 |
| this is referred to as a spotted turtle |
Welcome to the Vinalhaven sightings report – may 10th,
2016
Big thanks to VLT and MCHT
 |
| April Snow - photo by Jim Clayter |
Highlights – Red Crossbill with young, Spotted
Turtles, Warblers including Black and White and Ovenbird, Great Horned Owl
pellets, Mourning Cloak butterfly, Great Blue Heron in the snow,
Photos– a mid-spring snow (4/25) caught some off
guard, not Jim Clayter though. He
got this shot of a Great Blue Heron in the late April snow in Old Harbor Pond.
Thanks for sending this in Jim!
Sightings – (5/10) on island – Norhtern Parula,
Blue-headed Vireo, Black-throated Green, Ovenbird, Yellow-rumped Warblers,
Brown Creeper, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-crowned Sparrow
singing,
 |
| the sighting in this picture is muskrat scat |
(5/10) – bike ride to ferry
(from tenants harbor) – lots of Black-throated
Green Warblers, Northern Parula, Ovenbird, Black and white warblers and
Yellow-rumped Warblers. Single Yellow Warbler and Bobolink.
 |
| its this time of the year |
(4/29-30) here
are some highlights from the two
days on island with a bike – red
crossbills with young, pitcher plants, bald eagle on rocks, calling red-necked
grebe, deconstructing State Beach, spotted turtle, spotted salamander eggs (in
new spots (for me) in the basin), savannah sparrow, American robins &
yellow rumped warblers on the seaweed, black and white warbler singing at Huber
parking, lots of yellow rumped singing, also singing hermit thrush,
white-throated sparrow, brown creeper; loons, eiders, male harrier, otter
spraint, 2 owl pellets, newts, geese, red-breasted merg, bufflehead, razorbill
in lairy’s narrows, mourning cloak butterfly.
 |
| we want a pitcher, not a belly itcher |
Red Crossbills with young. Over the last few months we’ve (the royal “we’ve”)
been reporting about the small, but consistent population of wintering Red
Crossbills on island. Sightings have typically had groups of 2-3 individuals. Things
have changed though as groups of 6-8 were witnessed (testify! It’s right
outside your door) at Long Cove, Round
the island Road, Mack’s Pond, and by the platform on the eastern side of the
Basin (all of which are American dreams). Family groups out for beautiful
day flights!
These areas are all have
supported breeding red crossbill populations in the last 4-6 years.
The round-the-island-road sighting was especially rewarding, a bright
red adult male crossbill landed on
the moss on the ground in a boggy area. Watching that red rascal drink up water
from a pool was refreshing. Soon a young
crossbill whose bill hadn’t crossed yet (takes a few weeks after fledging
for the bills to cross) joined him lower than eye level. Seeing these from my bike made it all the more special-ech-tacular. You know what I
mean.
 |
| these two were feeling it on the side of my house |
The bible (aka The Birder’s Handbook) says that Red Crossbills incubate – 12-18 days, and then fledge after 15-20 days. Quick math has the time period between egg laying and
birds leaving the nest somewhere between 27
days and 38 days for Red Crossbills. Quick (but not exact) subtraction from
the 4/30ish sightings put egg laying commencing (it takes a few
days) somewhere between March 15th
and April 1st.
 |
| afternoon a tip-toe beach |
 |
| red-spotted newt - chillin' |
 |
| savannah sparrows are lovely to hear |
Here’s what else they (the
royal “they”) say in the birder’s
handbook – “usually breeds from late
winter to early spring. Male feeds incubating and brooding female by regurgitation,
accompanied by mutual calling. Tips of mandibles cross gradually over few weeks
after fledging. Individuals are right- or left-handed in opening cones,
according to which way the mandibles cross. Mandibles inserted into cone force
and hold apart the scales, seed then lifted out by tongue. Reminiscent of small
parrots when climbing slowly among braches using both bills and feet. In
Rockies, may breed in year hatched. “
In other words, sometime back
in March male red crossbills were regurgitating digested seed stuff (probably
quite pulpy) into the mouths of female red crossbills who happened to be
incubating eggs that the male (hopefully, for his sake) has fertilized, oh so
many moons ago!
 |
| spotted salamander eggs from the basin |
Apparently the “paste
regurgitation” has paid off as (seemingly) loving groups of crossbills were
seen to be feasting on a healthy crop of red spruce cones topping off many of
the trees around.
Spotted Turtle
– (4/30) took a few moments to walk
along the stream that feeds into “Mack’s
pond” which is more like “Mack’s pool” these days, to look for spotted
turtles. Trevor Persons (remember
that guy from last year? Caught and “tagged” turtles in the Basin?) mentioned
he had seen one there, and so I took
a look.
 |
| spotted turtle heading into the muck "into the mud scum queen!" |
 |
| disappearing |
And it was way too easy to
find one this day. The turtle looked surprised and then spooked – after a
minute staring contest the turtle went head first into the muck. It wiggled its
way into being gone over the span of a minute, and then the big bubble came up.
Many would say that was “just an air bubble from under its carapace”
and we all know that is more than just “likely” the source. But there is still
some part of each of us that hopes that “the
big bubble that creeps out many moments after the previous bubble barrage ended”,
well we all hope that that bubble
turns out to not be “just an air bubble
from under its carapace” but instead is what is commonly referred to in “the trade” as a “turtle toot”.
Yes, possibly the last
attempt of a turtle desperate to minimalize buoyancy so as to remain submerged
in the muck, and what better way than releasing some gas. If you were a turtle,
what would you do?
 |
| air bubble rising to the surface |
 |
| turtle toot ripples |
The marsh – tenants harbor – (5/1) Red-winged Blackbird, Canada Geese, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Cowbird, phoebe, flicker, song sparrow, red-breasted nuthatch, chickadee, goldfinch, purple finch, ruby-crowned kinglets, downy and hairy woodpecker…(5/3) Brown Creeper, Black-throated Green Warbler, Red-winged Blackbird, Bald Eagles, Osprey, Wood ducks, Canada geese, peepers.
 |
| bluebird egg photo by Carol Gentalen |
 |
| wright brothers museum photo by Amy palmer |
South Carolina - the blue bird box in mom's front yard has had an active spring. here's a shot that my mom took of a bluebird egg in the box! good work mom!
 |
| leif and uto by the creek in yellow springs photo by Amy Palmer |
and leif in ohio visiting with his friend Uto from japan.
