Sightings Report
Vinalhaven Sightings September 6, 2009
Brought to y’all by the kind folks at VLT & MCHT
and alert viewers like you
“I’m a turtle lover from the mainland and I poopoo your scare tactics with the snapping turtle” *
-actual quote
*Pooh-pooh –v. - to express disdain or contempt
Highlights: Raptors featuring the legendary swimming Eagle and Sharp-shinned Hawk, Shorebirds featuring American Golden Plover, Songbirds featuring dancing Blue Jays and the Return of the Crossbills, Jaegers, Frogs, Slime Molds, Otter, Parasitic Plants, Slug Sex, Fungi, Hooded Mergansers, Red-necked Grebe, Ocean Sunfish!, Too many Planes! Fortunately not much more.
Raptor Watch: Interested in watching for migrating raptors? Lane’s Island can be a wonderful place to stand (or sit, or lay down) and check out what’s passing by – especially with any northerly breeze. September and October are big months for raptor migration, so what we’re thinking of trying a couple of days towards the end of the month, over the last few weekdays of the week- just for a few hours - maybe 11am-2pm (midday is best). We’ll meet at the picnic tables by the graveyard (creepy) and see what we see. Now - You might be thinking – “But I work?”. Picnics and raptors are a great combo for a lunch break. If you’re interested and have a request for a day that is better for you (what?) just let me know and we’ll try to work something out.
Sightings: This just in- Bald Eagle swimming through the narrows – We take you to the action, as described by Captain Peter…(9/1) “We saw an adult bald eagle swimming across the narrows toward Laireys Island. Danny looked with binoculars and saw an adult eider in the eagle's talons under the water. The eagle was using its wings as paddles and swam ashore. We watched the bird and successfully negotiated the narrows with the ferry at the same time. The eagle got ashore by hopping out of the water when it was shallow and flapping its wings in the air...” A swimming eagle is one with grub, grub that weighs too much for take off. Add in the potential of waterlogged wings and you’ve got a bird doing the eagle stroke. Amy and I once watched a Bald Eagle swimming on our commute in Haines, Alaska – we figured that it had hooked in a King Salmon, which was a common story throughout Southeast Alaska. This Maine Swimming Eagle is an excellent sighting for sure... and a big hats off to the crew for watching the bird and successfully negotiating the narrows at the same time. Probably not an accepted excuse for skidding a ferry.
Other Raptors- Ocean View Road – or is it Boulevard? – Reports are being sent in about a family of Merlins that’s been hanging out in the trees along the Ocean View swamp. This falcon family has been taking turns (it’s nice to take turns) nailing dragonflies over the swamp– one after another! Classic Merlin behavior! Rumor has it that this is a yearly event along the wetlands – causing one to wonder about nearby nests. What’s more, this area is not so far from the young Merlin that staked out a territory behind the school – could it be last year’s offspring looking to be starting something alongside his parent’s turf? Could be, we’ll see what comes of it all next spring…
The Thompson’s Dyer Island Feeder Ecosystem (that’s a mouthful) is at it again - drawing the attention of a passing Sharp-shinned Hawk (Photo compliments Carol Thompson). And while this killer was a welcome visitor it was mentioned that it would be nice if it kept going as the observers in the area like to see songbirds as well – preferably alive! Also in the Dyer’s Island area an American Kestrel…Lane’s Island – (8/26) American Kestrel hunting grasshoppers from treetops.
Shorebirds – or Where to begin? August is time for much bird movement. Might seem early to some, August can actually be a little late for some species of shorebirds – a group of birds that often breed up in the way tundra and fly like a gagillion miles without stopping. While having no big ol’ marshy areas like over at Westkeag, Vinalhaven is fortunate enough to have several spots that can attract a variety of species. It’s amazing how many beautiful and important places our island has to offer.
Seal Bay - Gid Loring has been keeping a close eye on the Shorebirds coming through Seal Bay and is the authority on the shorebirds found there. Here’s what he’s seen recently:
“The Semi-palmated Plovers reached a peak of about 120±, which was probably on 8/12, on 8/19 down to about 50. High for Short-billed Dowitchers was 5 about the same time, none 8/19. High for Greater Yellowlegs has been 6, and there still may be that many. I had one Lesser Yellowlegs. High for Black-bellied Plovers was 34, on August 18, but they may not have reached their high yet. The high for peep has been about 25, with a few least (no count), mostly semipalms. A few Spotted Sandpipers around, high for turnstones 3, over a week ago. About a week ago, we had 35± Lesser Yellowlegs, several Short-billed Dowitchers and 3-4 Greater Yellowlegs in the flats behind State Beach. We heard and saw a Whimbrel flying over Seal Bay… it was the first one I ever have had here.”
