Ken Magnuson spotted a tern-like bird in Edgartown Harbor near the lighthouse on Dec. 11. Here is his description: “It was 100 per cent a tern that I am about 85 per cent sure was a common tern. The only real markings I saw were a forked tail and a faded dark cap. I looked for a mask to call it a Forster’s tern but couldn’t see any notable mask across the eyes.”
He took a picture of the bird as it was flying away but was still unable to definitively distinguish between a Forster’s and common tern. Remember, that it is not always possible to identify to species all the birds we see in the field or in a photograph.
This week’s special sighting comes from Bob Shriber, who spotted a common gallinule in Squibnocket Pond on Dec. 14; Chris Scott saw it the next day. This species is not observed every year. It is related to the much more common American coot, which is still lingering in the northern end of Crystal Lake. I saw it on Dec. 9, and the next day both Sea Williams and Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee found it.
The lingering Eurasian wigeon is also still at Crystal Lake. I saw it on Dec. 9, and the next day both Sea Williams and Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee found it.
Anne Whiting observed the lingering northern shoveler at Crystal Lake on Dec. 8. A good-sized flock of hooded mergansers can be found there. I counted 37 hoodies there on Dec. 9, and Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee saw 33 hoodies there on Dec. 10.
Our winter resident brant have not been very common in their usual grazing grounds of Ocean Park this month. I have seen a maximum of 20 brant there and often they are absent. Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee found 26 there and 81 on Sunset Lake.
Bob Shriber and Nancy Nordin found a flock of 1,000 greater scaup near the Aquinnah Herring Creek on Dec. 9.
Bob Shriber saw two blue-winged teal, eight greater scaup, 23 lesser scaup, 12 bufflehead, 10 hooded mergansers and five red-breasted mergansers in Squibnocket Pond on Dec. 14. Chris Scott located a green-winged teal in Squibnocket Pond on Dec. 15.
John Nelson reports a “truly frightening total lack of migratory ducks” on Sengekontacket Pond this fall. There were no ducks (not even one bufflehead) in Sengekontacket Pond between Farm Neck and Sarson’s Island on Dec. 14, and both Farm Pond and Oak Bluffs Harbor were also completely devoid of ducks. There are scattered sightings of American wigeon, mallard, black ducks, bufflehead, common eider, the three scoter species and harlequin ducks.
The most interesting shorebirds reported this week were two lingering American oystercatchers on Sarson’s Island. Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee saw them on both Dec. 9 and 11. Bob Shriber found five greater yellowlegs in Aquinnah on Dec. 10.
Razorbills are frequenting Vineyard Haven’s outer harbor. Charles Morano counted 10 on Dec. 9, I spotted seven near East Chop on Dec. 9. The next day Sea Williams found six, while Derrob Hagy-Weatherbee saw three.
The black-headed gulls are still hanging out around Lobsterville and Menemsha and ring-billed gulls seem to be present in larger numbers this week. Cynthia Bloomquist and Thaw Malin spotted two black-headed and three ring-billed in Menemsha Harbor on Dec. 9, the same day and place that Nancy Nordin located two black-headed and seven ring-billed. I found 12 ring-billed gulls in Vineyard Haven’s outer harbor and 10 more on Crystal Lake on Dec. 9. Sea Williams located only two ring-billeds there on Dec. 10. There also were ring-billeds on Sarson’s island, Eel Pond and Norton Point this week.
A few loons were reported this week from across the Island. The highest numbers were from the Lobsterville jetty where Bob Shriber counted an amazing 15 red-throated and 22 common loons on Nov. 26.
Birds with six-foot wingspans have been reported. Cynthia Bloomquist and Thaw Malin found one turkey vulture and an immature bald eagle in Menemsha Harbor on Dec. 9. Tara Whiting saw an adult bald eagle that flew down to about 50 feet above her car as she drove along the Edgartown Road in West Tisbury on Dec. 11.
On Dec. 13, John Nelson spotted a bald eagle above East Chop and a turkey vulture at Katama Farm. Chris Scott watched five turkey vultures at the Gay Head Cliffs on Dec. 13.
Also of note is an American kestrel at the Farm Institute. Ken Magnuson found it on Dec. 10 as did John Nelson on Dec. 13, along with a northern harrier, merlin and red-tailed hawk.
Carolina wrens are by far the most abundant but not the only wren. Thaw Malin and Cynthia Bloomquist saw one at home and two near Menemsha Harbor on Dec. 9. I had three at Crystal Lake on Dec. 9, Nancy Weaver spotted four at Tashmoo Springs on Dec. 13, Chris Scott located an amazing nine at the Gay Head Cliffs on Dec. 13.
Other wrens were also found. Chris Scott observed a marsh wren at the Gay Head cliffs on Dec. 15, and Bob Shriber and Nancy Nordin discovered one winter wren at the Herring Creek in Aquinnah on Dec. 9.
Notable finches include American tree sparrow, purple finch, savannah sparrow, fox sparrow and field sparrow. At the Gay Head cliffs, Chris Scott observed one American tree sparrow on Dec. 2, Bob Shriber found two tree sparrows and three savannah sparrows on Dec. 10, Chris Scott saw one tree and one fox sparrow on Dec. 13, and Chris Scott spotted two purple finches, one tree sparrow and two Savannah sparrows on Dec. 15.
Elsewhere, Luanne Johnson watched a female purple finch near the youth hostel on Dec. 8, and Bob Shriber discovered one field sparrow near Squibnocket Pond on Dec. 14.
Also note that white-throated and song sparrows are widespread, as are dark-eyed juncos.
Remember, the 65th annual Christmas Bird Count will be held on Sunday Dec. 29. Many of us will be scouring the Island for birds that day!
Please email your sightings to birds@vineyardgazette.com.
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant with Nature Watch LLC living in Vineyard Haven.
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