I really appreciate seeing the leaves change color in the fall, and a first tree to change is the beetlebung (Nyssa sylvatica for the sciency folks, black gum or black tupelo for almost everyone else). The wood was used in the whaling days, which is where it got its name: the beetle, a mallet, was used to pound in the bung, the cork that sealed shut full barrels of whale oil. Anyway, their leaves are already turning red to reddish-brown, a sure sign of the peaking southbound migration.
New species for the season are arriving. I spotted the first pied-billed grebe of the season at Lily Pond on Sept. 2. On Sept. 5 Charles Morano found a yellow-throated vireo at Wilfred’s Pond, Bob Shriber observed one scruffy yellow-rumped warbler in Aquinnah, and Helena Firlings found a magnolia warbler at Waskosim’s Rock Reservation.
Pam and Rob Davey watched an American redstart at Tower Ridge on August 31.
On Sept. 5, Bob Shriber saw an eastern warbling vireo, one ovenbird, an American redstart and two black-and white warblers in Aquinnah, and Charles Morano spotted one black-throated green warbler at Wilfred’s Pond.
Thaw and Cynthia had one prairie warbler at the Gay Head Cliffs on Sept. 1, Sept. 2 and Sept. 4, and the MV Bird Club spotted one there on Sept. 5.
Helena Firlings located a warbling vireo at Ice House Pond on Sept. 2.
Falcons are early fall migrants: Dan Polsby observed two peregrines over Lighthouse Road on August 31. On Sept. 5, Jeff Bernier had one flying over Norton Point and the MV Bird Club spotted one peregrine and a merlin at the Gay Head Cliffs.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are still around scattered across the Island. They have been seen at: Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary (MV Bird Club, one, Augst 31 and Walt Looney, two, Sept. 2); Felix Neck (Steve Allen, one, Sept. 2); Tower Ridge (Pam and Rob Davey, two, August 31); Lagoon Pond Road (CORVUS, one, Sept. 4); Wilfred’s Pond (Charles Morano, one, Sept. 5); Cedar Tree Neck (me, one, Sept. 5); Skiff avenue in West Tisbury (Cynthia Bloomquist and Thaw Malin, four, August 30); Menemsha Inn (Laura Kammermeier, one, Sept. 2); Lighthouse Road (Dan Polsby, one, Sept. 2 and 3); Gay Head Cliffs (Thaw Malin and Cynthia Bloomquist, one, Sept. 1 and MV Bird Club, one, Sept. 5); Aquinnah (Bob Shriber, two, Sept. 5); and Aspen Lane in West Tisbury (Luanne Johnson two, Sept. 5).
Three species are lingering. Sarah Andreson saw a yellow-billed cuckoo on August 28, Philip Edmundson observed a large flock of 16 American oystercatchers at Watcha Pond on Sept. 4, and Charles Morano found the horned grebe (it is waiting for its colleagues to arrive from up north) in Edgartown’s inner harbor on August 26.
Are these red-breasted nuthatches lingering summer residents or migrants? Helena Firlings found one at Waskosim’s Rock Reservation on Sept. 1 and Karl Bower watched two at James Pond Preserve on Sept. 2.
Similarly, are these accipiters migrants or residents? Nancy Weaver spotted one Cooper’s hawk at the Gay Head Cliffs on August 29, Cynthia Bloomquist and Thaw Malin found one at their West Tisbury home on August 30, the MV Bird Club had one fly past at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary on August 31, Helena Firlings saw one at Felix Neck on Sept. 2, and Cynthia Bloomquist observed a sharp-shinned hawk at her West Tisbury home on Sept. 3.
Summer resident green herons are lingering, and were seen at: State Beach (Al Sgroi, one, August 29); Felix Neck (Steve Allen, one, Augst 29 and Helena Firlings, one, Sept. 2); pumping station (Nancy Weaver, one, August 29 and again on August 30); Doug’s Cove (Lisa Maxfield, one, August 30); Eastville Point Beach (Lisa Maxfield, one, Sept. 3); Lagoon Pond Road (CORVUS, two, Sept. 4); Menemsha (Stuart and Susan Santos, one, Sept. 2, Laura Kammermeier, one, Sept. 3, and Walter Ricciardi, two, next to the bike ferry, Sept. 5); Muddy Cove on Tisbury Great Pond (Chris O’Sullivan, one, Sept. 1); Edgartown Yacht Club (Justin Kane, one, Sept. 1); and Dike Bridge (Laura Kammermeier, one, green Sept. 3).
Many of us feel that red-tailed hawks are less common now, but our observations do not support this. They were observed at 25 sites in August in 2024 and 2025, and at 30 sites this August. This past week there were nine sightings. I spotted a red-tail at the Gay Head Cliffs and another over Menemsha on August 30. Richard and Diane Audette saw one near Stonewall Pond on August 30, and Steve Allen observed one at Felix Neck on August 31. The MV Bird Club counted two at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary on August 31, Thaw Malin and Cynthia Bloomquist found two at the Gay Head Cliffs on Sept. 1 and again on Sept. 5. Helena Firlings located one at Waskosim’s Rock Reservation on Sept. 1, and Dan Polsby had one along Lighthouse Road on Sept. 4.
Carolina wrens have declined, probably due to last winter’s prolonged snow cover and cold temperatures. This August they were seen at 25 locations, slightly less than half of the 54 locations from August 2025! This week there were six sightings. Cynthia Bloomquist had an adult with two fledglings at her West Tisbury home on August 30, Helena Firlings spotted one at Ice House Pond on Sept. 2 and one at Waskosim’s Rock on Sept. 5, CORVUS found two along Lagoon Pond Road on Sept. 4, and Thaw Malin saw one at the Gay Head Cliffs on Sept. 4.
Have belted kingfishers declined? There were 18 ebird locations in 2024 and 2025, but only 14 in 2026. This week Dahlia Rudavsky and Bob Jampol saw one near the Ocean Heights town landing on Aug. 28, Nancy Weaver found one at the Pumping Station on August 30, and both Steve Allen and Helena Firlings had one at Felix Neck on Sept. 2.
Please email your sightings to [email protected].
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven.
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