Birding is exciting, as Lanny McDowell discussed in last week’s column. For example, just about everybody — even admitted non-birders — is excited to see a snowy owl, even if they have already seen one many times. They are so bulky and powerful, and so rare until these past few winters, that adrenaline flows when we see one, even if only a distant view.
Sighting a common raven also generates excitement because they are not yet very common on the Island. The fourth ever sighting of a raven is now; previous sightings are from April 2014, November 2016 and September 2017. On March 12, Jody Angevin, Margaret Curtin and David Dandridge heard its distinctive croaking as it flew along the Vineyard Haven side of Lagoon Pond and they caught a glimpse of the large crow-like bird. And Dick Johnson spotted a raven at the high school on March 8, while a few weeks back a possible raven was reported near DeBettencourt’s Garage in Oak Bluffs. Please keep an eye out for this large and bulky corvid with its heavy beak and fan-shaped tail.
Exciting also describes seeing our first osprey of the year, a true harbinger of the coming spring. It is ever so appropriate that Dick Jennings, a long-time tireless observer of nesting ospreys across the island, was the first person to see an osprey this year. He spotted the osprey on March 12, as it flew over Head of the Pond Road in Oak Bluffs, probably heading to nearby Duarte’s Pond.
Another first for the year is Luanne Johnson’s sighting of two greater yellowlegs in the salt marsh next to Pecoy Point on March 11. There were also two killdeer along the shoreline of Farm Neck golf course. These shorebird sightings mean that their northward migration is now underway, and it is always exciting to see yet another sign of the approaching spring, especially since I am writing this during the March 13 nor’easter blizzard.
Finding any species for the first time this year is exciting. This year’s arrivals include red-winged blackbirds singing in marshes, woodcock courtship, killdeer and even grackles. American oystercatchers are the next eagerly anticipated arrivals, with many more species to come as the spring finally arrives.
I also find it exciting to record when our seasonal residents depart, as our winter residents are now starting to do. Conspicuous species that will soon depart include the about 20 fish crows hanging out in downtown Vineyard Haven (are the commuter crows still commuting?), snowy owls, peregrine falcons, snow geese (here through the winter for the first time in quite a while), the brant in Ocean Park, and many other species of waterfowl.
Bird Sightings
John Nelson reports that three snow geese are still hanging out in the fields of Katama. He spotted them in with some Canada geese on March 11. Holly Mercier, John Zannini and I also spotted these three white geese. Mr. Nelson also observed a flock of 23 horned larks as they dipped and darted in unison around the fields of the Farm Institute, as well as three harlequin ducks and four great cormorants at Squibnocket Beach.
Despite its name, a common merganser is not common on the Island. Lisa Maxfield reports finding one at Brush Pond on March 11, an unusual location as they are generally found in a few of the South Shore ponds.
Martha Moore reports that the juvenile and sub-adult bald eagles were again perched on the osprey pole at Long Point on March 11. It will be interesting to watch what happens when that osprey pair returns and finds that the much larger eagles use “their” pole. She also reports a common loon in the cove next to the osprey pole.
Finally, we have pictures of the barred owl that is holding court in various locations around Edgartown. Lanny McDowell found and photographed it on Planting Field Way on March 9. While we have recordings of their call, which confirms their presence, it is nice to finally see the owl and get photographs of it.
Gus Ben David reports that he still has a flock of about 10 pine warblers and 10 eastern bluebirds visiting his feeders every day. They have been visiting since late January. To have that many pine warblers in one yard in the winter is extraordinary.
On a visit to Great Rock Bight and other north shore sites, the foursome of Happy and Steve Spongberg, their house guest, and Nancy Weaver found six purple sandpipers, a great cormorant, common goldeneye, bufflehead, black ducks, black scoter and common eider. Good to hear about the purple sandpipers as we have had very few reports of them this winter.
On a rainy and windy Feb. 25, I spotted a bird sitting in a salt marsh at Farm Pond that I could not identify (yes, an exciting moment). It was black and white and slightly smaller than a black duck (which of course is not black). On March 10, Gus Ben David called and resolved the mystery as a colleague reported a strange bird on a road near Major’s Cove. The bird he rescued was a very weak thick-billed murre which he is trying to rehabilitate. This is likely the bird I saw, and has been reported several times from Sengekontacket Pond and Lagoon Pond. This pelagic species is not common near shore, so it is surprising that John Nelson found another thick-billed murre — already dead — on the beach at Harthaven.
Our many winter residents are starting to depart and spring is in the air. Even in blizzards birds are singing and spring migrants are starting to show up. Please report your sightings to birds@mvgazette.com.
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven.
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