As migration slows down our attention shifts to nesting. We pay attention to watching interesting behaviors hoping to confirm that they are producing youngsters.
But first, some unexpected sightings. Jeremy Cowan observed a common nighthawk flying around Philbin Beach as it was getting dark on June 4. Despite its name, it is not a common sighting on the Island, especially in the spring. They are migrating through as Kat Tabit and Samuel Harris saw and photographed one on Nantucket on June 3. Nick Dorian found one at dusk hunting over Nauset Beach in Orleans on June 6.
John Nelson briefly spotted a Mississippi Kite at Katama Farm on June 5, as it flew toward him, passing about 50 feet over his head, toward the silo.
Bob Shriber saw an unusual plumage (called Portlandica) on a one-year-old least tern at Dogfish Bar on June 5. It was distinguished from other leasties by lacking a dark cap and having a dark carpal (wing) bar. Portlandica plumages are more commonly seen on common terns.
The final unexpected species for this week is an adult black-legged kittiwake. This bird should be in a nesting colony in the Gulf of St. Lawrence by now, but I saw one clearly about 100 yards out to sea at Squibnocket Pond Reservation South on June 6. This species, smaller than a herring gull, has wingtips looking like they were dipped into black ink. There were also three adult lesser black-backed gulls roosting on the beach with herring gulls.
Mark Lennihan had his lawn sprinkler going and watched six cedar waxwings as they fluttered about in the branches getting a cool bath in Vineyard Haven on June 5. Moving water attracts birds.
There were 10 sightings of chimney swifts across the Island: Duarte’s Pond (Jeff Peters June 1); Grove avenue (Laura Lennihan, May 25); West Chop Woods (Jeff Peters, June 4); Sunset Lake (Steve Robey, June 6); big bridge (Lane Pearson, June 1); Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary (Derron Hagy-Weatherbee, May 26); Katama Farm (Shea Fee, May 31 and Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee, June 4); West Tisbury village cemetery (Jeff Peters, June 6); and Beetlebung Corner (Roger Cook, May 28).
Green herons are also widespread. The MV Bird Club spotted one at Long Point on June 1, and Nick Teague saw two there on June 2. Isaiah Lock found two at the northeast end of Lagoon Pond on June 2, Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee observed one at Felix Neck on June 3 and Matt Blades watched one there on June 6.
Nancy Weaver located one at Squibnocket Pond on June 4, Bob Shriber had one at Crackatuxet Cove on June 4, Jeff Peters watched one at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary on June 4, and Nancy Weaver and Janet Woodcock found two on Norton Point on June 5. Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee spotted two at Dike bridge on June 5, and Jake Fitzpatrick saw one on Norton Point on June 6.
There were five sightings of Cooper’s hawks recently. On May 18, Nick Teague found one at Great Rock Bight and Kayla Smith observed one along Schoolhouse Road that day.
Pam and Rob Davey saw one at Menemsha Hills on May 23, Jeff Peters spotted one at Duarte’s Pond on June 1 and Nick Teague watched one at Seven Gates on June 5.
Helena Firlings spotted one belted kingfisher at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary on May 31, Nancy Weaver watched one at Squibnocket Pond on June 4 and Matt Blades saw one at Felix Neck on June 6.
Kingfishers were reported at only four other sites (Hoft Farm, Sepiessa Point, Lucy Vincent and Squibnocket Pond Reservation North) in May, which seems unexpectedly low.
American crows and blue jays are the two most common corvids everywhere. Fish crows are the next most abundant. Chris Schmandt watched one at John Butler’s Mudhole on May 20, Jeff Peters observed two in downtown Vineyard Haven on May 31, Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee located one near Sengekontacket Pond on June 3 and two at Dike Bridge on June 5. Valerie Bourdeau had three at Eel Pond on June 5, and Steve Robey saw one at Sunset Lake on June 6.
Common ravens are even more scarce. Sea Williams and Bridget Dunniugan spotted one at High Point Lane on May 26, Nick Teague found one in Menemsha Hills on May 27 and I heard one croaking at Squibnocket Pond Reservation South on June 3.
Song sparrows are incredibly common, with an unsurprising 33 ebird reports for the first week of June. Chipping sparrows are the second most common sparrow, with 18 reports from the first week of June. Too many sightings to report here.
Other sparrows are considerably less common. Shea Fee carefully counted 29 Savannah sparrows at Katama Farm on May 31, the MV Bird Club found six at Long Point on June 1, Luke Ulicny found some at Wasque on June 6, and the quartet of Mason Bunker, Ben and Chris Schmandt and Katherine Rosenfeld located two at the James Pond Preserve on June 7.
Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee counted four saltmarsh sparrows in northern Sengekontacket Pond on June 4, while Matt Blades observed two at Felix Neck on June 6.
At the Hoft Farm and the adjacent Duarte’s Pond, Luanne Johnson and Shea Fee discovered one rose-breasted grosbeak on May 31. Jeff Peters found it again the next day, and Rob and Pam Davey found one there on June 7.
This week there have been sightings of successful nesting. Osprey chicks hatched at Felix Neck on May 28, Lisa Maxfield observed three American oystercatcher chicks from Tashmoo Beach on June 2, Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee reports young turkeys at Felix Neck on June 4, Bob Shriber counted four cygnets at Crackatuxet Cove on June 4, and the quartet of Mason Bunker, Katherine Rosenfield, and Ben and Chris Schmandt found a killdeer nest with four eggs at the Gay Head Cliffs on June 6.
Please email your sightings to birds@vineyardgazette.com.
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven.