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The
Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
March 17 - March 23, 2005 Edition
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BIRDS
The volume and intensity of song, as well as the number of bird species that are singing at first light in fine weather, seem to increase daily. Not only is there an increase in song, but behavior is changing as well. Birds that were keeping close company with each other a couple of weeks ago are now intolerant of each other, refusing to share a bird feeder. Each is responding to a changing endocrine system pumping hormones into their bodies and preparing them for the upcoming breeding season. This requires a big change in behavior from winter mode. Foremost for year 'round resident species is the need to establish and defend a territory - hence, the birds' increase in aggression, the growing intolerance with others of its own kind. Red-winged blackbirds, northern cardinals, mourning doves, Carolina wrens, American robins, black-capped chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, song sparrows, eastern bluebirds, and other species can all be heard singing most mornings and again near dusk. They are already defending territories and courting. Some will begin nest- building in the near future. Migrants on the move The waters surrounding the Island are alive with migrant birds. Dawn finds flocks of migrating scoters and eiders as well as lines of loons moving north and east by our shores. For waterfowl, spring started well over a month ago. The birds are on the move, returning north, and impressive numbers are staging at favored spots around the Vineyard. On calm days one can see lots of courting, chasing, and displaying going on no matter what specie of duck one is observing. It is an excellent time of year to begin looking at birds, whether you ever have before or not. Check it out, you will get to explore this lovely Island and learn something of the feathered inhabitants as well. On the shore and beach there is a veritable maelstrom of activity. Great black-backed and herring gulls are displaying to each other and pairing off. Out on the elbow of Cape Pogue, the gulls are already standing around defending territories in the beach grass. While many might disagree, thinking that gulls are never beautiful, at this time of year they are striking and resplendent as they come into breeding condition. They are brilliant as their beaks and orbital (eye) rings get brighter, a fiery bright orange/yellow. Any day now, those wild and wacky denizens of sand bars and mud flats, American oystercatchers, will be returning from more southerly wintering climes. These seemingly unmistakable, colorful, shorebirds (visiting tourists have mistakenly called them toucans and penguins) are about the size of pigeons have long orange beaks and a distinctive black and white plumage. For the past 25 years they have been slowly and steadily increasing in numbers on Vineyard beaches, mudflats, rocky shores and marshes. They are gregarious birds, noisy and well liked by humans sharing the beach with them. Springtime arrivals Oystercatchers are in direct contrast to the small, nondescript, sand-colored, threatened piping plover that lives right on the outer beach and lays its eggs on the open exposed sand. These tiny summer residents begin to arrive back for the summer much earlier than human visitors. Generally by the end of March, many have come back to establish territories on very cold, uninviting-looking stretches of beach. When the young hatch, beaches are often closed to four-wheel drive vehicles for a month or more, not endearing these tiny plovers to local fishermen and summer beach enthusiasts. The young, camouflaged perfectly, are for all intents and purpose invisible. After hatching, they get out of the wind by finding the lowest spot on the beach - which unfortunately is in four-wheel drive vehicle tracks. For a few weeks before the young can fly the birds are especially vulnerable to many things, including getting run over. American woodcock continue to display on warm evenings, and spring is busting out all over. Red-tailed hawks are engaging in flight displays, uttering their piercing scream and engaging in nest building. Rare is the sunny day when these birds are not seen soaring about anywhere one happens to be on the Island. On March 14 at 3 pm, Pam and Lang Clarke watched an osprey for approximately 10 minutes as it swooped and soared over Lambert's Cove Beach. Unfortunately, the only other witness was their dog, a Springer named Tango. They were enjoying the chill in the air and warm sun walking east from Paul's Point back toward the path onto the beach. Realizing the “magnitude” of this very early sighting (record breaking) as they are avid readers of this column and not wanting to be known for unreliable reports they studied the low soaring bird intently. They proceeded home and consulted their field guide to make sure they weren't seeing things and were 100 percent that the bird is/was an osprey. They are very familiar with the species. This is one for the record books. Whether it is an individual that was just passing by or a returning nester is hard to know. A further check of osprey nest poles along Lambert's Cove will be conducted to see if any have a bird on them on March 15 and 16. The first returning osprey is a sure sign that spring is here, not only on the calendar but in the bird world as well! Until next week - keep your eyes to the sky. To contribute news about your birding activities or sightings, call The Times Birdline, 508-693-6100, extension 33; or e-mail birds@mvtimes.com. |
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