Also….” Most recent shorebird observations at island near Huber Preserve: Sunday, August 30: Black-bellied Plovers-37, Semi-palmated Plovers-3, peep-15+, Short-billed Dowitchers-4, the only yellowlegs were 2 in our cove, later in the morning.
The previous Friday evening (I did not check Saturday) when I checked, the count was very low: at the island: 8 peep, 2 Semi-palmated Plovers, rocks off Hay Island:
4 Black-bellied Plovers, 5 peep. Bonaparte's Gulls around.”
These ledges are to the east of Burnt Island and the rest of The Huber Preserve and can be viewed from the Huber Shoreline. Seal Bay is a wonderful spot for shorebirds and young terns at this time of the year. VSR commends Gid for his passion and interest for this wonderful part of Vinalhaven.
Geary’s/State Beach/Arey’s (8/29) – A hardy and opportunisitic observer headed out to watch tropical storm Danny from her car from the State Beach area. To her delight (and to the delight of the survival of the birds involved) there was an American Golden Plover taking refuge in some of the washed up wrack taking refuge right near her car. “Closest to a breeding plumage adult I’ve ever seen”. Along with the Golden Plover was a single Black-bellied Plover, a Ruddy Turnstone (on Vinalhaven!), and a couple of Semi-palmated Sandpipers as well. Both Yellowlegs, Black-bellied Plovers and Semi-palmated Plovers on the flats...(8/13) As part of a seven shorebird species day – 22 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 4 Semi-palmated Sandpipers, 4 Short-billed Dowitcher, 10 Black-bellied Plover, and 1 Ruddy Turnstone on House Ledge – first Ruddy Turnstone I’ve seen from Vinalhaven Island.
Pleasant River – (8/13) 10 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 15 Least Sandpiper, 18 Short-billed Dowitcher.
The Basin (8-11) – 40+ Black-bellied Plovers, 40 Short-billed Dowitchers, 6 Least Sandpipers, 2 Greater Yellowlegs…(8-27) 16 Least Sandpipers, 2 Greater Yellowlegs,
Lane’s Island – Reliable group of 5-6 Least Sandpipers seen at the beach or along the washed up rockweed on every visit. (9/1) Semi-palmated Plover as well.
North Haven – (8/25) – An MCHT bird walk stumbled upon an impressive gathering of shorebirds on mudflats in a cove along the south-western shore. 50+ Least Sandpipers, 5 Semi-palmated Sandpipers, 8 Short-billed Dowitchers, 7 Semi-palmated Plovers, 15 Black-bellied Plover, 2 Spotted Sandpipers, 4 Greater Yellowlegs.
From the Ferry – (8/1) 2nd boat and the fog broke up on the trip across. It all started with a Black-crowned Night Heron flying across the bow of the ferry as we left the harbor. Certainly gives you the feeling that we were in for something. In the bay were
well over 100+ Wilson’s Storm Petrels (stock photo), which is a solid amount for a summer that has had a lot of storm-petrels. But keepin’ with the shorebird theme started earlier there were roughly 35+ Red-necked Phaloropes on the water just past the mid-point of the bay. Phalarope’s are pelagic shorebirds that sit in the water and spin around in circles – reminds me of a couple of friends I had in college. Their (the phalaropes) spinning creates currents – as small as they might be - that bring morsels of grub to the surface for them to peck at. (“What bizarre behavior!” in the heaviest Bristish accent you can imagine 3/04 – Pescadero Marsh after winds blew several in for a week or so. This is my favorite quote about phalaropes I’ve ever heard.) First I’ve seen from the ferry, the Gulf of Maine can have gagillions of them, often a good distance from shore. Nice addition to the ferry ride. Also on ferry rides- harbor porpoise and Bonaparte’s Gulls on most trips.
On the water – Jaeger chasing has become the norm on Fluke trips as of late. Multiple Parasitic Jaegers have been seen on trips for most of the past few weeks – including 5 on (9/3). Jaegers are always a favorite – a kleptoparasitic dominant master of the terns (photo thanks to John Drury). When on the water watch for what appears to be a dark gull chasing Terns as these are often Jaegers. They can even be seen from the ferry, albeit not that often – maybe once or twice a summer/fall.
