This weekend begins the Christmas Bird Count season across the United States, which occurs annually between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5. On Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, Martha’s Vineyard will host our 60th Christmas Bird Count. Thirteen teams will begin searching their territories in the wee hours of the morning listening for hooting owls and continue counting every bird they hear and see until sunset. These hardy souls all gather at the end of the day to share stories and tally all of the birds counted. Last year, foul weather produced fewer fowl for us to count, so let’s hope the weather is better this year.
If you would like to share a bird list from your bird feeder, the list should have the species of birds visiting your feeder and the highest count of each species that you were able to see together. For example, if you see two black capped chickadees every time you look out the window, report two black capped chickadees as highest count you have for that species. Instructions and data sheets can be downloaded at biodiversityworksmv.org/mvcbc.
On Jan. 4, email your feeder list to mvbirdcount@gmail.com or call 800-690-0993 ext. 0 and read your list to a volunteer at BiodiversityWorks between 1 and 4 pm. All are welcome at the Island tally, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Mary P. Wakeman Center in Vineyard Haven.
Bird Sightings
The highlights of this week were a striking lark sparrow Lanny McDowell found on Dec. 5, and the first snowy owl of the season Robert Culbert spotted at Norton Point on Dec. 8. Margaret Curtin and I tracked down Lanny’s lark sparrow in the right fork parking lot on the morning of Dec. 8 where it was in the company of a grasshopper sparrow in a loose flock of song and savannah sparrows. These sparrows had quite the fan club as Robert Culbert joined Margaret and me, and Jeff Bernier photographed the sparrows later in the day. While it is late in the season for a grasshopper sparrow, the species is known in the area. Lark sparrows are another story entirely. These robust sparrows with strong facial stripes and patterns are typically seen in the western U.S, but a few drift east annually. Typically, one or two are seen each fall on the Island, but in September or October. This is a late fall record, but Vineyard Birds II lists one winter record in January 1978, and another odd record in mid-April 1963.
In other bird news, Gus Ben David reports he has 18 turkey vultures coming in to feed on a deer carcass at his place and two young bald eagles are flying over periodically, casing the joint. Perhaps they will make an appearance on the ground soon. On a foray up-Island, Gus enjoyed the company of a few red-breasted nuthatches when he was up in a tree stand. These nuthatches are uncommon so far this winter. Early in the week, Susan Wilson had an unusual duck visit her barnyard in Edgartown — a northern pintail. She snapped a lovely photo and shared it on the MV Bird Alert Facebook group on Dec. 2.
On Dec. 4, Dana Bangs found a northern gannet in Menemsha, tree swallows at Squibnocket, and a hermit thrush along Moshup’s trail. On the 5th, he reported a greater yellowlegs and 35 fish crows off of Skiff avenue. Margaret Curtin and Greg Palermo observed a peregrine falcon on top of the Old
Whaling Church on Dec. 7, and again on Dec. 8. With plenty of pigeons around downtown Edgartown, this peregrine is probably well fed.
Sunday, Dec. 8 was a busy day for birders around the Island. John Nelson reported a dozen savannah sparrows, 21 horned larks and a northern harrier in the Farm Institute fields.
Bob Shriber and Lanny McDowell were out on Cape Pogue where they observed long-tailed duck, brant, the scoter trifecta (surf, black, and white-winged), horned grebes, an Ipswich sparrow, hermit thrush, and a palm warbler.
Margaret Curtin and I saw another palm warbler by the Right Fork Diner that morning as well as a flock of bluebirds and six pine warblers in various plumages at the Frisbee golf meadow in the State Forest.
Susan Shea observed a great blue heron flying over her house and Mike Ditchfield photographed a lovely yellow-bellied sapsucker in Dark Woods. Meanwhile, Nathaniel Marchessault, Chelsea Hedderig and Peter Jacobson worked up-Island sites finding several gray catbirds, a brown thrasher and a winter wren in addition to many winter regulars.
It’s a great time of year to work on your bird identification. Whether you choose to focus on sparrows, waterfowl or gulls, there are plenty to choose from that will keep you busy with your binoculars and field guide, and you can often bird from the warmth of your car. Given the number of birders reporting to the MV bird alert and eBird, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding some birding buddies. I hope to see some of you out and about in the coming weeks.
Luanne Johnson is a wildlife biologist and Director of BiodiversityWorks, a conservation non-profit located in Vineyard Haven.
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