on Oct. 11, also at the Gay Head Cliffs.
Additional observations of clay-colored sparrows were made by Ruth Richards at Square Field in West Tisbury on Oct. 8, while sightings at the Gay Head Cliffs include Lisa Maxfield, Jay Adams, Ruth Richards, and David Padulo on Oct. 10, and Sea Williams and Bridget Dunnigan on Oct. 11.
David Padulo observed a first of the season white-crowned sparrow at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 10. Two purple finches were seen — Nancy Weaver spotted two at the Stone House on Lighthouse Road on Oct. 9, and Nancy Nordin and Bob Shriber spotted them again on Oct. 11.
Palm Warbler
Palm Warbler
At the Gay Head Cliffs, Bob Shriber spotted an indigo bunting on Oct. 9, and David Padulo found one on Oct. 10.
Charles Morano found two saltmarsh sparrows on Norton Point on Oct. 6. He also located seven white-throated sparrows at Tiasquam Valley Reservation Oct. 9. Nancy Weaver saw one on Oct. 9 at the Gay Head Cliffs, Sea Williams and Bridget Dunnigan watched one on Oct. 11, and Nancy Nordin and Bob Shriber found eight on Oct. 11.
Warbler migration peaks in September but is still going strong. Nancy Nordin spotted one hooded warbler (it is always exciting to see this elusive warbler) as well as one orange-crowned warbler, one palm warbler, two blackpoll warblers, one palm warbler, eight yellow-rumped warblers, one common yellowthroat and one northern parula, all at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 10. Only the latter two species are lingering summer residents.
White Crowned Sparrow
White Crowned Sparrow
Palm warblers are late arrivals that may linger into the winter. They were also seen by Charles Morano at Squibnocket Pond on Oct.9, Nancy Weaver had three at Tisbury Marketplace on Oct. 7, David Padulo at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 10, Nancy Nordin and Bob Shriber in Aquinnah, David Padulo had three at Katama Farm on Oct. 11, and Shea Fee located three at Katama Farm the next day.
Yellow-rumped warblers are also late season arrivals, staying through the winter. They were spotted by 14 observers, with a high count from David Meadows with 32 of them at Felix Neck on Oct. 11.
On Oct. 9, Charles Morano spotted one black-throated blue warbler at Tiasquam Valley Reservation, and on Oct. 11 Nancy Nordin and Bob Shriber spotted another in Aquinnah.
Nancy Weaver found a black-throated green warbler at Gay Head Moraine on Oct. 9, the same day that Bob Shriber found one in Aquinnah, while Emily Diamond and David Meadows saw one at Cedar Tree Neck on Oct. 11.
Charles Morano saw one blackpoll warbler at Squibnocket Pond on Oct. 9, and Ruth Richards and Jay Adams observed one Nashville warbler at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 10.
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Other interesting sightings include Shea Fee and Luanne Johnson observing a black-billed cuckoo near the beach at Long Point Oct. 11. This seems such an unusual location that I suspect it overshot the Vineyard but managed to beat its way back to shore once it realized it was over the ocean.
Bob Shriber spotted an indigo bunting at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 9, and Nancy Nordin and David Padulo found it again the next day. Nancy Nordin and Bob Shriber also saw one summer tanager in Aquinnah on Oct. 11.
Finally, ruby-crowned kinglets are always fun to find — they are so active in the shrub thickets! David Padulo found one along Deacon Vincent Way in Edgartown and another at South Beach on Oct. 6. Charles Morano located two at Squibnocket Pond on Oct. 9 Nancy Weaver watched one at the Stone House in Aquinnah on Oct. 9, as did Bob Shriber, Ruth Richards and Jay Adams on Oct. 10.
Please email your sightings to [email protected].
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven.
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