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Birds: Birding
bonanza
September 29, 2005
Story & Photo By E. Vernon Laux
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This first winter lark sparrow was photographed on Sept. 21 in the parking lot at the Gay Head Cliffs. This western species is a casual fall visitor and rarely seen.
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For birders along the coastline, and especially for birders living on or visiting Martha's Vineyard, the last week of September and the first couple of weeks of October are the absolute best time of the year. This time period can be characterized as "off the charts" in terms of numbers and variety of birds that one can in the field. The birding is always interesting and on a day with a massive movement of migrant birds, the memories can become the stuff of dreams.
The weather is amazing at this season, but not as amazing as the volume of birds passing by, over, around the Island, or stopping to rest here. A bad day on the Vineyard in late September is better than a good day almost anywhere else in New England. Observers who spend the bulk of their time birding inland, when witnessing the phenomenal visible migration occurring at Gay Head Cliffs are generally overwhelmed. Nothing like this occurs inland. The "land's end" effect of concentrating birds at "funnel" spots, with no big trees just is not possible without bodies of water.
Birders have been out in force and the birds have not disappointed. Sally Anderson of West Tisbury and Laurie Walker of Edgartown have been bitten hard by what I have previously described as "cliff-walker disease." Simply defined, this is an intense, overriding desire to be on, around, nearby, or standing at the overlook at the Gay Head Cliffs during September, October, and even November. If this desire is not fulfilled, the afflicted become agitated, unable to focus, and are convinced that they may have missed the show of a lifetime. In fact, should you not be able to be at the cliffs you are certain that large numbers of rare birds escaped detection.
This "disease" afflicts many in the Island birding community, me included. It is almost exactly like "derby fever" where normally responsible, sensible individuals give in to their "fishing" side and just go fishing. You got to do what you got to do, and life is short. Scratch the itch if you have it and enjoy the brief bounty that the Island and nature provide. Go for it.
Sightings Island-wide
Lark sparrows have made an impressive showing this past week with at least three different individuals being seen. Lark sparrows are a western and Midwestern species that show up rarely and sporadically in the fall migration. Some years there are none; other years, like this one, they are seen in varying numbers. They are never routine on the Island. At least two were at the Gay Head cliffs, being seen September 20 through 23. Sally Anderson found the first bird on the morning of September 20 and many observers, including Nancy and Wink Winkleman of Oak Bluffs, accompanied by Nancy's sister and husband from upstate New York, saw another individual on September 21. Allan Keith et al saw an individual on September 22, and Laurie Walker had another at Katama in Edgartown on Sept. 24.
The birding has been hot and heavy all over the Island. The first blue grosbeak (they are not blue but brown at this season) of the fall was found by Sally Anderson at the cliffs on September 22. The first reported dark-eyed junco, a common winter bird, was seen at the cliffs on September 21. The first but surely not the last immature white-crowned sparrows arrived on September 24. A great number and variety of birds are passing through and rather than catalog them all I suggest you go to Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and get a Vineyard field card or a Massachusetts daily field checklist. This will give you a good idea of what is likely and when it might be seen.
All the regularly occurring vireos — red-eyed, warbling, Philadelphia, white-eyed, yellow-throated, and blue-headed — have been seen in the past week and a great variety of wood warblers and thrushes. There have been lots of red-breasted nuthatches, cedar waxwings, and bobolinks flying over and around the cliffs on most mornings. The peak of boreal nesting, insectivorous (bug-eating) birds is happening now.
Virtually anything can and does show up in the fall.
While anything is possible, it seems a reminder for birders old and new is needed: any bird is always the common bird until you can prove that it is not. Common birds are just that, and, for beginning birders, it always has to be the expected species until you can prove otherwise with a photograph or by getting an experienced observer to see it. It is amazing how often a rare bird will be reported in the newspaper and suddenly reports start rolling in that is just not possible. After the discovery and reporting of the America's first red-footed falcon in August of 2004, multiple reports came in of people claiming to have seen this bird elsewhere (even in dense woodlands) or another of its kind as much as six weeks earlier. One is forced to be skeptical about such reports.
Sub Falcon aerobotics
Lastly, the annual spectacular phenomenon of migrating falcons on the Vineyard is hitting the peak time. These fastest flying of raptors depend on speed — ripping though the air in pursuit of fast-flying birds — as they move south to coincide with the bulk of the land bird migration. It is hard to spend much time in the field and not see a merlin or a peregrine falcon on the Island for the next several weeks. "A merlin a day keeps the doctor away" is one of these birders' favorite silly expressions. At any rate, these birds can be seen zipping around wherever one happens to be, even rocketing down the Main streets of down-Island towns as they make their way south.
Until next week — keep your eyes to the sky!
To contribute news about your birding activities or sightings, call The Times Birdline, 508-693-6100, extension 33; or e-mail birds@mvtimes.com. |