Corvids are generally considered the smartest of the songbirds –often their memory, variety of vocalization communication and extra time for play are given as reasons for this dubious title. Well, the Blue Jays up on Skin Hill may be smarter than others as they appear to have enough free time to take in some ritualistic dances!
(photo thanks to Bob) Check out the thrice framed sequence as 3 Skin Hill Blue Jays rotate positions around the Rabbit of Destiny. Rumors have it they continued circling the generous lagomorph until there were no more sunflower seeds. Someday we as humans may finally understand the mysterious way of the Blue Jay, but until then we can only watch and smile as these brainy birds move around a ceramic bunny.
The Return of the Son of the White-winged Crossbills – (7/28) Williams Preserve – The night of July 27th was the first clear night we’d had in nearly forever – pretty sure those were stars and not Skin Hill bottle rockets. (I am a big fan of bottle rockets and would have been happy either way). A night with magnificent clarity can instantly become a good night for migration. – “Fly through the night” as Jerry would say. An early morning visit to the Preserve was greeted not only with newly encroaching fog but also a small group of White-winged Crossbills! While clicking off the slime molds– 27 patches, 4 species – this small group of maybe 5 Crossbills was seen/heard flying overhead. First I’ve seen since April, with the official end of the Crossbill’s 10 month tenure as Vinalhaven’s most abundant songbird! The Crossbill experience was extended 4 days in a row in the Basin, both sides. Also found – fresh River Otter scat on “Otter Point” by the ol’ lobster pound. Crossbills continue to be seen on both sides of the Basin, at the Huber, and by observers around the island.
Mixed Species Flocks or the Eagle Flies with the Dove or The Zen of Chickadees– Now is a wonderful time to get out and check local chickadee flocks to see who’s around. Chickadees are gregarious and make a wonderful state bird (and would surely make a better state flower than the pinecone). They have a wonderful habitat of being chatty, are not against being seen with birds of different species and are often the most vocal and most numerous components of local songbird flocks. All this – especially the state flower thing – makes locating chickadees and seeing who they are hanging out with a great way to find migrating birds. Mixed species flocks have been noted at Indian Ladder, Whitmore Pond, Huber, The Basin, Lane’s, Round the Island Road and Poor Farm. Also on North Haven. Here’s a little of who’s hanging with the chickadees : quite a few young/female Redstarts around the area, plus many Yellowthroat, Yellow-rumped, Magnolia, Parula, Nashville, Black-throated Green Warblers. Red-eyed Vireos and Woodpeckers as well. A small group of Swamp Sparrows at the Stone Farm noted. Golden-crowned Kinglets and Red-breasted Nuthatches also on the louder side of the mixed species coin. Singing Brown Creepers to boot!
What’s around – Cedar Waxwings continue to be the most numerous songbird on the island seen in just about every habitat and open space, many young birds being fed by adults as recently as yesterday (9/3). Tons of Goldfinch. We’ve picked up a wave of Flickers – the yellow hammer, state bird of Alabama! – over the last week or so – being seen in small numbers in numerous places around the island…(9/1) Poor Farm Road – small group of Swainson’s Thrushes mixed in with other species. One found freshly killed on Main Street by Kelwick Farm Road junction…A small wave of Eastern Kingbirds has been noted over the past week. Sightings at Skoog Park (Yeah Skoog!), 2 in the Basin, Lane’s Island, Pleasant River, and Pleasant Street. Seems like a lot for out here…Brown Creepers are singing again at Huber and in the Basin…Marsh Wren in the Ocean View Swamp…Mourning Warbler at Ocean View as well – both are first times seen in the area…(8/25) 3 Red-necked Grebes in breeding plumage seen from North Haven by the loafs…(9/1) Ocean Sunfish seen off Green’s Island and another seen past Seal Island…reports of Mink being seen around the island, several spots…
Well, I Otter – dead and alive – Seal Bay – In the previous report we made the call for a Seal Bay Otter sighting and within moments the sightings start flowing. (7/30)? Or so an Otter was seen on the south side of Seal Bay, just West of Huber Preserve! We always feel lucky when we get to see sign of Otter, much less an individual in the flesh! …A youngster pulling up traps in the Robert’s Harbor area earlier this month found a dead Otter in one of them. Definitely heard stories of otter drowning in traps. I wonder how many traps they empty before they get entrapped?
