Our spring equinox, the start of the astronomical spring, comes on March 20 at 5:01 a.m. (I have not researched how they come up with the exact to the minute 5:01 time). But in the birding world increasing daylength — happening for the three months since the winter solstice — is one of the triggers for birds to start their northward migration. Spring has definitely sprung and many birds are arriving and preparing to nest.
Our large owls — like great horned, long-eared and barred owls — have already started nesting, but we have not had any reports of seeing or hearing any of them. Has anybody heard them calling?
Early spring nesting birds are arriving. Many of us look forward to the arrival of American oystercatchers. We had the two overwintering at Little Beach, but Chris Scott counted six and observed courtship displays there on March 12, and I spotted seven that were their noisy social selves as they gathered in one loud group on March 15. One of the pairs that nest along the shoreline of the west arm of Lagoon Pond has returned. Lisa Maxfield saw one at Brush Pond on March 11, Casey Engley observed one near the drawbridge on March 13, while Catherine Deese located two there and Sharon Simonin found three across from Winds-Up on March 15.
Another early nesting shorebird is the killdeer. They are a shorebird that prefers upland grasslands and agricultural settings. Bethane Weise and CJ Walsh found one at Katama Farm on March 4, Nancy Weaver and Janet Woodcock saw two near Menemsha Harbor on March 8, Bob Shriber spotted two at the Gay Head Cliffs on March 13, the same day that Janet Woodcock and Nancy Weaver watched one at Mink Meadows. On March 16, an anonymous observer saw one at the Head of Deep Bottom Cove and David Meadows and Emily Diamond watched one at the Gay Head Cliffs. I observed one on Ocean Park on March 17, perhaps the first time I have seen one there.
American Woodcocks are also appearing. Richard Couse heard them displaying at the Hoft Farm on March 10, the same day that Bob Shriber observed four at the Aquinnah Cultural Center grounds and Jillayne Wheeler found one near the northern end of Squibnocket Pond on March 11.
At last, ospreys have finally arrived! The MV Bird Club (Rich Couse, Lisa Maxfield and others) heard an osprey calling over the Hoft Farm on March 15. Later that morning, Lisa Maxfield observed an osprey as it flew over Tashmoo Springs.
Nancy Weaver found the first double-crested cormorant of the year at the Oak Bluffs pumping station on March 10, so maybe the first herring are running. David Meadows and Emily Diamond spotted two of them at the Gay Head Cliffs on March 16, along with 10 great cormorants. Bob Shriber had counted 35 greats on their usual rock at the northern end of cliffs.
Nancy Nordin located five horned larks at Katama Farm on March 3. Janet Woodcock spotted four others at Little Beach on March 11, and I found two very pale larks that were almost grayish (along with two snow buntings) at Little Beach on March 15.
On occasion flocks of European starlings come in handy, as other blackbirds can be mixed in. Janet Woodcock spotted 11 brown-headed cowbirds (their shapes are very distinct) mixed in with 15 of the resident starlings at Katama Farm on March 11.
Purple finches migrate through enroute to their more northern nesting grounds. There were two sightings this week. Cynthia Bloomquist saw one at her West Tisbury home on March 11, and the MV Bird Club located one at the Hoft Farm on March 15.
Other seed-eaters of interest include white-throated sparrows and an American tree sparrow. Nancy Weaver had one white-throated at the Oak Bluffs pumping station on March 10 and Bob Shriber found a tree sparrow at Dogfish Bar on March 15.
Other northbound migrants spotted this week include four purple sandpipers. Janet Woodcock and Nancy Weaver saw them in Aquinnah on March 11.
Northbound seabirds include northern gannet and razorbills. Bob Shriber saw one gannet near Aquinnah on March 10, and David Meadows and Emily Diamond watched 45 gannets from the Gay Head Cliffs on March 16. They also found 40 razorbills moving north that day.
On March 13 Bob Shriber estimated there were 1,350 northbound razorbills — continual flocks of 10 to 20 flying offshore past the Gay Head Cliffs. And on March 8, I spotted solitary razorbills in the Vineyard Haven Outer Harbor from near Crystal Lake.
The last migrant this week is the Eurasian version of the green-winged teal. Bob Shriber found one of them in a flock of 10 American green-winged teal in Chilmark Pond on March 5. Two days later Nancy Weaver and Janet Woodcock spotted it with 22 of the American cousins. The Eurasian version has a white horizontal stripe on the wing rather than a vertical white stripe in front of the wing. The MV Bird Club also spotted a wood duck at the Hoft Farm on March 15.
Some year-round residents were spotted this week. Warren Woessner found a turkey vulture above Vineyard Haven Harbor on March 10, Nancy Weaver saw four at the Right Fork of South Beach March 11 and two more at Mink Meadows on March 13. Rachael Boboan spotted one at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary on March 16.
Finally, The MV Bird Club located a belted kingfisher at the Hoft Farm on March 15. On March 16, Luanne Johnson watched one at the Oak Bluffs pumping station, and Jennifer Slossberg observed one at Sepiessa Point.
Please email your sightings to birds@vineyardgazette.com.
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven
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