It’s cold outside. Bring on the vagrants!
It’s mid December on Martha’s Vineyard and a terrific time for birdwatchers to be extra alert for vagrants. Vagrants in ornithological speak are birds that have been blown off their usual migratory range. Winter’s dramatic weather can bring uncommon unexpected migrants to the Island.
Birdwatchers learn that a good way to find an unusual bird is to become familiar with the common ones. Figure out what vagrants are possible and there is a better chance an uncommon or rarity can be discovered.
For example, there are large flocks of Canada geese seen Island-wide. Look through them carefully and detect if any bird looks a little different. Canada geese are good because the male and female are similar. You want to find an uncommon goose that has attached itself to the flock. Is it larger or smaller? Any color or shape difference? Are there any clues that make you take a second look? On Martha’s Vineyard, of course there are brant, but there may also be a barnacle goose, a white fronted goose, snow goose, Ross’s goose or a smaller version of the Canada goose called a cackling goose. Learn these species and you have a better shot at differentiating them from the common Canada and discovering a vagrant.
This concept holds true for many bird families and species. Study those common birds and you may encounter a rare one.
Another example is our common sparrows, especially song, Savannah and white throated sparrows. Get to know these well and you will see a bird that needs your attention.
In the greater scaup flocks look for a bird with a dark back and it could be a tufted duck and within those mute swans find a tundra swan.
Lately, many waterfowl have been seen in the fresh, salt water and brackish ponds. The pond next to the Squibnocket parking lot has had a good variety. There are many greater and lesser scaup, hooded, red-breasted, two common mergansers, mute swans, green winged teal and an occasional American widgeon. Even a common gallinule has been enjoyed by many birders. Charlie Morano, Nancy Nordin, Chris Scott, Thaw Mailin and Cynthia Blomquist were lucky to see the common gallinule as it swam in and out of the reeds.
On Wednesday, Dec. 18, Tisbury Great Pond was opened to the ocean and Chris Scott birded town cove in West Tisbury to see the duck show. There are approximately 100 mallards with pintails, gadwalls, wood ducks and green winged teal sprinkled in, to name a few.
Also on Wednesday, Chris Scott was at Quansoo farm and had a good group of birds that included two meadowlarks.
Shea Fee was birding at Long Point Wildlife Refuge and had a nice diverse group of bird species highlighted with a razorbill auk. Razorbills have been scarce this winter but if you can get out early and watch the ocean there is a good chance you can be rewarded. On a brief look early Friday there were 36 in Aquinnah off Moshup Trail.
At Katama Ken Magnuson found a kestrel on Dec. 18. On Dec 19 Nancy Weaver saw a fox sparrow at Tashmoo Springs.
In Menemsha harbor, besides the regular herring there were ring billed and great black-back gulls, bonaparte gulls and a very late common tern. There are also two black headed gulls continuing with a couple of laughing gulls. Many common eiders and red breasted mergansers are also keeping the gulls company.
This week, Baltimore orioles have been seen at a few feeders around
the Island, including Laura and Robin Decker in Aquinnah and Tim and Laurisa Rich in Chilmark. Rob Culbert even had one singing in his yard. It must have been a warm day.
These birds are not wearing the bright orange and black plumage that they have in the spring. They are mostly immatures that have been blown off course. Yes, they are a vagrant but common species for the Island. Just the wrong season.
Thaw Mailin and Cynthia Bloomquist continually see terrific birds from their kitchen window in West Tisbury. On Dec. 20, the highlight was a fox sparrow.
On Saturday Dec. 21, Penny Uhlendorf and Scott Stephens had a fox sparrow at their feeder. Watch for these beautiful large sparrows in the genus Zonotrichia. They are at least two inches larger than many of the other sparrow species.
On Sat Dec. 21, there were a few sightings. Allan Keith had two red winged blackbirds and two pine warblers at his feeder besides the regular visitors. Lanny MacDowell spied a brown creeper out his office window and Dana Gaines found two snow geese in a Canada geese flock on a lawn off Edgartown Harbor.
It was wicked cold on Sunday, Dec. 22, but a few birders still got out to see what was around. Bridget Dunnigan counted 89 brant in Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs, and Richard Couse had two field sparrows among other birds at Hoft Farm.
In Menemsha harbor on Dec. 22, the highlights were three black headed gulls, one common tern and one laughing gull.
Also on Dec. 22, Thaw Mailin and Cynthia Bloomquist had two fox sparrows at their house.
Snowy owls are starting to be seen in the northeast. Hopefully someone will find one here.
Winter is cold but still a terrific time of year to discover new birds. Happy Holidays.
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