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The
Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
May 5 - May 11, 2005 Edition
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BIRDS
With Mother's Day just around the corner, my plan to discuss motherhood as it applies to birds got bumped by all the migrant and rare birds this week. This topic will be addressed in June at the height of the breeding season. This is certainly not meant as a slight to all the mothers reading this column. Bird migration waits for no one, and mothers are nothing if not patient! Passing migrants are everywhere, and lots of birds are being seen and reported - not only common birds but quite an impressive number of rare birds as well. Impressive numbers of small blue birds, eastern bluebirds, indigo buntings, and blue grosbeaks are being reported. No less than four blue grosbeaks were reported and are still being seen. Most unusual are the two male blue grosbeaks visiting Sally Anderson's West Tisbury yard (see photos) for the past week. Gus Ben David reports a male blue grosbeak was visiting the feeders at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown on April 28. Another blue grosbeak, a brownish female, is visiting Jill Bouck's feeder where its size and shape readily distinguish it from the eight indigo buntings. Exotic visitors appearing Much rarer, and hands down the most unusual bird being reported, is a small neon green, female painted bunting, that had been visiting Jeff Chapman's Edgartown feeder. The bird hangs with a group of 6 indigo buntings and remained unidentified for a while. It had been visiting Jeff's feeder since about April 21 and apparently has not been seen since April 29. Hopefully this will change. These southern buntings are dimorphic, like indigo buntings and cardinals: the males and females look very different. The male painted bunting is a shocking looking little bird, as is the very different female. If you are not familiar with this species take a look at a field guide and prepare to be amazed. Another spring rarity in the form of a male summer tanager was reported by Kent Medowski of Lambert's Cove Road in West Tisbury on May 1. This handsome male was well studied and Kent pointed out how different it looked from the scarlet tanagers that nest here. Ruby-throated hummingbirds have arrived at least at Indian Hill and Christiantown in West Tisbury. Molly Cournoyer saw her first at her feeder on April 24, Marjorie Rogers had one on April 25, and Harvey Garneau saw his first on April 28. All three reports came from a fairly small area. Rose-breasted grosbeaks have been widespread and reported from all Island towns. Dick Jennings from the Iron Hill Section of Oak Bluffs has been hosting a brown thrasher at his feeder for about the last 10 days. Dave Mash from Katama in Edgartown had a most unusual April sighting: a yellow-billed cuckoo that collided with glass, then recovered allowing superb views on April 25. Lost woodpecker returns Lastly, news that reverberated not only throughout the ornithological world but went mainstream as well, was the announcement a week ago of the rediscovery of North America's largest woodpecker, a bird that was believed to be extinct. The last confirmed sighting of this magnificent bird, the ivory-billed woodpecker, was in the year 1944. Despite intensive searches and countless attempts to survey areas where it was hoped the species might be surviving, it looked like the species was a goner. Hopefully it really is back from the dead and there are enough individuals to have a breeding population. For certain, only a lone male bird was seen. With the announcement of its sighting people lined up to share the glory, most amazingly Interior Secretary Gail Norton who is attempting to take credit for helping preserve the species. Perhaps she now knows there are big trees here and perhaps oil: it reminds me of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, North America's last true wilderness that according to the current administration must be drilled and pillaged for maybe six months worth of oil for SUVs. There's also been an outbreak of very slick new conferences, web sites, and general media hoopla by a slew of excellent conservation organizations. The Nature Conservancy has been head and shoulders the most effective and important group at preserving the area in eastern Arkansas where the bird was rediscovered. The news is remarkable. Wouldn't it be something to take one's grandkids to Arkansas at some future date to try to see the largest, most magnificent woodpecker on the continent? There is at least a chance this could become the reality, something that was unthinkable a short week ago. The birding is fantastic now, bird song continues to build and be impressive at dawn, and May has just begun. To my mom and all the moms - who none of us could do without - have a happy Mother's Day, and congratulations. 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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