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Birds: For birders, it's the best of times
September 1, 2005
By E. Vernon Laux
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The Buff-breasted Sandpiper is a rare migrant that appears on Vineyard shores within a few days of Labor Day weekend. Keep your eyes open this weekend.
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The first of September heralds the arrival of superb birding and the delightful prospect of fall on the Vineyard. Great birding, no crowds, out of control fishing, and fantastic eating are all part of what make this the finest month of the year on-Island. The rapidly shortening days and cooler temperatures trigger the migratory urge, the imperative necessary for survival in many kinds of birds. They are not the only creatures to heed the coming winter as migrating fish, insects, and marine mammals also stage impressive movements.
All things in the natural world at this latitude respond to the many fairly rapid changes occurring, specifically the photoperiod (length of day) and temperature. Day length is quickly shrinking until the fall equinox on September 21, which, as the name implies, is when day and night are of equal length. On September 22, the night is longer and will continue to be so until the vernal equinox on March 21. All living creatures at this latitude, plant and animal, have evolved to deal with the major annual changes.
Many insectivorous species migrate; some plants go dormant. Some creatures hibernate (woodchucks, chipmunks); others have adapted to stay active and attempt to survive the winter. Active creatures include many birds that are year round residents like song sparrows, black-capped chickadees, Carolina wrens, downy woodpeckers, and many other species that utilize bird feeders in the winter. Some other species Å\ like bluebirds, robins, blue jays, mourning doves, barn owls, red-tailed hawks, and others Å\ are found on the Island year Åfround, but often the individuals that are here in the winter are different than the ones here in the summer.
For example, the Vineyard has American robins all year Åfround. There are many more robins in summer, and they are a common breeding bird in almost all habitats. The robins that breed here mostly migrate south to winter in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Gulf coast. The robins that arrive to winter on the Island come from further north in Canada. These birds breed in Labrador, Newfoundland, Quebec, and elsewhere, and fly south for the winter, finding the thickets and abundant berries on the Island perfect to provide food through the winter. Often thousands of these birds will spend the winter feeding on the berries/fruits of eastern red cedar trees, American hollies, and a wide variety of other trees and shrubs, including many ornamentals that have berries to eat. So while robins are present year Åfround, the same individual birds are not present for the entire year.
New arrivals and passers-by
Many species and different individuals arrive here beginning this month to spend the winter on and around the Island. Virtually all birds are on the move this month, and every day holds the potential for seeing not only lots of expected species but also vagrants that have flown far from their speciesÅf typical range. On nights with light northwest winds the sky is a highway for southbound migrants. Dawn, all over the Island but most pronounced at the extreme western end at the Gay Head Cliffs, finds migrant land birds flying about looking for a place to drink, feed, and rest during the day.
There is plenty of bird news with lots of birds being reported from all over the Island and beyond. Land birds in the form of orioles, grosbeaks, vireos, flycatchers, warblers, and more can be found in woodlands where they have been absent for the rest of the year. It is only for a few weeks in September that almost any spot on the Vineyard landscape can turn into a hotspot as southbound migrants move south by following the coastline. Checking favorite or convenient locations daily in September is exciting, educational, and eye- opening. A great diversity of migrant birds passes over and may spend a few days on Island. Now is the time to detect them.
It is amazing what variety one can find in trees and shrubs in oneÅfs yard. Especially good are areas with moving freshwater or birdbaths. Birds are very weight sensitive and must drink daily. Migrants must locate water to drink wherever they are and often find and follow local birds, primarily black-capped chickadees. Any freshwater habitat may have impressive numbers of land birds all day long, coming in to drink, bathe, and preen.
Lastly, the Labor Day Weekend is often the best weekend of the year for finding birds. Typically fabulous weather accompanied by both good numbers of land birds and the greatest variety of shorebirds to visit Island shores all combine in early September. Even if the weather is bad, it is good for birds. My advice to birders is to go birding as much as you can this weekend and for the next 10 weeks. Fishermen get derby fever; birders get avian flu and must visit the cliffs in the early morning and check the flats at Katama whenever they can. This month is when one can truly appreciate how good the Vineyard is for birds.
Until next week Å\ 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. |
