Vinalhaven Sightings

middle tip toe
photo by Norbert Leser

Welcome to the Vinalhaven Sightings Report – October 2^nd, 2016

Thanks to the “more than they realize” generosity of VLT and MCHT

“1 merlin = 0 shorebirds”

raccoon
photo by Banner Moffat

Highlights – Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Pileated Woodpecker, Nighthawks, Cooper’s hawk, Hawk Watch, Bald Eagles, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Sparrows featuring Swamp Sparrows,
inky cap

purty
photo by Banner Moffat

Business – Contact us! - send your sightings, photos, questions, concerns, requests for being added to the email list, or requests for being removed from the email list to

vinalhavensightings@gmail.com

Note on Monarch – (9/14) Mia Mather writes about her butterfly bush being “littered by Monarchs”. So nice to have them this fall!

let the dance begin (Viagra motto)
photo by Jim Conlan

Tiit Trick - click on photos to enlarge!

Sightings – Patience Chamberlin had her “best birding of the season” (and she knows what “best birding” means!) last weekend on island. Here’s what she reported -

Geese and Wood Ducks
photo by Rick Morgan

“A 4 woodpecker weekend - Pileated, Sapsucker, Downy and Flicker

(9/30): My first pileated on VH at Huber. A couple of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers on Reach Rd

Black-bellied Plover
photo by Rick Morgan

State beach cove mudflats; a lot of Semi-p plovers and peeps. 1 Black-bellied Plover and 1 Dunlin

(10/1)Norton’s Pt rd. AWESOME looks at yellow-billed cuckoo that flushed and landed at eye level in birch next to rd.

fall colors
photo by Banner Moffat

(10/1) State beach; 1 merlin= no shorebirds but tons of sparrows in marshy area…Song, Swamp, Savannah, White-throated. Good numbers of swamp sp. They must be migrating.

mink crossing!
photo by Rick Morgan

(9/29) – Last “bird walk” of the season - Folly Pond, Lanes Island and State Beach. Rick Morgan (thanks for the report Rick!) and group saw/heard quite a variety of birds:

post flower
photo by Banner Moffet

Double crested cormorant, Song sparrow, White throated sparrow, Purple finch, Blue jay, Goldfinch, Common yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped warbler, Herring gull, Common crow, Raven, Robin, Black capped Chickadee, Common eider, Gray catbird, Bald eagle, Canada geese, Black duck or mallard, Wood ducks, Common Loon, Black guillemot, 2 White-crowned Sparrows.

Lots happening out there! Here’s some more from Rick -

hawk watchers!
photo by Norbert Leser

Hawk Watch - 3 marsh hawks, 2 sharp-shinned hawks, 1-2 osprey, 1 merlin, who circled us as we were leaving, ~8-10 ravens, Flickers, Red breasted nuthatches, Herring gulls, Blue jays, golden-crowned kinglets

brown's head

Ferry Ride to Vinalhaven – “Chuck from the ferry” reported seeing a Common Nighthawk fly over the ferry in the Reach recently. It was on the last run, as the day was transitioning into night (some might even call it “early” crepuscular).

Right around sunset is a great time to look for these and many have been reported/mentioned to me recently from numerous spots along the mid-coast – Blue Hill, Mount Desert, Tenants Harbor even!

5 surf scoter

(9/26) – Surf Scoter, Black Guillemot, Lots of loons,

(9/26) Red Sea – Flicker, Belted Kingfisher, 20+ Surf Scoter

my dad would have liked this picture

Ferry Ride to North Haven (9/29) – Cooper’s Hawk crosses the boat, Bald Eagle on the loaves, 10 Surf Scoter, Loons, Eider…the cool thing here was the eiders going into breeding plumage while guillemots and loons are coming out.