We can always expect the unexpected, which is why many of us enjoy birding so much. July 19 produced two interesting finds. David Benvent spotted a purple martin at Quansoo, and there were two royal tern sightings at Tisbury Great Pond — Susan Whiting saw three and Charles Morano observed two. Sea Williams and Bridget Dunnigan found one Forster’s tern on Norton Point on July 21, and Jackson Hoyt watched an Arctic tern in Menemsha Harbor on July 24.
Jennifer Slossberg discovered a sandhill crane in the salt marsh next to Pecoy Point on July 24. A barred owl was finally heard near Caleb’s Pond — Caitlin Shaughnessy heard one on July 20 and again on July 24.
Common yellowthroats and northern yellow warblers are the most frequently seen warblers this week. Yellowthroats were seen 16 times: Quansoo (David Benvent, two, July 19); Gay Head Cliffs (Noah Foreman, Tyler Ferrin and Bob Shriber, two, July 19, David Benvent, four, July 20, David Benvent Lanny McDowell Pete Gilmore Jeff Peters, three, July 24); Aquinnah (David Benvent, five, July 22); Lobsterville Road (Charles Morano, two, July 23); West Chop beaches (Seth Buddy, one, July 21 and July 22), Felix Neck (early birders, two, July 23); Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary (Bob Butler, five, July 19); Wasque (Kyleigh Miklos, two, July 20); Norton Point (MV Bird Club, two, July 20); Long Point (Nick Teague, one, July 20 and July 22, Kyleigh Miklos, one, July 20); and Sepiessa Point (Bridget Dunnigan and Sea Williams, one, July 23).
Pine warblers were reported nine times: Long Point (Nick Teague, one, July 20); Quansoo (David Benvent, three, July 18); Cedar Tree Neck (Jackson Hoyt, one, July 24); Felix Neck (Noah Foremen and Tyler Ferrin, three, July 19, Steve Allen, one, July 21, and early birders, one, July 23); Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary (Bob Butler, two, July 19); near Caleb’s Pond (Caitlin Shaughnessy, one, July 10); Sepiessa Point (Sea Williams and Bridget Dunnigan, one, July 23).
Yellow warblers were spotted seven times: Aquinnah (David Benvent, six, July 22); Gay Head Cliffs (David Benvent, five, July 20 and David Benvent Lanny McDowell Pete Gilmore Jeff Peters, six, July 24); Norton Point (MV Bird Club, one, July 20); Cedar Tree Neck (Jackson Hoyt, two, July 24); Felix Neck (early birders, four, July 23); and Little Neck (Kyleigh Miklos, two, July 24).
Other warbler sightings include David Benvent finding two prairie warblers at Quansoo on July 19, Jennifer Slossberg spotting one blue-winged warbler near Middle Line Woods on July 23, Bridget Dunnigan and Sea Williams locating one ovenbird at Sepiessa Point on July 23, and the quartet of David Benvent Lanny McDowell Pete Gilmore Jeff Peters discovering an early waterthrush flying overhead at the Gay Head Cliffs on July 24 .
In past weeks we have mentioned the larger and less common shorebirds migrating through. There are also smaller and more common shorebirds, both plovers and sandpipers. To see a wide variety of these birds visit Norton Point.
On July 19, Charles Morano tallied two black-bellied plovers, seven semipalmated plovers, two greater yellowlegs, two ruddy turnstones, four stilt sandpipers, 14 sanderlings, eight least sandpipers and 41 semipalmated sandpipers. Nancy Weaver spotted one greater yellowlegs, five ruddy turnstones, least sandpipers and four semipalmated sandpipers, Jeff Peters observed four semipalmated plovers, one lesser yellowlegs, one greater yellowlegs, two ruddy turnstones, six sanderlings, and five least and 15 semipalmated sandpipers.
Noah Foremen and Tyler Ferrin located 15 semipalmated plovers, five greater yellowlegs, two ruddy turnstones, three sanderlings, 50 least and 400 (!) semipalmated sandpipers.
David Benvent watched one black-bellied plover and six semipalmated plovers.
On July 20 on Norton Point, the MV Bird Club spotted one semipalmated plover, two greater yellowlegs, one ruddy turnstone and 14 least and 12 semipalmated sandpipers.
Jeff Peters found one black-bellied and three semipalmated plovers, Chris Scott saw four black-bellied and one semipalmated plover, two greater yellowlegs and two semipalmated sandpipers.
On July 21, Sea Williams, Bridget Dunnigan and Seth Budy observed six semipalmated plovers, two lesser and four greater yellowlegs, three ruddy turnstones, 24 sanderlings, and five least and 14 semipalmated sandpipers. Caitlin Shaughnessy spotted 11 semipalmated plovers, 10 sanderling, and 40 semipalmated sandpipers on July 23. In other words, a lot of shorebirds on Norton Point.
Of course, shorebirds are found elsewhere too.
July 19: Aquinnah (Bob Shriber two greater yellowlegs, two ruddy turnstones, one sanderling and six least and 15 semipalmated sandpipers), Quansoo (David Benvent one black-bellied and seven semipalmated plovers, one spotted sandpiper, one lesser and three greater yellowlegs, six ruddy turnstones, 20 sanderlings, and 50 least and 35 semipalmated sandpipers), Eel Pond (Bob Butler one spotted sandpiper and two least sandpipers ), Cape Pogue Elbow (Kyleigh Miklos and Ashley Casciotti three ruddy turnstone and one sanderling), Tisbury Great Pond (Charles Morano two spotted sandpipers, one greater yellowlegs, 41 sanderlings, and nine least and 55 semipalmated sandpipers).
July 20: Katama Farm (MV Bird Club 15 observers one least sandpiper), Long Point (Kyleigh Miklos two semipalmated plovers, 36 least and 17 semipalmated sandpipers), Tisbury Great Pond (Nancy Nordin two black-bellied and two semipalmated plovers, one greater yellowlegs, two ruddy turnstones, six least and 16 semipalmated sandpipers and Susan Whiting two black-bellied and 22 semipalmated plovers, one greater yellowlegs, and six least and 16 semipalmated sandpipers).
Shorebirds were also seen on other days this week. Describing the multiple sightings on these two days shows that shorebirds move around. The number and variety of species seen varies depending on the tides (low is best), the birds’ movement and how much beach you cover. The Mattakesett Bay shoreline of Norton Point is usually the best place to find a wide variety of shorebirds.
Please email your sightings to [email protected].
Robert Culbert is a wildlife ecologist living in Vineyard Haven.
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