Photographing birds and sharing them with others can lead to correctly identifying a bird.
Photographing birds and sharing them with others can lead to correctly identifying a bird. Katherine Oscar photographed what she first thought was a pine warbler at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 24, but both Stefan Martin and Bob Shriber used the photo to identified it as a Bell’s vireo, an unusual and hard to identify species. Maybe we need to use a camera with a big zoom lens.
By my records, this is the fourth time this species has been seen on the Island. Lanny McDowell found one on Oct. 23, 2012, less than 200 feet uphill from where Katherine Oscar spotted her bird. I recall that Ken Magnuson observed one at the Edgartown Golf Club, but do not have the date of that sighting. Bob Shriber, Nancy Nordin and Charles Morano observed one at Black Point Pond on Nov. 6, 2023.
Bells Vireo
Bells Vireo
Two other vireo species were seen this week. Bob Shriber watched one blue-headed vireo at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 24, and Charles Morano located one at Pocha Pond Preserve on Oct. 24. Lisa Maxfield. Cynthia Bloomquist and Thaw Malin had two red-eyed vireos at the Pumping Station on Oct. 26.
A few new species for the season showed up this week. Ray Ewing photographed an egret at Katama Farm on Oct. 24. He shared the photograph and it was of a cattle egret, a species we do not see every year. This egret, originally from Africa, prefers pastures rather than shorelines, usually in association with cattle.
I spotted a flock of a dozen horned larks in the fields at Thimble Farm on Oct. 24. They were nearly invisible against the bare dirt of a harvested field, but their tinkling call notes as they flew between patches of bare dirt gave them away.
Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroat
Jacob Yoder observed a Savannah “Ipswich” sparrow, a very pale version of the Savannah sparrow, at Cedar Tree Neck on Oct. 23. And the first-of-season pine siskin showed up — Greg Power found it at Felix Neck on Oct. 22.
Three first-of-the-season ducks arrived this week. Charles Morano observed one ring-necked duck at the pumping station on Oct. 23. On Oct. 26, Lisa Maxfield located three hooded mergansers at Crystal Lake, and Chris Scott found two bufflehead at Cove Meadow Preserve. A red-necked grebe is not a duck, but it sure swims like one. Charles Morano located two of them in the Ocean at Wasque Reservation on Oct. 24.
Some species linger longer into the season. Angela Andersen discovered a lingering osprey at James Pond Oct. 22, and Bob Shriber watched a glossy ibis fly over the Aquinnah Cultural Center on Oct. 26.
Warblers other than our winter resident yellow-rumped and pine warblers linger. I spotted two blackpoll warblers at Squibnocket Pond South on Oct. 21. Ruth Richards and Nancy Weaver found two Nashville warblers at Tashmoo Springs on Oct. 23. Charles Morano saw one common yellowthroat on Norton Point on Oct. 26, and a Nashville warbler and a yellow-breasted chat at the pumping station on Oct. 23. Bob Shriber found one redstart at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 24.
Ipswich Sparrow
Ipswich Sparrow
Bob Shriber found an orange-crowned warbler at the Gay Head Cliffs in Oct. 24. This species was observed twice on Oct 26 — Charles Morano found one at Norton Point and Bob Shriber discovered two at the Aquinnah Cultural Center.
In contrast, palm warblers were found at six sites. I had one at Squibnocket Pond South on Oct. 21 and three along Atlantic Avenue on Oct. 26. Bob Shriber counted five at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 24, Sea Williams and Bridget Dunnigan spotted three at Quansoo Farm on Oct. 24, Nancy Weaver observed four at Thimble Farm on Oct. 24, and Charles Morano found one at Wasque Reservation on Oct. 25. These contrast to the 10 sightings of yellow-rumped warblers.
Pine Siskin
Pine Siskin
Swallows are lingering too. Most notable are solitary barn swallows, spotted (and photographed) by Katherine Oscar at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 24 and by Charles Morano at Wasque Reservation on Oct 25. Tree swallows are more common. Charles Morano counted 16 at Squibnocket Beach on Oct. 21, 32 more at Wasque Reservation on Oct. 24, and I spotted 15 along the Mattakesett Herring Creek on Oct. 26.
Flycatchers other than eastern phoebes are somewhat unusual at this time of the year. On Oct. 24 one phoebe was reported by Nancy Weaver at the pumping station, and Bob Shriber found two at the Gay Head Cliffs. Two observers found a great-crested flycatcher on Oct. 23 — Nancy Weaver saw one at Christiantown and Ruth Richards saw one (the same bird?) along the Cedar Tree Neck to Christiantown Trail. And Chris Scott added an eastern wood-pewee at Long Pont on Oct. 23.
We have had a single great cormorant all summer at Pilot’s Landing, On Oct. 24, Bob Shriber found three great cormorants there and only 10 double-crested cormorants. The greats will become more numerous and stay through the winter. Also arriving are northern gannets, an impressive seabird that will become more common as the weeks go by. Charles Morano made a high count for this week with 67 flying past Wasque Reservation on Oct. 25.
Red Necked Grebe
Red Necked Grebe
Also increasing are hermit thrushes. I heard and saw four at Squibnocket Pond South on Oct. 22, Bob Shriber observed one at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 24, Courtney Yancy found one at Thimble Farm on Oct. 24, and Charles Morano located one at Wasque Reservation on Oct. 25.
Are our winter resident red-winged blackbirds arriving? Yes. At the pumping station, Nancy Weaver and Ruth Richards saw two, and Charles Morano observed 14 at Pocha Pond Preserve, both on Oct. 24.
Red Winged Blackbirds
Red Winged Blackbirds
Bob Shriber spotted three Baltimore orioles at the Gay Head Cliffs on Oct. 24, while Lisa Maxfield, Cynthia Bloomquist and Thaw Malin found both a Baltimore oriole and a red-wing at the pumping station on Oct. 26. Charles Morano observed one rusty blackbird at Wasque Reservation on Oct. 24.
Finally, Charles Morano observed two rose-breasted grosbeaks at the pumping station on Oct. 23.
Please email your sightings to [email protected].
Robert Culbert is an ecological consultant living in Vineyard Haven
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