Linnell cleaning up the Basin

Welcome to the Vinalhaven Sightings Report

April 1^st – April 30^th, 2026

Thanks to Maine Coast Heritage Trust

for their continued support!

 

‘Oh My!’

 

Highlights – Glossy Ibis, Northern Harrier, Snowshoe Hare, Owl Pellets, Vernal Pools featuring Spotted Salamander egg masses, Grackles, Robins, Snowshoe Hare, Mourning Cloak butterfly, Woodcocks! Featuring a woodcock nest!, Peepers!, and so much more!

 

Email address – vinalhavensightings@gmail.com . The place to send sightings, email addresses, concerns and comments. And other things.

 

want to see this bigger?
Click on the photo - Tiit Trick!

Couple o’ plugs – Now is the time to sign up for Boat Rides on ‘The Skua!’ with Captain John Drury. The Skua is in and ready to take you on a visit to a seabird nesting island. Puffins, Razorbills, Terns, pelagic species to and fro Seal Island/Matinicus Rock - and there’s always the potential for so much more. Contact John at Johnbdrury@gmail.com to book your trip today! He knows how to lead a great trip.

 

Osprey Adventures - Boat Charters - Experience the islands by water! Join a licensed captain (Oakley Jackson) for a tour around the Fox Islands and beyond! Vessel can accommodate up to six adults. Offering memorable experiences including bird and marine mammal watching, scenic cruises along beautiful, rugged coastlines, hauling lobster traps and learning about the industry, beach picnics and exploring secluded islands by foot.

Contact Captain Oakley Jackson for inquiries and bookings. ospreyadventuresme@gmail.com or      (207) 701 -1815

 

Lanes Island Deer
using the trail system

Lane’s Island clean up – Saturday May 9^th, 9:30am  at the lanes island parking area. Gunna widen the trails, pick up some trash, and chip away at the firebreak needed to be in place by the fall. Gloves, clothes and attitudes recommended. If you have an electric chainsaw and are interested/available please email me (Kirk) at vinalhavensightings@gmail.com. Thanks!

 

 

First off – Glossy Ibis sighting – Lanes Island Preserve – 4/29 – This Glossy Ibis was chillin’ in the flooded marsh on the West side of the driveway as you head towards the parking area. There were also two mallards in the area.

 

We’re putting this first because there is a chance with weather and conditions it might hang around for a bit. Anyway, keep an ear out and you never know what you might see when you keep yer eyes peeled. So gross.

 

This is the first Glossy Ibis I’ve seen on Vinalhaven, and John mentioned one spent some time on the Ball ground many years ago.

 

Ibis nest in southern Maine and its not unheard of to see them on the mainland at Weskeag. Fun to see on Vinalhaven – great colors and a great bill!

 

Also at lanes (and from the Ferry terminal)– lots of Turkey Vultures (4/49)

symmetrical molt

check out that symmetrical molt!  Same feathers on both wings are molting at the same time for a balanced flight - balanced for a Turkey Vulture that is. Fun! 

 

(4/8) Northern Harrier – Cay Kendrick reported a Northern Harrier hunting low over the meadows and shrubs on Lanes. Great habitat for them!

 

Cay noted the white ‘rump patch’ on the harrier, which is distinctive, along with flying low while hunting on the wing. Harriers use minimal flaps and stay close to the ground as they use hearing to find rodents and other prey – and through convergent evolution have facial disks similar to owls. Such a cool bird- cool sighting!

 

Had a nice Woodcock Walk on Lanes on April 10^th – thanks to those who could make it. A male peented and displayed its heart out from several spots around the group. And the peepers were super loud! Take a listen:

 

 

 

Woodcock Nest
photo by Elin Elisofen

And speaking of Woodcocks, Elin Elisofen sent me a text with this photo. The text read – who’s eggs are these?

 

My answer – a woodcock’s nest. Can you show me Tuesday?

 

Elin – Sure.

 

And the rest is history. The female got back on the eggs quickly from 'the initial flushing' and that Tuesday I snapped a bunch of photos of her on the eggs. She didn’t flush when Elin and I visited, but she definitely knew we were there.

 

They are the masters of patience, with that camouflage and all, and we paid attention to not get close enough to be close to be considered a threat. That’s my non-threatening interpretation at least.

