Vinalhaven Sightings

Welcome to the Vinalhaven Sightings Report – October 18^th 2019

Brought to you with pleasure by MCHT and VLT

Blip - #2 – a few cold-blooded things and some mammals

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. Be a good friend and tell a friend

There is no hunting statewide on Sundays and never hunting on the Lane’s Island Preserve.

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.

highly active harbor porpoise

hanks 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 – Fish, reptiles, amphibians–

Mola mola
photo by Banner Moffat

Mola Mola – huge numbers of Mola Mola – ocean sunfish made the Gulf of Maine their summer spot. John Drury aboard “Skua” reported over 450 on a trip beyond Matinicus rock back in late July and the sightings were pretty continual afterwards. Here are a couple of shots shared by Banner Moffat and Byron Thomas. So cool…

here's some info/interp that Banner passed along....

Mola Mola, ocean sunfish
photo by Byron Thomas

Habits—

The sunfish is a wanderer of the high seas, drifting at the mercy of the ocean currents; those that are seen are at the surface (see following for an exception); how deep they may descend is not known.

When these unlucky vagrants are sighted in our cool northern waters they have usually been chilled into partial insensibility. They float awash on the surface, feebly fanning with one or the other fin, the personification of helplessness. Usually they pay no attention to the approach of a boat, but we have seen one come to life with surprising suddenness and sound swiftly, sculling with strong fin strokes, just before we came within harpoon range.

garter snake
photo by Gabe Peter Harp

Snakes are out and about these days – Gabe Peter Harp sent in this photo of a garter snake from State Beach.

red-backed salamander

I had the pleasure of joining perspectives afterschool program last week for two strolls through the woods surrounding the school property. We were looking for critters, loads of rolly-pollies, some red-backed salamanders (found mostly under rocks, logs were a bit dry and fungalized underneath) but the highlight was seeing this garter snake with the K-1 kids. They were so respectful, partially out of fear – survival instincts we’ll call them – and partially concern for the snake. I was immediately told that the green ones on island were okay to touch, which is true, comparatively at least. Never had trouble with the green snakes I’ve crossed paths with. Someone asked if this type bites, and I told them about one trying to bite Leif and me and how they release musk when handled and how that makes your hand, and everything you eat a little skunky until it finally washes off. So the group circled around the snake, who didn’t seem particularly agitated at all. Then we walked around it and left. Good times.

garter snake the kids found

Multiple spring peepers calling from wetlands along trails. A few each day, as of late.

ring-necked snake

ring-necked snakes have also been abound!

ring-necked snake

there is a dead frog in the hummus
container

Here’s a picture of our indoor cat, Vesspurrs, and the spring peeper he caught in the basement of our house in St George.

hurricane island frogs
photo by Banner Moffat

Banner Moffat sent in these photos of green frogs out on Hurricane Island. They look healthy…

Basin Seals - photo by Banner Moffat

….and so do the harbor seals! Banner also sent in this shot of a few local seals in the Basin.

Warm-blooded but we'll let it slide

And in honor of our “lack of Leif” photo complaints, here’s a few of Leif making faces and friends at the Damariscotta pumpkin festival last weekend….