Migration can be interrupted by strong northeasters like we experienced last weekend. The website Birdcas (birdcast.info) uses radar to monitor the skies for migrating birds and posts the results. On the nights of Sept. 20 and Sept. 21 migration was above average in Maine and average in New Hampshire, Vermont and New York but virtually absent from the rest of New England. Migrants continued their journey, but flew around the storm rather than through it.
Storms can also influence migration—birds can be carried out of their normal range by the strong winds. While our northeaster was raging offshore, another low pressure storm was located south of Greenland. Another prediction from Birdcast: the combination of these adjacent storms could carry birds southwest (with the wind) from Greenland to us. They specifically mention the possibility that northern wheatears might be carried on those winds to appear on our shores this week. We shall see.
Both Matt Pelikan and I had the same idea to go out on Friday and Saturday to look for storm-driven birds. Ocean and Waban Parks both provide refuge from strong winds as the birds roost on the ground to get protection from the wind. On Sept. 20, I spotted five species of gulls in Ocean Park: 21 laughing gulls, 10 ring-billed gulls, 34 herring gulls, one great black-backed gull and one lesser black-backed gull—a good list but nothing exceptional. Matt Pelikan visited both parks and observed two greater yellowlegs, 17 laughing gulls, eight ring-billed gulls, eight herring gulls, one lesser black-backed gull in Waban Park and 17 laughing gulls, two ring-billed gulls, 12 herring gulls, three great black-backed gulls and one double-crested cormorant in Ocean Park. Bob Shriber also ventured out, visiting Squibnocket Beach on Sept. 21, and observed four species of terns: four black, two Forster’s, 16 common and three roseate. On Sept. 23, I observed seven Forster’s terns and one common tern, all perched on the shellfish rafts off Sepiessa Point. Good birds but not earth-shaking.
The most interesting species this week was observed by Charles Morano: two clay-colored sparrows at Katama Farm on Sept. 18. So starts the sparrow migration. We will see a lot more in the coming months.
In last week’s column, I pointed out the lack of large flocks of tree swallows. Well, they must have read that as the quartet of Susan Whiting, Bob Shriber, Cathy Paris and Stu Wilson observed a flock of 1,000 tree swallows at Tisbury Great Pond on Sept. 18.
A few ruby-throated hummingbirds are still hanging around. Shea Fee found one at Gay Head Cliffs and another at Squibnocket Pond, both on Sept. 15. Sept. 21 was a hummingbird day with five sightings: Sioux Eagle, TJ Hegarty and Rick Karney in West Tisbury, Mary Benefit in Chilmark and Wendy Culbert in Vineyard Haven each observed one in their yards that day.
Osprey are scarce now, but some are still around. On Sept. 16, Steve Allen reports two at Felix Neck, Nancy Nordin found two at Lake Tashmoo and Cynthia Bloomquist located three at the Gay Head cliffs. Steve Allen spotted one at Felix Neck Sept. 18 and Nancy Nordin observed one at Tashmoo on Sept. 20. The two young ospreys that had been frequenting Cedar Tree Neck have left. I did not hear their begging or see them over the weekend of Sept. 15, and have no reports of them since then.
Summer resident gray catbirds and eastern towhees are both still widespread, but slightly less common than they were. Bob Shriber spotted three along Lighthouse Road in Aquinnah on Sept. 16. There were multiple sightings on Sept. 17: Steve Allen one at Felix Neck, Bob Shriber 14 in Aquinnah, Peter Enrich eight at Tea Lane Farm, Cynthia Bloomquist one at her West Tisbury home and Al Sgroi one at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary. There were two sightings on Sept. 18: Charles Morano one at Katama Farm and Al Sgroi one at Gay Head Morraine. I spotted two at Town Cove on Sept. 20.
Eastern towhees appear to be slightly less abundant than catbirds. Steve Allen found two at Felix Neck Sept. 16, while the next day Peter Enrich observed six at Tea Lane Farm and Cynthia Bloomquist watched two at her West Tisbury home. On Sept. 20 Sioux Eagle spotted an immature male towhee that was molting from juvenile to adult plumage in West Tisbury and I saw two adult males at Town Cove.
Warblers and vireos are also scarce. Red-eyed vireo, common yellowthroat, American redstart, northern parula, black-and-white warbler, prairie warbler, pine warbler and palm warbler each had several sightings. Bob Shriber observed a white-eyed vireo and a northern waterthrush in Aquinnah Sept. 16. Nancy Nordin had a busy few days, spotting a blue-headed vireo at the Gay Head cliffs Sept. 17, two black-throated blue warblers on Sept. 18 and one ovenbird on Sept. 19, both in her West Tisbury yard. And for good measure, showing how productive her yard is, she observed a veery—a thrush—on Sept. 16.
John Nelson saw two lingering black skimmers in Sengekontacket Pond on Sept. 15.
Common ravens are year-round residents. On Sept. 1, Jennifer Slossberg found two near a seal carcass on Philbin Beach and one off Middle Line Road in Chilmark. Shea Fee observed one at Cape Pogue on Sept. 3 and two at Long Point. On Sept. 6, I watched three flying acrobatically at Cedar Tree Neck on Sept. 8 and two at the same location on Sept. 22. Dave Oster saw one at Great Plains Road in West Tisbury on Sept. 10, Matt Born spotted one at Clay Pit Road in Aquinnah on Sept. 13, and John Nelson watched two at Katama Farm on Sept. 15. Listen for their distinctive croaking; they range over most of the Vineyard!
Please email your sightings to birds@vineyardgazette.com.
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant with Nature Watch living in Vineyard Haven.
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