The Vineyard experienced a mini fallout last week. We are not talking nuclear, but bird! If there is a strong wind that comes from the southwest in the spring, birds coming up from the southern U.S. and Central and South America are carried on their way north at a good clip. Then if the wind comes around from the north, the birds basically hit a wall and stop. If the migrating birds are over the Island at that time they fall out onto same. The indigo bunting is the bird species that fell out in the largest number on the Island, scattering patches of electric blue from Chappaquiddick to Aquinnah!

David Stanwood, musician extraordinaire, recently made two astute observations; a recording and research on fish crows. He noticed “a procession of hundreds, maybe thousands of crows flying over our house and over Hoft Farm front field towards Long View.” David thought he heard what he noted was something “fishy,” so he made a recording of the call of the migrating crows.

p>The bird sightings have been fast and furious. Spring is definitely on its way.

Flip Harrington and I always plan an escape from March madness and find a good birding area to visit. This year we were glad not to be on-Island after reading the Gazette issues we missed, madness hit the Vineyard with a vengeance this March.

Crow blackbirds have arrived on Island. They run and hop around the yard and fields holding their head and keel-shaped tails high. In the right light the feathers on their heads and necks are an iridescent purple-blue and their backs bronzy. I am used to these common grackles arriving around St. Patrick’s Day or the Ides of March. The grackles have a different idea.

The birding community was saddened to hear of the death of Julian Robinson. His photographs, poems and love of sharing them with young and old alike will be sorely missed. I hope Rob Bierregaard will name the next male osprey that he fits with a transmitter Julian.