 

Returned two weeks later and the eggs must have hatched the family moved on. Lots of baby woodcock (woodcockettes?) in the woods these days – and will be all summer. Crazy ain’t it?

 

Sometimes you got to sit for a bit to see one. Outpatient the patient shorebird of the woods.

 

And folks are seeing them!  – Cay Kendrick reports seeing a Woodcock doing it’s ‘head bobbing walk’ on Robert’s Cemetery Road! Watch for their ‘comical’ (woodcocks don’t think it’s funny) walk and be aware – camouflage and patience are two of their biggest survival tools – and at times they will sit in roads thinking you can’t see them. A big brain is not one of their biggest survival tools.

 

Also at Lanes – picking up trash in the parking lot and crossed paths with this Smooth Green Snake

 

first snail of the season
photo by Linnell Mather

I hope folks appreciate the Smooth Green Snake populations that are on Vinalhaven and many of the surrounding islands. To cut right to it - I hardly ever cross paths with Green snakes on the mainland, and when I do its often as roadkill (the snake, not me). Yet they are a mainstay on most visits to the island all summer. Hope you get to enjoy a green snake encounter soon! 

Elin also sent in this video of Blood Worms doing their ‘mating thing’ in the shallows. And yes, when you see gulls ‘worming’ in shallow coves at low tide these are what they are after. Cool Video!

 Thanks for sharing Elin!

evening grosbeaks
photo by Linnell Mather

Evening Grosbeaks – What a late winter/early spring for irruptive songbirds! The woods continue to be loaded with Pine Siskin and Red Crossbill – the later of which has just fledged their first broods (Basin - 4/28). George and Cay Kendrick report Purple Finches and Goldfinches at their feeder station.

 

Evening Grosbeaks #2
photo by Linnell Mather 

Evening Grosbeaks have been reported in town as ‘regular/daily’ visitors to feeder stations for stretches of the last two months (John Drury) and now Linnell Mather snapped this shot of a pair of these ‘stunners’ (judgement). Great shot as always Linnell!

 

great blue heron
in the Basin

Jim Clayter reported 9 Great Blue Herons from his view of Old Harbor Pond. The most he’s seen at one time, which is fun to note! Thanks Jim!

 

And Linnell got this video of a Great Blue Heron covering some ground in the Ball ground. Good Stuff!

 Thanks Linnell!

 

Alison Thibault sent in this video that records the Merlin – the bird not the app - vocalization connected to nesting/courtship.  Take a listen…

 

And ducks on the roof – another first for the VSR! Ducks on a roof and a merlin calling in the background – the way life should be! Thanks Alison!

 

Spotted Salamanders – This spotted Salamander triggered a trail camera I have up (well off the trail) up Barney Point Way. Mating is such an inspiration, isn’t it?

 

gunna have to take my word for now

video wouldn't upload - will get this figured out

something about the game cameras.

anyway and in the meantime  

enjoy the spotted salamander stuff below!

spotted salamander egg mass

Also visited the vernal pool at the VLT/Granite Island section of the Basin Preserve on April 15th and found some recently laid spotted salamander egg masses. 

Took some close ups, I think I prefer them in Black and White - see what you think. Gunna be fun to watch them develop!

Spotted Salamander spermatophores

also some spermatophores - from the male Spotted Salamanders associated with the egg masses. So fun to find

spotted salamander spermatophores
out of water

spotted salamander
photo by Charity Reynolds Appell

Charity Reynolds Appell sent in this photo of a Spotted Salamander that turned up in her garden!

 

live eagle, dead gull sign
photo by Charity Reynolds Appell

And Charity was also kind enough to send in this photo series documenting a Bald Eagle ‘gull processing site’. The eagle left behind some feathers, innards and the gull head! Took the rest of the carcass to continue the feast over Barney Point way. Cool series! Thanks Charity!

 

gull head in a cup
photo by Charity Reynolds Appell

Mourning Cloak butterfly – April 8^th – Barney Point way.

 

Year of the hare? - Snowshoe hare are numerous this spring, with sightings and scats being reported from just about everywhere.

 

Here’s a photo series of one on Reach Road. Survival instincts are low with this one!

