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The Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
May 12 - May 18, 2005 Edition
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Birds Bad weather means good birding May 12, 2005 By E. Vernon Laux A yellow-throated warbler, the first ever to be photographed at a feeder on the Vineyard in the spring. This bird was attracted by grape jelly and seemed to enjoy the treat. Photo by Skip Bettencourt The Mother's Day weekend was a “stinker” as far as the weather was concerned. A strong nor'easter raced up the eastern seaboard, its radar image resembling nothing so much as a small hurricane, as it pummeled the coast for a seemingly interminable time. The hoped for and eagerly anticipated warm southwest breezes of spring and summer, wafting spring migrants in our direction, became a dim memory last weekend. Nonetheless, despite the unpredictable and nasty weather, actually typical for the Vineyard in spring, the number of unexpected birds being seen is exceptional. This has already been the best spring - for many irruptive southern species at feeders - that the Island has experienced since good records have been kept. The reason for this remarkable number of birds is the increasingly attentive and skilled number of Vineyard observers who are identifying the birds that show up in their yards or in the field. Even in the recent past, many of these birds would have gone unnoticed and unidentified. This spring the reports from Aquinnah to Chappaquiddick have been rolling in with an astonishing variety and range of species getting reported. Vineyarders are to be congratulated for their efforts at identifying and reporting what they are seeing. The picture being painted is of an Island rampant with numbers of southern overshoots. The reports from the entire Island reflect an abundance of species that birders elsewhere in the state marvel at. Colorful visitors seen Robust numbers of rose-breasted grosbeaks and indigo buntings are being seen and enjoyed at feeders by birders all over the Island. This past week another slew of blue grosbeaks were reported, a molting male reported on May 2 by Wink and Nan Winkleman on East Chop in Oak Bluffs, a male on May 6 reported by Skip and Nancy Bettencourt at their Chappaquiddick feeders, and a male bird seen flying across South Road in Chilmark on May 6. Combined with last week's blue grosbeak reports, it seems that the most significant spring flight of these birds to ever occur on the Massachusetts coast has just happened. At least 12 reports have come in and it is likely that reported birds are just a fraction of the birds actually here. Elsewhere, statewide, there has been big excitement generated by reports of just a few widely scattered individual blue grosbeaks. Nancy and Skip Bettencourt have another most unusual feeder bird on Chappaquiddick accompanying the blue and rose-breasted grosbeaks - a yellow-throated warbler. These southern warblers are a rare spring overshoot. This one was lucky enough to find their bird feeders where, along with seed, it feasts on the jelly they provide. It loves grape jelly and undoubtedly this extra energy will allow it to replenish its energy/fat reserves to move again to an area where there are others of its kind. Rare and exotic Birds are on the move and new arrivals are a feature of May. Harvey Garneau discovered a male parula warbler in a flowering fruit tree (outside his window) on May 8 in terrible weather. These jewels breed in a few locations on the Vineyard, and are always a treat to get a look at. Harvey managed to take a great picture of this fast-moving, hard-to-photograph species. Lanny McDowell birded Chappaquiddick in Edgartown on May 8 and found a couple of flocks of common terns and small numbers (21) of roseate terns, six Bonaparte's Gulls, as well as a breeding-plumaged spotted sandpiper. Matt Pelikan noted a few purple martins at the Head of the Lagoon on May 4. Lastly, the most amazing and rarest bird sighting not only of the past week but of the entire spring (and year), was that of the most beautiful raptor in North America - make that the world - the swallow-tailed kite. The bird was seen by Jeannie and Hugh Taylor of Aquinnah at Quitsa in Chilmark on May 2. This species is so graceful, beautifully marked, and distinctively shaped that it inspires outrageous prose. A bird that winters in the tropics, then returns to its North American breeding grounds (in the Everglades) and in a few coastal locations as far north as South Carolina, it is a highly sought-after vagrant. Yet because of its superior aerial abilities it rarely lingers anywhere. Thus, usually the only way to see one is to spot it as it passes by. These birds are very rare on the Island, with perhaps a report every five to 10 years, always in the spring. This spectacular, lone bird was heading west at mid-morning and, after giving viewers a good long look, was not seen again. The birds are coming through and there is no time like the present to get out and see what one can find. 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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