Chipping sparrows are common. Axelrein Teoste spotted one behind the Chappaquiddick community center on July 30. The next day David Benvent and Bob Shriber found four in Aquinnah, Seth Buddy saw two on the West Chop beaches and Andrew Fischer had two at Lobsterville. Andrew Fischer located two along Lighthouse Road and Charles Morano observed one along Donaldbin Close, both on August 1, on August 2.
Andrew Fischer watched another along the Dr Fisher Road in West Tisbury, Philip Edmjundson had two at the Watcha Pond beach on August 7, and William Buswell saw three along Old Fields Path on August 8.
Savannah sparrows are a less common grasslands species. David Benvent and Bob Shriber saw one in Aquinnah on July 31, Leifus Beefus located one at Katama Farm on August 3, Philip Edmundson spotted one on the Edgartown and West Tisbury beaches on August 5, and the early birders group found two at Felix Neck on August 6.
Braden, Mark, Andrew and Merrill Eppedio and Quang Pham watched two eastern bluebirds at the farmers’ market on August 1, Rich Couse found at least one in the western State Forest on August 7, and Miles Quarterman saw one adult with four fledglings at Felix Neck on August 8.
In other thrush news, Jennifer Slossberg spotted one wood thrush near Tea Lane Farm on August 1
Charles Morano located one belted kingfisher at Priester’s Pond on August 1, Charles Morano found another at the pumping station on August 6. and Ashley Casciotti and Kyleigh Miklos discovered one at the Cape Poge Gut on August 2.
Great crested flycatchers and eastern kingbirds are frequently found across the Island even though their singing is greatly reduced. They have been reported at: Church avenue in Oak Bluffs (Peter Vrooman, two, July 30); Sengekontacket Road (Claire C., three, August 1 and Joann Rieselbach, one, August 1 and August 6); Felix Neck (Steve Allen, one, July 31 and early birders, one, August 6); Donaldbin Close (Charles Morano, one. August 1); Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary (David Padulo, three, August 4); Tea Lane (Bridget Dunnigan and Sea Williams, one, August 4); Aquinnah (David Benvent and Bob Shriber, two, July 31, Andrew Fischer, two, August 1); Aquinnah/Squibnocket area (David Benvent, four, August 4); and Buttonwood Farm Road (Will Turner, one, August 1).
Eastern kingbirds are also widespread: Aquinnah area (David Benvent and Bob Shriber, three, July 31, Andrew, Brayden, Mark and Merrill Eppedio, and Quang Pham, one, August 1 and MV Bird Club, one, August 2, David Benvent, four, August 4, and Ray Canning, one, August 4); Mink Meadows beaches (Seth Buddy, one, August 1 and August 2); western state forest (Rich Cous, August 7), Felix Neck (early birders, two, August 6); Caroline Tuthill Preserve (Miles Quarterman, three, August 7); Eel Pond (William Buswell and David Benvent, one, August 8); Norton Point (Jeff Peters, one, kingbird August 6); Chappaquiddick beaches (Gabby W., two, August 2 and Robert Gold, one, August 3); West Tisbury south shore (Philip Edmundson, two, August 8); Long Point (Nick Teague, one, August 6). These two species contrast to the one sighting of one eastern phoebe this week, seen by Thaw Malin and Cynthia Bloomquist at home on August 5.
Screech owls are calling more frequently now. Single individuals have been heard by Olsen Houghton at his Vineyard Haven home on July 31, Seth Buddy at his Vineyard Haven home on August 1 and 2, Jennifer Slossberg along Middle Line Road on August 2, David Benvent in the Aquinnah/Squibnocket area on August 4 and Nick Teague at Seven Gates on August 4.
How often do we observe a bird leaving the Island? Seth Buddy, Janet Woodcock and Nancy Weaver observed it on Augiust 1 when a little blue heron flew over the freshwater pond on West Chop/Mink Meadows beaches and then headed northeast across Vineyard Sound. A little blue remains here, as Miles Quarterman reports one was still at Felix Neck on August 8.
Common loons are hanging around this summer. David Benvent and Bob Shriber found four from Aquinnah on July 31. From Lobsterville Andrew Fischer spotted two on July 31 and David Meadows and Emily Diamond observed four on August 8. David Benvent observed three from the Aquinnah/Squibnocket area on August 4.
Cynthia Bloomquist and Thaw Malin observed a flock of 79 laughing gulls circling high in the air above their home on July 31, as the gulls were foraging among swarms of flying insects! Terns are also known to seek out such swarms of insects.
More conventional sightings of laughers come from across the Island: Aquinnah (David Benvent and Bob Shriber, 25, July 31, Cormac Hart, two, July 31, Andrew Fischer, four, July 31, Andrew Fischer, three, August 1); MV Bird Club, six, August 2, Charles Morano, six, August 2, David Benvent 65, August 4, and Janet Woodcock and Nancy Weaver, four, August 8); Cedar Tree Neck/Seven Gates (Nick Teague, two, August 2 and Rob Bierregaard, one, August 3); Tisbury Great Pond (Nick Teague, five, August 5 and Susan Whiting, William Buswell and David Benvent, one, August 8); Edgartown harbor (Eppedio family and Quang Pham, one, July 30 and Eileen B., two, August 2); Eel Pond (William Buswell and David Benvent, 25, August 8); Chappaquiddick (Ashley Casciotti and Kyleigh Miklos, two, August 2, Charles Morano, 26, August 5, and Robert Gold, three, August 8); Norton Point (Ruth Richards, six, July 30, Nancy Weaver, six, July 31, and Andrew Eppedio and David Benvent, three, August 1); Mink Meadows/West Chop beaches (Seth Buddy, Nancy Weaver and Janet Woodcock, 259, August 1), and Watcha Pond (Philip Edmundson, three, August 1).
Migrant white-rumped sandpipers have arrived on their southbound migration. Leifus Beefus spotted three at Norton Point on August 3, Charles Morano found three at Little Neck on August 5, and Jeff Peters saw one at Norton Point on August 6.
Please email your sightings to birds@vineyardgazette.com.
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven.
This article appears in August 14, 2026.