 

palm warbler - watch for the tail flickin'

John Drury reports waves of Yellow-rumped (Myrtles!!!!) and Palm Warblers on Greens!

long eared owl pellet

Owl pellets – Lanes Island – Maria Jenness found this Long-eared Owl pellet under a spruce near the Lanes Island parking area. This marks at least 22 (23?) winters in a row that a Long-eared owl has spent at least enough time on Lane’s to cough up a pellet (often more). This was one of three LEO pellets seen this winter on Lanes.

 

saw whet owl pellet

Basin – Saw-whet Owl pellets – Another winter, another saw whet at the pellet spot. Found 6 fresh saw-whet owl pellets along the Platform Trail in the Basin. Very photogenic skull in one of them.

 

This spot – clump of spruce saplings that the trail cuts through – has not changed in 20 years – how can a sapling stay a sapling that long? – and for the last 8 or 9 years I’ve been finding Saw-whet owl pellets there.

 

Last year saw the actual saw whet (what were the chances!), took this photo and shared it at Northern Woodlands magazine (www.northernwoodlands.org) . Now they are using it for some annual fundraiser – a photo of a saw whet on Vinalhaven! That felt cool.

  

Really appreciate those people who shared sightings in this VSR post. Love to hear what you are seeing too! vinalhavensightings@gmail.com  

Hey - you made it to this point - just about the end - and all this has lead to letting you know about the work day at Lanes Island next Saturday - May 9th at 9:30am. 

And ha! we'll see you out there! Enjoy the May and don't forget to share!

 

 

Welcome to the Vinalhaven Sightings Report

March 15^th – April 1^st, 2026, edition

Happy Easter!

 

‘Lots of videos’ – A special ‘fantastic’ edition!

like this otter video....

 

Thanks to Maine Coast Heritage Trust for the support!

And thanks to you! For reading, looking and sharing!

There wouldn’t be a VSR without you!

 

 

Skunk Cabbage Spathe

Highlights – Comb Jellies at night!, Otter latrine scene, Finchus Irruptus, Dung Mimicry & Skunk Cabbage, Dwarf Mistletoe, A Correction!, Stacking wood with Walt, and so much more!

 

Business: vinalhavensightings@gmail.com

 

Brown Tailed Moth web
not too late to nail em
but time is running out

Don’t forget to share and be part of the action! Send nature sightings, screenshots, stories to the address above and have your name up in lights! Or at least under the photo – photos credits galore!

 

Keep ‘em Rolling – Been adding some emails to the list lately, and with that in mind we want to extend a big ‘hello’, ‘welcome’, and a ‘laurel and hardy handshake’ to those who may have only recently became aware of the VSR.

dwarf mistletoe

We appreciate your interest and hope you enjoy the posts!

 

We also hope that when/if the mood suits you – you send in sightings/photos/ stories from around Vinalhaven and the greater Fox Island area. No sighting is ever turned away, although at times things do get misplaced – so at those times you may need to be patient with us! Equal opportunity observers and equally opportunistic space cadets through and thru! All email addresses are welcome!

 

Tiit trick – click on the photos to make em fill up your heart, as well as your screen!

 

Upcoming events! - Woodcock walk – Friday April 10^th, 7pm at Lanes Island! -  We’ll meet in the parking lot and quietly work our way to a couple of spots where catching views of male Timberdoodles ‘peent’ and perform their aerial display ‘are best’. Appropriately warm/comfortable clothes – this is not an ‘active’ walk - lots of standing, listening and being appropriately entertained! Binoculars are a good idea!

 

fresh Witches Broom
that's where to look for 
Dwarf Mistletoe

Basin Clean-up – Saturday April 11^th – 9am – Hey! We’re going to meet up at Skoog Park and then head up to the Basin Bridge for some quality ‘baggin’ trash’ session. Roadside and in the marsh – dress appropriately (there we go again), bring some work gloves and get ready to ‘walk and pick’!  

 

 

Sightings – Comb Jellies! - Lydia Brown was kind enough to send in this visually and auditorily pleasant video of Comb Jellies lighting up the waters recently around a North Haven dock. Take a look!

 

 

Lydia mentioned that a few weeks back (mid-March) she noticed a lot of Comb Jellies in the Thoroughfare and then, in Lydia’s words - ‘when I learned they have phosphorescent superpowers I went out at night to watch their light show’. And show time it was! Fantastic, super cool and thanks for sharing!

