Bird Sightings on Martha's Vineyard: December 2016
Common eiders at Menemsha.
Common eiders at Menemsha.
Pintail drake.
Pintail drake.
Purple sandpipers are almost always found on rocks, where they feed on small critters.
Purple sandpipers are almost always found on rocks, where they feed on small critters.
Baltimore oriole.
Baltimore oriole.
Short-eared owl takes cover in beach grass.
Short-eared owl takes cover in beach grass.
Winter black-bellied plovers and one dunlin take to the sky.
Winter black-bellied plovers and one dunlin take to the sky.
Fox sparrow pecks at its lunch.
Fox sparrow pecks at its lunch.
European starling has a fence view.
European starling has a fence view.
Common goldeneye in Vineyard Haven harbor.
Common goldeneye in Vineyard Haven harbor.
Carolina wren keeps an eye on its surroundings.
Carolina wren keeps an eye on its surroundings.
Normally elusive winter wren hops in plain sight.
Normally elusive winter wren hops in plain sight.
Black-chinned hummingbird, rare visitor to the Island.
Black-chinned hummingbird, rare visitor to the Island.
Ipswich sparrow, a pale version of the savannah sparrow.
Ipswich sparrow, a pale version of the savannah sparrow.
Pair of redhead ducks.
Pair of redhead ducks.
Forster's terns look and act like Bonaparte's gulls.
Forster's terns look and act like Bonaparte's gulls.
Snow bunting.
Snow bunting.
Yellow-breasted chats skulk around deep in the underbrush.
Yellow-breasted chats skulk around deep in the underbrush.
Baltimore oriole.
Baltimore oriole.
Canada geese and brant in grazing mode at Ocean Park.
Canada geese and brant in grazing mode at Ocean Park.
Fifth recording sighting of white-winged dove on the Vineyard.
Fifth recording sighting of white-winged dove on the Vineyard.
White-winged doves mostly live in southwestern part of the country.
White-winged doves mostly live in southwestern part of the country.
White-winged doves have patches of white across their wings.
White-winged doves have patches of white across their wings.
Lapland longspur flies with a snow bunting.
Lapland longspur flies with a snow bunting.
A seaside sparrow visited Norton Point.
A seaside sparrow visited Norton Point.
Snow buntings.
Snow buntings.
Lapland longspur spends time on beaches and open fields.
Lapland longspur spends time on beaches and open fields.
Winter avian residents arrive and the occasional rare birds move through the Island in December, as winter begins. Keep up with bird sightings through the Bird News column, and send reports of bird sightings to [email protected].