Vinalhaven Sightings

yellow warbler youngster

Welcome to the Vinalhaven Sightings Report- June 30, 2019

Thanks to you and MCHT and VLT for making this happen

brown booby on buoy
photo by Jamus Drury

Sightings – Heronry in the whites, Brown Booby in the bay, Yellow warbler babies on lanes, tons of Common Murres at Matinicus Rock, Thursday morning Bird walk reports, butterflies and the persistent Northern Mockingbird loitering by the Rockland Ferry Terminal, young birds featuring yellow warbler and eastern phoebe, Nelson’s Sparrow,

silver-bordered fritillary on Northern Iris

Business first – contact us – great sharing this round, even by those who didn’t send in anything (to share, there must also be someone being shared with!). But if you find yourself in possession of a photo or a story of something cool and not necessarily human based feel free to send something to vinalhavensightings@gmail.com . Comments, concerns, and questions we’ll get back to you…eventually or quickly!

fleeting parula
photo by John Drury

Tiit trick – click on the photos to make jumbo sized.

Bird walks – VLT’s Thursday morning bird walks are up and running – two in books and here’s a little run down of highlights thanks to Rick Morgan (Thanks Rick!). Check posters or the VLT website for times!

blue eyed grass

(6/20) - …very foggy – just 3 of us. But we clearly heard and saw the Nelson’s Sparrow at State Beach. Also a nice view of a female redstart at Lanes parking area.

(6/27) - 23 species IDed. The Nelsons were calling back & forth and were clearly visible. Hearing a winter wren call was a treat, along with 4 warblers.

heron skeleton
photo Linnell Mather

On the water with Skua – there is so much to see around the “Vinalhaven city limits”, and when we say city we mean the entire township, that we need (at least) 2 nature blogs. For more info on sightings around Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge, Otter, Brimstone and more check out John Drury’s awesome blog “Sightings from Skua” at ; http://sightingsfromskua.blogspot.com/ . Also a great spot to sign up for your next tour on the Skua! Recent highlights: Murres, Razorbills with young, King Eider, Great Cormorants, more on the heronry in the Whites. And so much more! Check it out – that is a command! I mean, when you get a chance.

GBH in a tree
photo by Pam Weatherbee

And since we are talking Heronry…..

Sightings - Little Garden Island – There goes the neighborhood! First reported by VLT staff, and later nesting confirmed by John Drury, Great Blue Herons are now nesting on Little Garden in the White Islands (or close to them, I don’t know many unwritten boundaries). Anyway and so cool, i have not heard stories or legends of historical, local GBH nesting zones around Vinalhaven. But John would certainly know more about that. Clink the link in our business section above to access to John’s blog “sightings from skua”. For more photos and reports!

photo by Pam Weatherbee!

Thanks to Pam Weatherbee for the photos. We want to remind everyone that Great Blue Heron nesting colonies are sensitive to disturbance and to not land or approach the nests closely. in fact, be aware if you go to check it out from the water to see if the Herons seem skittish or are dealing with a predator. Don't be a harsser! this is super cool! let help the herons by keeping our distance!

so cool, Brown Booby!
photo by Jamus Drury

Brown Booby – yep, you read that right. Jamus Drury and Richie Carlson spotted this Brown Booby sitting atop the number 3 buoy. Just off of Green Ledge and in theory could have been seen from the ferry! First Brown Booby reported to the VSR, and looks like it’s the 3^rd one recorded ever for Maine! “Mega-bird” is the quote from Kristen Lindquist, the “official VSR Poet and Keeper of bird quotes”. Great spot Jamus! Nice driving Richie! Good reminder to keep your eyes open - never know what might show up!

young phoebe
photo by Banner Moffat

Banner Moffat sent in this great photo of a successful nest of Eastern Phoebes from up Crockett Cove way. We have gotten word that the youngsters have fledged in the few days since our receiving Banner’s photo! Super cool and thanks for sharing!

Lane’s Island special – (6/18) found a small nest that was askew and tilted pretty heavily. Figured it was old, but didn’t find it full of old seed or mouse scat. There were two baby, hatchling birds somewhat hanging. Repositioned the nest and watched the 2 youngin’s settle in a bit. Then looked for, and found a third little one on the ground squirming. No sign of a fourth, might have been causality to the event that inspired the tiltiness or maybe never hatched. Hard to tell. Either way, the 3^rd youngster was returned to the nest and the scene was left quickly.

little wing

A return trip 2 hours later had both parents near the nest (Yellow Warblers!) and three little mouths begging for food. I let them be….

grumpy

..I will return this week to see how they have fared with the storms and such. They only stay in the nest 10 days or so – hold on little ones!

sleepy

hungry and tired

cool grooves on the top of their mouths.

silver bordered fritillary

Butterflies – promised some last time, don’t think I delivered. Admission – some of these photos were taken on the mainland, but all species were seen on Vinalhaven as well. Go with the good shots I say!

common ringlet

northern crescent

peck's skipper, and daisy

spruce cone

Armbrust Hill – Lady Slippers abound, going to seed in some cases. Saw maybe 30 plants, maybe 15 flowers during a picnic (and photo) stop. plus so much more!

this years lady slipper going to pod!

bracken fern with unfurling issues

close up of lady slipper flower "past prime"

tree ear mushroom

lady slipper pod close up

northern flag iris

mountain ash

Saw this green frog as well. Good times!

Baby Spiders – in the shed, on Bruce’s stuff so I paid it little mind. Little dudes, apparently garden spiders but I have not had time to really get into this. Time takes time I guess!

Off island – a quick photo series or two….raccoon youngster.

Robin fledgling – from the backyard in st George.

Eider young – Marshall point lighthouse area.

Crab Spider – catching a Peck’s Skipper butterfly, which is impressive! I was trying to get photos of them and they hardly stay still for a moment or two.

Brown Bullhead head – found on a visit to my fourth favorite otter latrine above the beaver dam in the marsh.

brown bull head head

eye of the bull head

Broad-winged hawk “escorts” a bald eagle out of it turf. From the front yard in St George.

Limited edition – thank goodness for Oreos and their never ending run of limited editions – is there a better way to celebrate the staged first moon landing than with a[inkish colored Oreo? NASA sponsored? rhetorical questions

lets not forget about limited edition fruit loops!

we made it through our first comic con!

Been having some wonderful times with Leif on summer break.

Battling at the Portland comic-con!

We did the radio show this week with a few of his buddies. Good times! They will return! Sunday afternoons, 4-5pm on WRFR 93.3 Rockland, 99.3 Camden and on the