The unexpected sighting of a bridled tern by three observers in three different locations on July 29 is only the fourth report of this species on the Vineyard. The other three sightings were all after hurricanes in the 1990s. Lanny McDowell and Susan Whiting found two at Katama on Sept. 17 1999, after Hurricane Floyd blew by. There were two other sightings in the 1990s, one by Allan Keith and A. Goldman south of Nomans Land, and two reports after Hurricane Bob on August 20, 1991 — Allan Keith found two at Lobsterville and Susan Whiting and Flip Harrington saw one at Quansoo.
But there is more detail to this current sighting. Shea Fee posted two photos of the bridled tern on MV Bird Alert (Facebook) on July 29. The photos were taken by Beverly Wright at 6:30 a.m. in her yard and were close-up views with the tern filling most of the image. Beverly Wright later commented that she was able to get the close-up photos because the tern stayed in her Aquinnah yard interacting with her dog for about half an hour, allowing her to get within one foot of the bird to take pictures. Her dog Mishe thought the tern was playing!
Bob Shriber saw the bird next, at 7:10 near the Moshup Beach drop off, as it flew east towards Squibnocket. At 8:40, Jane Katch spotted and photographed the tern at Squibnocket Beach where it perched on the back of a yellow lab.
Will Lauder and Liam Norton posted on the Facebook page that this tropical tern is probably the same one that was hanging out in Scituate from July 10 to July 25, as it too seemed to have an attitude about dogs. Jenny Marachal commented in her ebird report that she observed it attempting to land on the back of a golden retriever.
So how many bridled terns were in New England in July? Sky Kardell and many others spotted one at Horseneck Beach on June 17, and Peter Trimble, Blair Nikula and others found one at First Encounter Beach on Cape Cod on July 8.
In Maine there also were multiple reports of a bridled tern at Eastern Egg Rock from July 6 to July 23, near Biddeford from July 14 to July 31, and at Isle of Shoals between July 10 and July 24. There were at least two terns, maybe more.
And for good measure, one was present at Mecox Inlet on eastern Long Island from July 4 to July 27.
I appreciate those who email me with their sightings, even though they do not always make it into the next bird news column — some of the following sightings have been waiting in my inbox for a week or two.
John Banks reports that he had a Merlin circling overhead as it was being mobbed by crows at Waterview Farm on July 20. Then on July 28, Anne Whiting watched a merlin feeding a squawking fledgling at the seventh tee at Farm Neck Golf Club — not very far from Waterview Farm. In other news of hawks, Tim Leland reports that six ospreys were circling over the southern end of Pocha Pond on July 26, and Richard Goldenberg spotted a northern harrier in Katama on July 25.
Terry Appenzellar emailed to report a flock of 10 brown thrashers that spent half an hour foraging on our Oak Bluffs lawn near Crystal Lake on July 24. I do not recall ever hearing of that many thrashers in one flock. Warren Woessner reports highlights of spotting the continuing glaucous gull at Eel Pond on July 13 and a spotted sandpiper at John Butler’s Mudhole on July 24. Zack O’Connor joined him on August 2 and they observed two green herons and a belted kingfisher at John Butler’s Mudhole.
Sanderlings are apparently consistent migrants. Philip Edmundson located his first along the Edgartown and West Tisbury shoreline on August 1, and over the past few years they have first appeared on the first few days of August and not July.
I heard an eastern wood-pewee singing frequently at Cedar Tree Neck on August 1, and watched as it fed at least one fledgling. At least two individuals were singing on both July 25 and August 1. On August 1 at Cedar Tree Neck, I also saw a prairie warbler continually wagging its tail — a trait I usually associate with palm warblers.
On July 30, Felix Neck’s early birders had another amazing walk with nine birders finding 42 species. Here are some highlights: two semipalmated plovers, two laughing gulls, three yellow-crowned night-herons, one fish crow, and four saltmarsh sparrows. On the July 23 walk they counted at least eight female and juvenile Baltimore Orioles, two ovenbirds, two common yellowthroats, four northern yellow warblers, one pine warbler and one prairie warbler.
Which of the following five species are the most widespread in July: American robin, American goldfinch, black-capped chickadee, eastern towhee or gray catbird? This brief analysis compares the number of places where ebird reports they were found. Carolina wrens were seen at 21 places, towhee were found at 38 sites, robins were spotted at 47 locations, chickadees were observed at 50 areas, catbirds were discovered at 55 places, and goldfinches were reported at 64 sites. That ordering surprises me! This analysis does not consider how many individuals were counted, but both Tim Leland and I have observed more goldfinches than usual at this time of the year.
Please email your sightings to birds@vineyardgazette.com.
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven.
This article appears in August 7, 2026.