A bird species that normally visits the Vineyard in the fall surprised Vineyard birders by appearing on Island on May 29. Jenifer Strachan feeds birds at her Waldron’s Bottom home and has a keen ear for bird songs and calls, thanks to her grandfather’s training. On May 29 she was inside and heard a one-note call that she was not familiar with. Slowly she ventured out on her deck and looked around. In an oak tree about 20 feet away a bird was perched, all fluffed up and looking, in Jenifer’s eyes, very confused. Jenifer knew she had not seen this bird before. She was able to return into the house and fetch her binoculars and study all the field marks of the mystery bird. Hitting the field guides and the Internet, she determined the bird in the oak tree was a western kingbird.

Roberta Gross will host an opening reception today, Friday, June 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. for an exhibit of her abstract paintings at the Chilmark branch of the Bank of Martha’s Vineyard on South Road. The exhibit will run through June 18.

In her art, Ms. Gross plays with colors, textures, shapes and lines, arranging and rearranging fragments of paper she has created by stamping, burning, splattering, embossing and texturing with gels and acrylic pastes.

Willy and Renée

Dropping two octaves, world class opera singer Renée Fleming sings Oxygen, the anthem of Island troubadour Willy Mason, on a new album that is a collection of popular songs sung in a range that she describes as that of her talking voice.

Bake Sale

The Vineyard Committee on Hunger’s Bread and Bake Sale is Saturday, June 12 from 9 a.m.. to 2 p.m. They will have all kinds of baked goods, brownies, cookies and bread available. Come eat, take home and support VCOH designated charities under the linden tree, next to the Capawock Theatre in Vineyard Haven.

In a tiny cottage dotted with colorful buoys, nestled in the front yard of her Vineyard Haven home, Marnie Stanton has hung a handful of her colorful abstract sculptures, made from driftwood and colorful electrical wire and theatre gels. The pieces are only a tiny sliver of the complete body of work — some 30 sculptures in all, with many more to come.

Meet Your Farmer, Eat Your Fill

Forget the freezing aisles of the grocery store this weekend and head to the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market for fresh fruit, flowers and the first spinach and baby kale of the season.

Marking its 36th year, the farmers’ market opens Saturday and will feature vendors from across the Island including Morning Glory Farm, North Tabor Farm, Katama Apiary honey and Whippoorwill Farm.

Graduating With Honors

Lilla Cory Warren of Oak Bluffs graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design on May 21, with a bachelor of fine arts in three-dimensional fine arts, and will receive departmental honors for her concentration in jewelry and metalsmithing.

She is the daughter of Suzanne and Albert Warren.

Strawberry Festival

The First Congregational Church of West Tisbury is gearing up for its always-anticipated Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 19.

Last year more than 50 volunteers worked all day providing fresh berries with shortcake, whipped cream or ice cream to more than a thousand eager Islanders. Smoothies, cold bottled water and lemonade are also available, as are, of course, berries to go.

Last Saturday morning the thunderstorm and 45-minute deluge were memorable. I had flashes of lightening right in my kitchen.

FAST FRESH & GREEN: More Than 90 Delicious Recipes for Veggie Lovers. By Susie Middleton, photographs by Ben Fink. Chronicle Books, April 2010. $24.95 in softcover.