 |
| common tern - photo by Rick Morgan |
Welcome to the Vinalhaven Sightings Report – October 18th 2019
Brought to you with pleasure by MCHT and VLT
Blip - #1 - Birdies
 |
| hermit thrush - photo by Rick Morgan |
PSA – You should
be wearing orange when out in the woods these days – it
is deer hunting time in Maine. Currently we are in archery season and while
there are certainly less of these hunting types, youth
day is approaching quickly (October 26), with fire arm season (Nov 2-30) and muzzleloader/expanded archery extending the season until mid-December (Dec 14). Exciting times in
the woods, for sure. Good idea to get in the habit of orange hats, jacket,
vest, gloves, etc. just to announce your presence a little more. Especially when close to deer habitat which is
pretty much the entire island.
 |
| bald eagle - photo by Rick Morgan |
There is no hunting statewide on Sundays and never hunting on the Lane’s
Island Preserve.
 |
| osprey with fish - photo by Rick Morgan |
And so…..it’s
been a while, the entire staff at the VSR was gone, outta state, outta mind for
a stretch. To make a long story short, the VSR was placed on the royal “backburner”
maybe a dozen times over the last two months. Things collected – piled up
really, some good stuff too. We have now come to the conclusion that we won’t have
enough time in one “fell swoop”, so instead we will be making “little swoops” – kind of blips and bleeps, “shorties” for
those Aqua Teen Hunger Force fans – and so here they come.
 |
| bird walk - photo by Rick Morgan - Nice Scope! |
Thanks of
course to all those who have shared and continue to share sightings – natural
and beyond – because sharing is what the VSR is all about. Send your photos,
stories and emails to vinalhavensightings@gmail.com
– it’s what the cool kids are doing!
New stuff – Birdies –
We’ll start with a highlight (it’s all highlights) and then some bird
walk lists!!! “Blasts from the pasts”!!!
 |
| 2 young yellow-crowned night herons & a young black-crowned night heron in front photo by Rick Morgan |
First – when the August 29 bird walk was called due to weather, a bunch
of regulars decided to meet up the next day to bird and they found both flavors
of Night-herons – Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned – at state beach. Great
sighting, great story. Bird watching is for more than just Thursdays – though we
do advocate bird walking on Thursdays. Watch the weather and go see what you can
find! And then let us know!
Aug 15, led by Rick Morgan - Osprey, Mourning dove, Common crow, Greater
yellowlegs, Black-bellied plover, Common eider, Common tern, DC cormorant, Herring
gull, Black-backed gull, Goldfinch, Cedar waxwing, Merlin (circled overhead at
Lane’s meadow, with markings clearly visible), Flicker, Lesser yellowlegs, Song
sparrow
 |
| American redstart - photo by Rick Morgan |
Aug 22 (led by Pete & Bill Jacques) - Herring gull, Goldfinch, Catbird,
Cedar waxwing, Common yellowthroat, Osprey, DC cormorant, Chickadee, Great blue
heron, Bald eagle, Greater yellowlegs, Black-bellied plover, Turkey vulture, Raven,
Common crow, Semipalmated sandpiper, Song sparrow, Common tern, Black-backed
gull
 |
| alder flycatcher - photo by Rick Morgan |
sept 12 - Greater yellowlegs, Semipalmated plover, Great blue heron, Common
crow, Double-crested cormorant, Red-breasted nuthatch, Semipalmated sandpiper, Black
duck, Common eider, Herring gull, Northern gannet, Least sandpiper, Red-necked
grebe, Cedar waxwing, Common loon, Great back-backed gull, Laughing gull, Song
sparrow
 |
| pileated woodpecker - photo by Kerry Hardy |
Kerry Hardy was kind enough to send in this photo of a Pileated
Woodpecker he took on Granite Island in the Basin Preserve. Classic woodpecker
flight pattern alternating flapping and gliding – Kerry caught this one
mid-glide. Torpedo moment. Cool shot.
 |
| red crossbills |
Around the island – quick observations while on the move - lots of
flickers, golden-crowned and ruby crowned kinglets, hairy woodpeckers, ravens,
blue jays, robins, cedar waxwings, yellow-rumped warblers, dark eyed juncos,
 |
| well cropped and pixelated - with crossing bills |
In the spirit of Halloween, crossbills have been haunting me since April
or before. In Alaska it was White-winged Crossbills, but in mid-coast Maine I hear
their faint, high at the top of the trees calls of Red Crossbills at some point
wherever I go. Huber, the Basin, wherever I am monitoring I hear Red
Crossbills. It’s not a thing, it just is. I got these photos of a couple of Red
Crossbills that were part of a family group along the shore of Seal Bay. Spent most
of the day with the group on Wednesday (10/16). Started seeing youngsters in
May – dare I say this is the 2nd or even 3rd round for
crossbills this year? They have been a continual presence on island in my
limited experience.
 |
| red crossbills |
There you go – a blip on birds
More to come and see you out there!
