We broke the record! The final total for the Felix Neck Birdathon was 132 species, and what a couple of beautiful days we had. The official start was 6 p.m. Friday and the end was 6 p.m. on Saturday. Friday early evening was clear, so owling was possible. A brief shower in the early morning hours of Saturday gave us what is known in the birding world as a fallout. Sunny, bright and warm with a bit of wind was the weather that greeted the birders on Saturday morning. Whit Manter hit the jackpot at Squibnocket as a mixed flock of warblers and vireos plus a couple of other song birds were in the willows to greet him.
True or False?
Sharpen your pencils, it is the season for final exams. But don’t worry too much: this is an open-book test (if Nature can be said to be an open book).
Given my druthers, I will always choose to take tests outdoors, where true and false describe two varieties of lily of the valley flowers.
A report commissioned by the Martha’s Vineyard and Dukes County commissions analyzing the delivery of public services on the Vineyard suggests the six Island towns should consider combining some departments and services, mostly to save money.
But the 29-page report, prepared by Edward J. Collins of the Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston, makes few specific recommendations and takes no position on the issue of regionalization.
The Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group’s annual spring gala celebration, An Evening under the Stars, welcomes guests on Thursday, May 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Mediterranean on Beach Road in Oak Bluffs.
With beverages, hot and cold hors d’oeuvre, and music by the Mike Benjamin band, the gala is “casual elegance,” and the price of admission includes door prizes and gift bags.
KATHIE CASE
508-627-5349
Well, I hope you all enjoyed our spring. Now we are back to winter. I am glad that I did not get my summer clothes out last week. It was a great tease but I’m sure the good weather will be back soon.
I was driving along the West Tisbury-Edgartown Road when I noticed a police car parked just below the rise of a hill. It was an obvious speed trap. After I had driven out of sight I reached down to flash my lights at an oncoming driver. This is what I have always done. The unspoken law of us, the drivers, versus them, the police, seems to require it.
A Talk to Rock Your Socks Off
Specializing in the very groovy (pardon the pun) sounding field of neotectonics, noted geologist Patrick Williams will explore the origins of the Island’s major landscape features in a discussion billed as Hills, Hollows, Bays and Bogs: A Geologist’s View of Martha’s Vineyard, taking place Saturday, May 15, at 3 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum library.
Kids’ Fishing Jamboree
Bring the kids to the Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters’ Kids’ Jamboree on Saturday, May 15 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Meet at the Edgartown School parking lot for free mini-seminars on casting, beach fishing, knot-tying, ice-fishing, fly-fishing, where to catch fish on the Vineyard and more. Please plan to stay with your kids. Hot dogs, chips and refreshments. The rain date is Sunday, May 16.
For details, call 508-693-3360.
Blessing the Bikes
A Blessing of the Bicycles will be held on Saturday, May 15, at 10 a.m. in front of the Federated Church, 45 South Summer street in Edgartown.
Alzheimer’s Overview
Learn how Alzheimer’s disease differs from other dememtias, how to obtain a diagnosis, how to recognize the signs and symptoms, how the disease progresses and how Alzheimer’s disease differs from normal age-related memory loss, in a talk called Overview of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia on Friday, May 14 at 1:30 p.m. at the Vineyard Haven Public Library. Please sign up online at vhlibrary.org, or for more information, e-mail info@alzcapecod.org.