 

Otter Latrine Scene – up Barney Point Way - Otter latrines (spraint spots with poop piles) are fantastic places to learn about, well, otters, of course! More than that, otter latrines are often used by other animals (Raccoons, Mink) and routinely are located along trails that other animals travel along (beaver, muskrat), so you never know what animal sign you might pick up at a latrine. Like maybe big ol’ footprints from this snowshoe hare…

 

 

Just look at these big ol' feet!

 

 

…Full disclosure - I have two motion-triggered trail cameras on MCHT preserves on Vinalhaven, one at an otter latrine and another on a deer path. Neither of which are close to human trails nor face the direction of human trails, ‘pains’ are taken to ensure there’s little to no chance of human’s triggering the cameras! Your off leash dog? That’s a different story of course…

 

 

  I recently changed out the memory card of the camera facing the otter latrine and the results are fun! Here’s a couple of otter clips and then more clips will be shared later in this VSR! Enjoy!

 

Lots of rolling and sprainting at the latrine!

 

 

bohemian waxwing

Wood Stacking with Walt / Walt's yard - (3/25) Crossed paths with Walt Day recently – every path-crossing with Walt is a good path crossing – and he told me of the hefty amount of bird action at this house that morning.

 

screen save
by Walt Day

Turns out that while Walt was stacking wood the birds were making such aa racket in his yard – not an uncommon happening with Walt, birds, and his yard – that Walt turned on the Merlin app on his phone and saw this…

 

Now – we are on the record as currently not being part of the ‘Merlin app’ target audience (maybe someday). We do acknowledge that the Merlin app is a very useful tool and that ‘you can’t put the same shoe on every foot’ with learning and blah blah blah. Let’s cut to the chase - To me, what was great was that his phone picked up Bohemian Waxwings!  

 

For much of March, Bohemian Waxwings have had a heavy presence in the Rockland/Thomaston/St George region (and beyond no doubt!) – much of mainland Knox County. Flocks of over a hundred could be seen/heard/ appreciated.   

 

While the Waxwings have been a ‘sight to look for’ on the mainland, I hadn’t (and still haven’t) cross paths with ‘Bohemians of the waxwing kind’ on Vinalhaven itself this winter (VH is a different beast habitat wise). Hadn’t heard of any sightings from anyone else either.

 

I took these Bohemian Waxwing photos in March while on a walk with my buddy Randall in the St George neighborhood I live in. The flock, or multiple flocks graced the neighborhood with their presence for maybe three weeks or so – sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes somewhere else (Rockland and 131).

 

Thanks Walt for sharing and for having Bohemian Waxwings on your Merlin list! We look forward to more reports from Walt, whether its while wood stacking or not (wood stacking is optional), just hearing more about what’s up on Calderwood Neck! Thanks Walt!

 

purple finch

Huber stuff (3/24) - There was also a second page of Walt’s merlin birds that morning, which had Pine Siskins & Purple Finches to go along with American Goldfinch and Red Crossbill. 4 Finch species is a sign of ‘Finchus Irruptus’, and in late winter no less.

 

purple finch

It was cool to see that Merlin had picked up the finches (and more!) as the day before (3/24 for those keeping track) I crossed paths with a huge flock of birds at the Huber Preserve. The racket this mixed species flock of birds made! Probably similar in tone and volume to Walt’s experience. The flock had some of the ‘Usual Suspects’ – Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Dark-eyed Junco, and Hairy Woodpecker.

 

pine siskin

This mixed species flock was largely comprised however of Pine Siskins, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch (in numbers in the spruce forest) and Red Crossbills. An island wide Finchus Irruptus.

 

pine siskin

Red-breasted Nuthatches – (3/24) cool note – I saw three different paired-up Nuthatch couples along the Huber trail that were starting to excavate nesting cavities. Whether they use them or move on to other cavities, only time will tell, but fun to see them start…

 

How about a couple of quick muskrat clips (don't blink or you'll miss 'em!) and a beaver clip. I won’t tell you which is which, but the beaver has the big tail.

 

 

These are from up Barney Point Way, same otter latrine as before.

 

 

Plant stuff! - Skunk Cabbage! – Is raging right now! So much so that we have this special PSA - While driving, please fight the urge to stare at the roadside Skunk Cabbage flowers that are just popping up! Be safe!

 

So many patterns – here’s shots of a bunch from the Huber Preserve and Barney Point Preserve.

