The Canada geese you hear caterwauling overhead are not going south. They are in fact local Islanders, offspring of Canada geese that were lured and trapped here by hunters years ago, and are now the targets of hunters during the early Canada goose hunting season, which began Labor Day. These are the ones that mess up your golf courses, farms, lawns and poison the ponds.The state initiated this special hunting season to eradicate these outliers. The migrating, genuinely wild geese fly way up high. Now that you know this, don’t let it stop you from enjoying those melancholy, poignant sights and sounds of early fall.

Josie Francoise and Tyler Lucas from Salt Lake City are here visiting Josie’s aunt and uncle Allen and Lynne Whiting, and were treated to a big family dinner party on their arrival. Four more couples, all from Utah, arrived a couple of days later to help their friend Josie celebrate her 40th birthday. The visitors are staying at various family properties on the Tisbury Great Pond.

Note to fishermen and others: the Great Pond is open.

September is the new June, the busy wedding month on the Vineyard. Congratulations to those who have been married for a while. Happy anniversary to Julia Stunkel and Glenn Stalgren Monday, September 9, and to Sean Conley and Terry Mello, Thursday, September 12. Also Todd Gill and Dana Hollinshead on the September 8.

Phyllis Meras held her annual Labor Day cocktail party on the weekend. Her back yard was filled with neighbors and old friends, most of whom expressed relief to see the end of an exhausting summer of tick diseases, humidity, traffic,the lot. The hostess is a chipper and youthful 93, and is not complaining about the humidity, the traffic, the lot.

Do you wish you could legitimately take a good look at some of the gazillionaire waterfront properties on this island? The West Tisbury Conservation Commission is looking for one full member and two associate members. The committee visits the sites twice a month and holds meetings a few days later. Call Maria at 508-696-6404 if you want to participate, officially.

A reminder to parents: Picture-taking day at the West Tisbury School is Wednesday, September 11. Holiday card stuffers for distant relatives, perhaps?

Up-Island seniors will celebrate their annual lobster picnic Sunday, September 9, at noon, in Menemsha. Please register in advance at the senior center.

Update on the hummingbirds. After a slow start, by mid-August we had eight or ten birds playing three-dimensional tag in front of the feeder. With frequent trips to the nectar supply, they were draining the tank in record time. Then suddenly, they were gone. All but one little guy who missed the bus. He dolefully paced back and forth (if a bird in flight can pace) pausing now and again for a drink. I hope that when he left the other day, he was invited to join another flock. He is so very small, and it’s a long trip south to Mexico, where I know he is headed, unlike the duplicitous year-round geese mentioned above.