Nature & Science
By LYNNE IRONS
An uninvited guest named Bill was the talk of the waterfront on Wednesday afternoon.
No, this was not former President Bill Clinton, for he is welcome.
The concern was Hurricane Bill, spinning in the Atlantic as a category four hurricane, more than a thousand miles away. While forecasters appear confident the storm will stay safely at sea through the coming weekend, the storm’s significant size and power still are of concern to local mariners with big or little boats.
Fall bird migration is beginning. Shorebirds are arriving daily and the appearance of northern waterthrushes (a warbler that doesn’t nest here) and peregrine falcons is a true indication that our feathered friends are headed south. Common nighthawks which are members of the Caprimulgidae (Goatsucker) family should be arriving soon. These are hawklike birds which capture insects on the wing with their huge mouths. They hunt in the daylight hours unlike their cousins, although the early evening seems to be their favorite time to move. They can often be heard before seen. Their call is a nasal “peent.”
Children Explore Polly Hill
On August 15 from 9:30 to 11 a.m., the youth education staff at the Polly Hill Arboretum will lead a fun-filled tour, Exploring Nature with Children, to encourage a child’s discovery of nature through close observation of trees, plants, flowers, and insects. Come alone, or share the experience with a child as you explore together. Children must be accompanied by adult. Please pre-register by calling 508-693-9426. The cost is $5; free for arboretum members. Children are free.
Squash Meadow Construction of Oak Bluffs is holding a Green Building Forum at the first LEED certified residence in Oak Bluffs, followed by a question and answer session with a tour of the LEED house. The forum takes place on Wednesday, August 19 at 5 p.m. at 15 Green avenue in Oak Bluffs. All are welcome.
Friday, August 7: Clear and sunny. Catboat heads out of Edgartown harbor. Northwest wind in the morning drops to a light shifting breeze after lunch. Calm afternoon. Nantucket Sound offers sharp visibility. In the late afternoon high flying cirrus clouds appear as thin whisps of pink cotton candy overhead.
Saturday, August 8: Light southwest wind in the morning. Sailboats in Nantucket Sound are becalmed. Increasing fair weather clouds. Cumulus clouds hug the western horizon. Fast ferry speeds across the Sound and leaves behind a long white wake.
Almanac
A comprehensive guide to weather and tides on the Island.
Vineyard Gardener
I guess this past week weather-wise is called a January thaw. We did not really experience it the last several years as December was unseasonably warm.
Farm & Field
Beige and brown and tan and black, with horns spiraled or semicircular or in undulating waves, a legion of goats marched up the hill toward us, bleating in anticipation of fresh grass and leaves.