Welcome to the Vinalhaven Sightings Report – March 10, 2019
MCHT and VLT supported! Thank you so much!
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| before the snow. |
Highlights: Ferry Rides – and ferry schedule time change! – American
Wigeon, Iceland Gull, Great Cormorants, Red Crossbill, and so much more!
Business: get on the list! Send an email to vinalhavensightings@gamil.com to receive exclusive emails announcing the posting of another VSR. Don’t miss out! Sign up today!
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| snowshoe track |
Contact us –
we (the royal “we”) always welcome emails full of sightings and stories of
nature and natural world appreciation (vague enough for yah?). The emails
mentioned in the previous sentence may or may not have photos attached – that
is up to the sender and not a requirement. So share your sightings, we love to
hear about them – let us know what you been seeing! vinalhavensightings@gmail.com ! There – its official!
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| eider outta here |
Tiit trick –
Click on the photos to make them jumbo sized. Unless you don’t want a closer
look at them, and one can hardly blame you on that. If you fall into this group,
feel free not to click on the photos. You may continue!
What’s coming up – not to get too far
ahead of ourselves but March can be a fantastic transition month with some of
the earliest arrivals and activities being the highlights. By the end of most
Marches the American woodcocks are “usually” displaying, spotted and four toed
salamanders have made their way to vernal pools
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| great cormorants photo by John Drury |
Sightings – John Drury and Steve Rosen ventured out to Seal Island in early February and sent in these photos. A group of Great Cormorants “not yet at the colony” at seal….
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| Iceland gull photo by John Drury |
…and this beautiful shot of an Iceland gull. Wintertime specialty in
these parts, the white winged gulls (cousins
Glaucous and Iceland) are. Yearly but not always as regular as we would like
them to be. Sounds like a lot of things I guess. Nice shots John!
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| razorbill photo by Unity bird club |
The Unity College Bird Club paid a visit to Vinalhaven and was kind
enough to share their list from the day. Ferry Ride; walk through town, and out
and about on Lane’s Island.
100 Common Eider, 31 Bufflehead, 24 Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, 6
Black Duck, 10 Surf Scoter, 1 Black Scoter, 86 Old-tailed Ducks, 4 Common
Goldeneye, 3 Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Common Murre, Razorbill, 10 Black
Guillemot, 2 Great Cormorants, Glaucous Gull
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| great cormorant in flight photo by Unity bird club |
Who’s singing? Northern Cardinal, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Red Crossbill,
Black-capped Chickadee
Who’s using non-vocal communication? Woodpeckers! – It’s that time of the
year again for woodpeckers – “turf wars” . Downies and Hairies challenging rivals who’ve
entered their territory certain can make a racket, and some of that racket will be vocal. Many woodpecker displays, however, are silent -especially when two woodpeckers are facing off in "Still pose" or "tail-fanning". A favorite territorial announcement strategy of woodpeckers, however, is "drumming" - where a woodpecker finds a log, a hollow branch or tree trunk, or maybe a loose gutter that has some "booming acoutsitcs". A woodpecker will make repeat visits and "drum" on such a booming device to let other woodpeckers know that particular territory is taken. Cool to hear!
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| American wigeon |
Rockland Harbor – a pair of male American Wigeon are chilling there. keep an eye peeled from the ferry!
Ferry rides – Razorbill, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Loon, Common
Eider, Red-necked Grebe, Bald Eagle, Bufflehead, purple sandpiper, Great Cormorant
Huber Preserve – or “snowshoe, chainsaw and sled”. Red Crossbill group of
2 or 3
Few tracks, not ideal snow conditions.
Beautiful day on Seal Bay regardless!
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| track of deer bedding during snow. |
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| these are imprints from the front knees and legs of the deer, when it arose it stepped into the imprint |
Off island – some track stuff from mainland ventures that might as well have been on island!
a pair of critters from the mainland as well - Barred owl from owl's head
and a fisher in the backyard!
Limited Editions! -
and some of Leif - the man, the myth, the legend!
see you out there!
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| cool mink to and fro trail from opening in ice |
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| mink tail imprints - may have been working to keep the opening open |
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| snowshoe hare highway |
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| muskrat tracks - to and fro |
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| barred owl from the mainland |
a pair of critters from the mainland as well - Barred owl from owl's head
and a fisher in the backyard!
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| happy birthday hostess! |
Limited Editions! -
and some of Leif - the man, the myth, the legend!
see you out there!
