The longest daylight of the year was on June 21, which is relevant to this column because the volume and frequency of birds singing quiets considerably. To hear maximum bird song, it is necessary to get up earlier, closer to sunrise.
The decrease in bird song was obvious at Great Rock Bight on June 20. Emma Vanlohuizen, Amelia Simmons, Anne Culbert and I did not hear even one great crested flycatcher singing even though they are fairly common there. Only catbirds and towhees seemed to be calling at spring frequencies. We also spotted a pair of hairy woodpeckers moving around the entrance to a possible nest cavity in an oak tree.
This week there is only one new species. Nathaniel Sharp spotted a broad-winged hawk as it flew across the road near the southeast corner of the state forest on June 17. This species is a transient that does not nest here, but they are now seen in late spring every year, suggesting that that they may be nesting here. He also reports a black tern is with the common and roseate terns that congregate there. And Susan McCoy spotted a lone black tern at Lower Makoniky on June 5, again with common and roseate terns.
Green-winged teal occasionally nest in small numbers on the Island so a June 18 report of this species by Dana Bangs from Butler’s Mud Hole, between Eel Pond and Sheriff’s Pond, is very interesting. He also spotted two chimney swifts and two killdeer there.
Luanne Johnson reports two singing northern parulas along Putnam Road in Chilmark on June 16. This warbler is here in small numbers, especially along the north shore and Fulling Mill Brook. We have not found evidence of nesting.
Bobolinks continue to be at Katama Farm, across Aero avenue from the solar array. On June 16 John Nelson saw three bobolinks. Nathaniel Sharp spotted one the next day. The tall grasses there this year make it an ideal place to nest. But are they? John Nelson reports four eastern kingbirds, 11 Savannah sparrows and 14 goldfinches. I spotted the latter species there last week in large numbers. They are late nesters that specialize on thistle seeds, both in the wild and at your feeders.
There have been two more sightings of snowy egrets, both on June 19. Maureen and Bill Post spotted one at the Edgartown Golf Club and Sarah Becker found one along Lagoon Pond.
On June 14, Jeanne Tunnell observed barn owl, great egret, saltmarsh sparrow, mute swan with cygnet and cedar waxwings at Felix Neck. The Thursday morning early birders program has returned. On June 17 their highlight was a northern harrier. Steve Allen also saw six cedar waxwings on June 18.
Bob Shriber had a white-eyed vireo at Old South Road as of June 17. Bridget Dunnigan and Sea Williams spotted male ring-necked pheasant and a brown creeper in the state forest on June 15. Mike Tinus heard a whip-poor-will calling from his Oak Bluffs house on June 18. Michael Goione found a flock of 14 common eiders at Lucy Vincent on June 16, while John Nelson spotted two on June 21.
On June 13, Marquisandro Robadel observed 10 turkey vultures on the ground in a recently mowed field. Why were there so many there and what were they eating? Usually there would be an obvious carcass to attract them.
On to the breeding birds. Sharon Simonin watched a family of downy woodpeckers at her suet feeder. The adult male was taking suet and feeding a youngster next to it on June 19. A family of house sparrows is in a nest box in her yard. Michael Goione saw a house sparrow attending a nest near the Menemsha Inn on June 17.
Lisa Phelan had a song sparrow nest between an outside light and the house back on May 29. Seems an odd place to nest.
We finally confirmed that fish crow nest here. On June 20 I spotted three fish crows on Circuit Avenue. It would be nice to discover where they are nesting.
Baltimore orioles are starting to fledge young now. Jeff Bernier reports that the two pairs at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary both fledged chicks on June 18. Doreen McCabe had both an immature and adult male on that day.
Jeff Bernier observed two roseate terns mating near the Little Beach tern colony on June 16. About 30 roseates were loafing there. Peter Bernard observed a killdeer performing a broken wing display at the Vineyard Golf Club on June 17, so they are nesting there.
Please email your sightings to birds@mvgazette.com.
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant with Nature Watch LLC living in Vineyard Haven.
Comments
Comment policy »