The internet is a great boon to birders. We can share our sightings daily, or if you are really intent, hourly. The net is also a way to keep birders honest.

The American oystercatchers and piping plovers are back on Island. These shorebirds are of concern wherever they are due to a combination of evils. The local Audubon Society in Martin County, Fla., asked me to help with a survey of piping plovers on a flat just inside the St. Lucie Inlet in Stuart, Fla. Unlike the Vineyard plovers, the Stuart piping plovers are not affected by over sand vehicles, skunks or raccoons. It is impossible for any of the above to ford the St. Lucie River. Instead the plovers are at risk of losing their habitat to winter residents who wish to augment their eroding beaches.

The Okavango Delta was by far my favorite spot in Botswana and maybe of our whole Namibia/Botswana trip. I am not sure that Paul Magid and Anita Botti would agree, but Flip Harrington and I loved it. Our first tented camp was very strange, and if this had been our only stop my opinion of Botswana and the Okavango Delta would have been very different! We were greeted by three dogs of various mixed breeds. There was a tank of tilapia fish next to the desk where we checked in. When we returned from our tents after stowing our gear, there was an otter in the hall of the dinning area eating a fish. We sat down at the table for dinner and the otter scurried around our feet. Then, as we were about to be served, a full-grown goat appeared in the kitchen and promptly climbed up on a box about three feet square! This is where the goat was fed its bottle when young and has definitely been imprinted. Get on box, get fed. After dinner we went into the “lounge” to find the goat on a soft chair “sitting” next to the owner watching satellite TV. Oh, boy!

Our adventures in Botswana will have to wait for next week as the birds take precedence.

Bird Sightings:

We appear to have a new early record for the sighting of an osprey over the Island. Will and Sue Geresy of Chappaquiddick spotted a very high flying osprey over Poucha Pond on Chappaquiddick on March 1. The bird was heading north and the Geresys heard the bird call once as it flew by.

Four intrepid travelers from the Vineyard met in Atlanta, Ga. and climbed on a plane to cross the Atlantic. Eighteen hours later, after a stop in Dakar, they arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa. They dropped their gear in their rooms, gathered in one room, turned on CNN and watched Obama’s inaugural address. Afterwards they supped on king klip, a delicious South Africa fish and tried South African beer and wine. A very civilized and relaxing evening as we figured our birding and game safari in Namibia and Botswana would not be so mellow. Little did we know.

Cold weather brings our birds into feeders and bird baths. Please keep your feeders full, especially the suet feeders, and also try to provide some open water for our feathered friends.

Bird Sightings