Vinalhaven Sightings

Bald Eagle photo by Scott Morgan

Welcome to the Vinalhaven Sightings Report

August 22 2022

lumpy headed harbor seal
photo by Scott Morgan

Brought to you in part, by the lovely efforts of the Vinalhaven Land Trust and the Maine Coast Heritage Trust. Thanks and enjoy!

belted kingfisher
photo by Scott Morgan

‘We were lucky to have the whole family with us this week, with cameras in tow.’- Rick Morgan

‘Actually Rick, I think that makes us lucky.’- Me (Kirk)

juvenile common tern
photo by Scott Morgan

Highlights – Birds including Northern Waterthrush & Merlin, Osprey nesting update, Dead Rabbit, Spotted Salamander update, Off shore stuff, and so much more!

Business – Big Thanks! – Lots of contributions this round – greatly appreciated! That’s kinda what this blog thing is all about – share what you see, share what you snap a photo of. Thanks to those who shared this go round. It’s chock full o’ sharin’!

beaver
photo by Scott Morgan

ote from editor – meant to have this one posted early August and time got ahead of us (the royal ‘us’). It’s the thought that counts, and we thought it would have been done before we split the state for a bit. Anyway – we are back (thanks for having us) and as this VSR post is being finalized another one is being slapped together and the thought is that it will posted next weekend. It’s the thought that counts. Enjoy!

bald eagle
photo by Scott Morgan

Contact us – hey – why not? No time to be shy – its nature stuff. vinalhavensightings@gmail.com is the address to connect with – send you photos, reports and email addresses to be included on the list! The ever expanding exclusive list that everyone who is anyone is on!

red-breasted mergansers
photo by Rick Morgan

Tiit trick – click on the photos to jumbo-size them! It’s fun and safe!

kill/feast scene
photo by Tom Chamberlin

Sightings – From Reach Road –you hear Great Horned Owls making a ruckus at night, and the next morning you find a partial rabbit (more like rabbit parts) in the yard. That’s pretty much the story on this scene from Reach Road.

Tom Chamberlin was kind enough to send in this photo of the ‘leftovers’ from a hare feast. One less rabbit to worry about I guess.

black bellied plover
photo by Julia Morgan

Patience Chamberlin sent in this report of shorebirds from the Basin (8/10 or so). Accompanied by photos from Scott Morgan…. Enjoy

black bellied plover
photo by Julia Morgan

About 40 BB Plovers in the grass, probably more I couldn’t see. Some real beauties in almost breeding plumage.

Couple of SB Dowitchers mixed in.

Several Semi p plovers.

common tern feeding fledglin - in flight!
photo by Julia Morgan

Patience also mentioned seeing Red Crossbills regularly along the Basin as well as along the Reach. More on crossbills (ad nausea actually) next post. Lots to discuss there.

And a Snowy Egret at Old Harbor Pond

Merlin
photo by Scott Morgan

Janet Ghores report – Janet saw a northern waterthrush near pond in my woods today. Also, a couple of weeks ago saw Carolina saddlebags dragonfly, as I usually do each year, at long pond. Also, a week ago, red waisted and frosted whitefaces there. Calico pennants laying in tandem in Booth's last week.

osprey family
photo by Cay Kendrick

Rick Morgan, and Cay and George Kendrick have been keeping tabs on the Osprey nesting scene over Boy Scout Point. They have been watching the nest for years now (wow!) and this year, turns out, has the most young fledging in their time of observing.

3 youngsters have flown from the nest (only to return) and are still active in the area. In past years (2) have been standards as far as a fledgling count goes. Tons of schools of Pogies close to shore may be the reason for such numbers. Easy bountiful source of food goes a long way to increasing off spring numbers!

video by George Kendrick

Praying Mantis - Kendrick Simmons reports finding praying mantis recently. As a treat he sent in this video he made of praying mantis, I believe, from a few years back. Pretty cool. (hope it works uploading)

John Drury sent in these tidbits from sightings off shore –

harlequin duck
photo by John Drury

young male harlequin at brimstone hanging out with a female ‘ye olde-taled duck’, maybe first July old tale,

A few cory’s shearwater, a couple manx shearwater, a few greater shearwater, Bonaparte’s gulls, dowitchers, Red-necked Phalarope.

ocean sunfish - going #1 and/or #2

Defecating Ocean sunfish – see the action photo!

young razorbill
photo by John Drury

Young Razorbill, floating on its own!

Spotted Salamander update – so I found myself having lunch at the Fox Rocks/Middle Mountain parking area and wondered, out loud, what the status is/was for the larvae Spotted Salamanders that hatched in the small pond there back in June.

I had wondered this for a bit, but can’t access vernal pools that I visit on the mainland without ‘having more impact than I would hope’, so I thought I would do one scoop through and see what I got.

One scoop was enough – spotted salamander larvae, as of July 27^th or so, looked good, with lots of room to grow. Will do another scoop if the opportunity allows.