The northward migration has been ongoing for a month or so, and what do we have to show for it? I birded most of the northern half of Lagoon Pond and it looked remarkably summer-like, with three pairs of black ducks in Mud Creek and a pair of Canada geese in the west arm. Vestiges of winter ducks were only 20 bufflehead and one red-breasted merganser; there were none of the winter-resident American wigeon or greater scaup.

Small flocks of bufflehead are still present at nine down-Island locations: Tashmoo Springs, James Pond Preserve, pumping station, Farm Pond, Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary, Town Cove, Felix Neck, Slough Cove and Sunset Lake, with a maximum count of 22.

Red-breasted mergansers were found at only three locations: pumping station, Cedar Tree Neck and Trapps Pond, with a maximum count of 15 at Cedar Tree Neck.

The continuing seaducks were up-Island. I spotted two common eiders, three surf scoters and four black scoters at Cedar Tree Neck on April 8.

On April 10, Janet Woodcock, Nancy Weaver and Ruth Richards saw four eiders, seven harlequin ducks and two surf scoters at the Gay Head Cliffs. Bob Shriber found one eider, 51 white-winged scoters and one long-tailed duck in Aquinnah, and Timothy Frieday observed four white-winged scoters and 10 long-tailed ducks off Wasque.

Of the less common ducks, Charles Morano watched 12 ring-necked ducks and one lesser scaup at the Vineyard Golf Club on April 7. Janet Woodcock and Nancy Weaver counted nine green-winged teal at Town Cove on April 8.

On April 9, Charles Morano observed two gadwall at South Beach’s right fork, while Nancy Weaver located one lesser scaup at the pumping station.

Of common loons, Nancy Weaver spotted one at Tashmoo Springs on April 6 and another at the pumping station on April 7. Janet Woodcock found one at James Pond Preserve on April 6, and Charles Morano observed four commons and two red-throated loons at South Beach’s right fork on April 9.

Timothy Frieday found three red-throated loons and one red-necked grebe off Wasque on April 10, and I observed one red-necked grebe from the beach at Cedar Tree Neck on April 8.

Small chickadee-like birds are passing through on their way to their northern nesting grounds. Wendy Culbert and I heard and saw one red-breasted nuthatch at Blackwater Pond Preserve on April 6, and Nancy Weaver found one at the pumping station on April 7.

I discovered two golden-crowned kinglets at Cedar Tree Neck on April 8, Anne Culbert saw one at Felix Neck on  April 8, and Charles Morano located one at Slough Cove on April 9.

Also moving north are yellow-rumped warblers. The only sighting this week is from Ruth Richards and Jay Adams, who found three of them at Tashmoo Springs on April 11.

Pine warblers are now more common. Wendy and I saw one at Blackwater Pond Preserve on April 6, Nancy Weaver found one at the pumping station on April 7, Bob Woodruff watched one at home on April 8, Luanne Johnson located one along John Hoft Road on April 9, Bridget Dunnigan and Sea Williams had two at the state forest on April 9 and another at Short Cove Preserve on April 10, and Luanne Johnson found one at the Wakeman Center on April 10.

Back on Jan. 11, Charles Morano found a Virginia rail at South Beach’s right fork. Now, three months later, Bob Shriber located three first-of-season Virginia rails in Aquinnah on April 10.

Anne Culbert and Zoe Ingargiola spotted the first yellow-crowned night-heron of the year in a marsh at Felix Neck on April 11.

Great egrets are becoming more common. Lisa Maxfield discovered one at Brush Pond on April 6, Charles Morano saw one at Trapps Pond on April 7, Nancy Weaver and Janet Woodcock watched one at Town Cove on April 8, Ruth Richards and Nancy Weaver spotted one at the Gay Head Cliffs on April 10, and Jennifer Slossberg saw one at Sepiessa Point on April 10.

Flocks of northern gannets are finally passing close to the Island. Ruth Richards, Janet Woodcock and  Nancy Weaver found 28 gannets near the Gay Head Cliffs on April 10. Later that day, Bob Shriber counted 450 off Aquinnah, and Timothy Frieday watched 20 off Wasque the same day.

Savannah sparrows and eastern towhees are starting to arrive. I found two Savannah sparrows at Katama Farm on April 2, and a week later Charles Morano spotted seven at Katama Farm.

Towhees are even more abundant with five sightings. I heard and saw one at Cedar Tree Neck on April 8. On April 10, Janet Woodcock, Nancy Weaver and Ruth Richards counted three at the Gay Head Cliffs. Bob Shriber found one in Aquinnah. Ruth Richards and Jay Adams observed one at Tashmoo Springs on April 11, the same day that Angel Morris located one at West Chop. They will soon be even more abundant!

Eastern bluebirds are more conspicuous now. Nancy Weaver watched three at Tashmoo Springs on April 6, and Luanne Johnson observed two along John Hoft Road on April 9 and two others at the Wakeman Center on April 10. Sea Williams and Bridget Dunnigan counted five in the state forest on April 9, and Ruth Richards and Jay Adams located one at Tashmoo Springs on April 11.

Another thrush (a hermit thrush) was found in Aquinnah by Bob Shriber. Is it a migrant or is it one of the overwintering individuals?

Finally, reports of likely year-round resident turkey vultures continue. On April 6, Janet Woodcock spotted one at James Pond Preserve, and Cynthia Bloomquist and Thaw Malin had one at home. Anne Culbert observed one at Felix Neck on April 8. On April 10, Nancy Weaver and Ruth Richards located one at the Gay Head Cliffs, while Bridget Dunnigan and Sea Williams watched two at Short Cove.

Please email your sightings to [email protected].

Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven.

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