There are a lot of transient species passing through on their way north, while others are arriving to stay for the summer. What can we say, other than it is early May and a lot of birds are on the move.
A white-crowned sparrow (similar to our winter resident white-throated sparrow) was seen by Thaw Malin and Cynthia Bloomquist at their feeders from May 6-8. And Susan Wilson spotted one at her feeders on May 8. The timing of these sightings is not surprising, since the website e-bird reports that their northward migration peaks on May 8.
Another migrant that does not nest here is the black tern. Shea Fee spotted one of these mostly black terns on Norton Point mixed in with a flock of least terns on May 4. Sightings of this dark tern in the spring is somewhat unusual. They are more typically seen between July and September, after their nesting season.
Other transient shorebirds observed this week include ruddy turnstone and least sandpiper; the latter was spotted by Bridget Dunnigan and Sea Williams on State Beach on May 8, and by Luanne Johnson in a salt marsh beside Major’s Cove. The former was seen by Shea Fee at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary the next day.
The first spotted sandpiper of the season was found by Rand Burnett on the shores of Katama Bay on May 5, along with two green-winged teal and a great blue heron at Wasque.
May is the month when we are most likely to see colorful male warblers as they pass through. As a sign of things to come, Bob Shriber spotted nine species of warblers at Menemsha Hills and the Brickyard on May 6, including the transient northern waterthrush and a few yellow-rumped warblers that may or may not have spent the winter here. The other seven species of warblers he reports nest here include: ovenbird, blue-winged, black-and-white, common yellowthroat, American redstart, northern parula, and yellow warbler. Others have spotted yellowthroats — including Walt Looney at Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary on May 9 and both Luanne Johnson and Margaret Curtin along Old Farm Road in Chilmark. Yellow warblers were seen by Lanny McDowell on May 8 in Aquinnah and Richard Price in Ocean Heights on May 9. Lanny McDowell spotted black-and-white warblers, wood thrush, and a white eyed vireo in Aquinnah. Mary Baptiste spotted a black-and-white warbler on May 6, while Mariah Ben David spotted black-and-white warblers and redstarts at Great Rock Bight on May 8.
An orchard oriole, a chestnut and black cousin of the Baltimore oriole, was spotted by Bob Shriber in Aquinnah on May 7.
Northern rough-winged swallows were observed by Jeff Peters at the Katama Farm on May 4. Two chimney swifts were also buzzing around, and the next day he found two fish crows on Mink Meadows beach.
Savannah sparrows were seen by Bridget Dunnigan and Sea Williams on May 8 at both Long Point and at Katama Farm. The next day I counted nine of them along the road through the Katama Farm fields.
Every year black skimmers nest at Little Beach, their only nesting colony in Massachusetts. Their numbers are increasing after the first few were reported in last week’s column. Ten of them were seen at Little Beach by Walt Looney on May 9, the same day that Shea Fee counted 22 of them there. There numbers vary depending on how many of them are away foraging along other shorelines. Jeff Bernier reports that on May 7 there also was a roseate tern along with hundreds of common and least terns.
The irruption of winter finches continues as they make their way back north to their nesting grounds. Evening grosbeaks have been seen by Erik Claussen on May 3, and at Julie McNary’s feeders May 5-9. Thaw Malin and Cynthia Bloomquist still have a pine siskin visiting their feeders through May 9, and Shea Fee spotted one red crossbill at the Chappaquiddick Community Center on May 8.
Lesser black-backed gulls will be departing shortly. On May 3 John Montes Jr. photographed an adult with a fish in its beak, and on May 8 I saw two adults with both great black-backed and herring gulls nearby for comparison.
Rob Bierregaard and Dick Jennings report 88 pairs of ospreys are incubating and the status of another 32 nests are uncertain. Some of those nests are undoubtedly young house-keeping pairs that will not nest this year. On May 5 they also spotted a merlin on East Beach and the golden-crowned sparrow that was reported last week (they are the last to see this bird). Janie Flanders also has a merlin visiting her Edgartown yard.
Many other species that nest here continue to arrive, including great crested flycatchers, gray catbirds, eastern towhees, ruby-throated hummingbirds, green herons, Baltimore orioles, chipping sparrows, American robins, eastern kingbird, field sparrow, wood thrush and hermit thrush. There are too many observations to report here, but please note that we eagerly anticipate their arrival and that we will be listening to them throughout the summer.
Other species of interest include a raven on East Beach observed by Shea Fee on May 6, a Virginia rail observed by Bob Shriber in Aquinnah on May 7, and an indigo bunting spotted by Ben Hughes on May 8 in Katama. Catherine Deese also reports that red-breasted nuthatches are nesting in her yard!
Finally, the annual Felix Neck Bird-a-thon is on May 14-15, starting at 6 a.m. and continuing until 6 p.m. on Saturday evening. Quite a few of us will be out and about as we try to find as many species as possible. Please remember that this event is a fundraiser benefitting Felix Neck, and it is never too late to make a donation.
Please email your sightings to birds@mvgazette.com.
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant with Nature Watch LLC living in Vineyard Haven.
Comments
Comment policy »