 

Couple of notes about their flowers – From good ol’ Johnny Eastman! And his fantastic book – The Book of Swamp and Bog…. Now, here’s Johnny!

 

spadix in the spathe

‘As the flower buds emerge in late winter, they increase in temperature, often melting snow around them. When the surrounding group and air warm above freezing, respiration of the ‘Spadix’ produces a quire constant of about 72 degrees, which the surrounding, air-pocketed ‘Spathe’ helps maintain’

 

Vocab break – Spathe - The skunk cabbage spathe is a mottled, maroon-to-purple, hood-like bract that emerges in early spring to enclose and protect the fleshy spadix (the actual flower cluster).

 

Spadix - The skunk cabbage spadix is a fleshy, knob-like, or club-shaped spike (5–10 cm long) covered in tiny, petal-less flowers, enclosed within a mottled, hood-like leaf called a spathe.

 

Back to Eastman …

 

‘The tiny flowers of the spadix have no petals. They are protogynous (female parts mature first); they begin to bloom at the spadix top and progress downward. When the lowermost flowers emerge, the male flowering likewise descends the spadix.’

 

Pollinators? – sure, we got em! –

 

‘This plant is probably the first spring pollen source for Honeybees (Apis mellifera). Honeybees do not fly well below 65 degrees, but they are sometimes seen inside skunk cabbage plants when air temperature drops as low as 42 degrees. It is theorized that the warmth in successive spathes serve as ‘heat stops’ for the bee, allowing it to restore energy for flights between spathes and to and from the hive. Sometimes bees become trapped in narrow-gapped spathes.

 

Other pollinators are chiefly flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) and carrion or blow flies (Calliphoridae). These early-season scavengers are attracted by the plants liver-colored streaks and fetid odor, some botanists cite this as an example of dung mimicry, which may have evolved as an attractant for these pollinators.’

 

So, a lot going on with these Skunk Cabbages right now. Classic example of ‘Sex before Food’ in the plant world. And ‘dung mimicry’ – ain’t that just the spraint. Leaves to emerge soon! We will continue monitoring and reporting on these wonderful harbingers of spring!

 

dwarf mistletoe in bloom

More plant stuff – Dwarf Mistletoe in bloom! Huber and Barney Point way, right along the trails.

 

dwarf mistletoe in bloom

And a correction – in the last VSR post we talked, at length, about Accipiter Hawk and the trickiness of telling the species apart. Well, it’s still tricky to tell them apart, but it turns out that the three species traditionally referred to as ‘Accipiters’ aren’t all accipiters after…. all.

 

Good friend (some might even say we are ‘BFFs’), fantastic observer, haiku master (www.kristenlindquist.com) , and longtime VSR reader Kristen Lindquist was kind enough to forward info on a recent lesson of bird relationships that was learned through DNA testing. Here we go:

 

fresh mistletoe right in
the Barney Pointing parking area

 Fun fact: Cooper's Hawks and goshawks are no longer technically accipiters!

From the interwebs:

Based on recent 2024 genetic studies, as of late 2024, the Cooper’s Hawk and American Goshawk were reclassified to Astur.

Relationship: This shift indicates that Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks are not as closely related as previously thought.

Colloquial Usage: Despite the scientific reclassification, some, as a user in a Facebook group mentioned, may still refer to them functionally as "accipiters" or "bird hawks" due to their similar appearance and hunting behavior, though the formal taxonomy has changed.

 

Crazy to learn that Sharpies and Cooper’s Hawks aren’t the same genus! Must have split a long time ago, and then Goshawks evolved from Coopers?

 

It can be hard to keep up with the lessons that DNA studies teach us about relationships between different species – be them birdies or shroomies. We laugh that ‘back in the day’ Ovenbirds were considered Thrushes, but in truth there are still tons of lessons to be learned that will blow the lid off of things we take for certain today. Who knows what will be next, but I would never have guessed that Sharpies and Coopers weren’t that closely related.

 

And that’s why, at times, you’ll hear me quoting the great ‘Weird’ Al Yankovic when I say ‘everything you know is wrong’. We’ve come a long way baby, and clearly have a lot more way to come.

 

And no – I will not be referring to Sharpies and Coopers are accipiters anymore. Why not? Because its not ‘right’. Sweet and simple!

 

But hey – enough of my yackin – get out there….

 

….and we’ll see you out there!