Slime mold update. – I’ve been off island a bunch during the last few weeks, and let me tell you – from the Adirondacks to Frenchboro the woods are lined with Slime Molds. Even with the recent heat wave – “I didn’t move to Maine to sweat!” – a late bloom of Tapioca Slime has given much of the forest a drippy ice cream look
(photos – fresh and gone to spore). Once again this has truly been a remarkable summer for slime. All that rain in June and July – only to have August be way too hot and dry (alright – forget a whole bunch of rainy days and a handful of days earlier in the month. The numbers just get more and more impressive..(7/29) – 52 Slime Mold day (5 species), (7/30) – 44 Slime Mold patches (4 species) mostly Tapioca slime. We were in a heat wave at the time. And then….. in the Basin among roughly 300 yards of terrain – 127 patches – all many-headed and (8/11) in the Basin – 127 patches of (mostly) Tapioca Slime and a few Many-headed Slimes on less than 300 yards of total trail walked. This was an area previously stacked with Many-headed Slime. (8/15) Ned’s Point on Friendship Long Island – 257 patches along a very short trail. But the outing that takes the cake was on Frenchboro Island (8/21) where 415 patches were clicked off in a matter of hours! With a slimy summer like this everything else is a bonus.
Folly Pond – After apparently not getting the word about the snapping turtles that live in Folly Pond (see last issue), (7/31) an adult female Wood Duck with 3 youngsters were seen risking their webbed tootsies by swimming around blatantly oblivious to the fact that Snapping’ Turtles live in the pond. Not an example of good parenting. (8/11) A pair of young Hooded Mergansers were seen from the dam by the road. They also seemed relaxed and appeared to be unaware of the potential dangers that lurked beneath the water!
Great Horned Owls - Reports of a great horned owl with young recently hanging around the Kelliwick Farm Road area just out back of the school have made it our way. For a few consective nights in mid August the owls could be heard from Main Street and Kelliwick.
Who’s Doing It?- Not only can you feel the love over on Carver’s Road/Street/Boulevard, but you can see it! What we’re talking about here are 
Slugs, and these slugs are active (photo thanks to Linnell) ! If you lived in that neighborhood there’s a chance that the next slug generation could be forming on your doorsteps. As an alumni of UC Santa Cruz – the fightin’ Banana Slugs! – I found the 15 or so pictures that were sent in as disturbing as anyone else would have. (but not as disturbing as Snappin’ Turtles of course). Anyway, these Hermaphroditic critters were letting it all hang out for sometime before retracting appendages and one individual sliding back up the extended slime thing hanging above them. And why not? Good for them! This just in – (9/4) Slug sex returns to the same walkway!....(8/13) State Beach – Common Terns cloacal kissing on a small protected ledge.
Great Blue Herons and Belted Kingfishers – Great Blue Herons (GBH) have increased in numbers pretty dramatically over the last month – seen just about everywhere around the island where there is water – which is a lot of places as this is an island surrounded by water. Anyway, an exceptional count of 10 – all in trees on an island in the Basin was noted (8/14). They are everywhere….The day after I was talking with an observer about the low numbers of Kingfishers so far this fall (8/30) our Belted Buddies showed up with some impressive numbers. Lane’s, The Basin, Huber, Perry Creek, Whitmore Pond, State Beach, Carver’s Pond and Pleasant River were suddenly drenched with Kingfisher activity. Always a welcome sight – Kingfishers and Blue Herons are my Dad’s favorite birds (still, I think) and having Leif in my arms while at least one of us watched a Great Blue nail a fish at the Lane’s cesspool has made their showing even more special. Don’t take these guys for granted! They’ll be gone before we know it! Hug a kingfisher today. They are a good omen, or so I’ve been told.
Planes – Maybe it’s just me (but really, it never is) but I feel like I’ve been seeing loads of planes crossing the island over the last week, especially from the Basin. Way more than “normal”. Anyway, I chucked a rock at the 15th one that flew over me the other day (9/2). It took off pretty fast, undoubtedly scared by my Dana Tolman accuracy (I wish) but this was probably just a short term remedy to the issue. Anyone else noticed an increase in plane activity? This just in – plane flies over Carver’s Cabin while sightings report is being worked on.
Frogs – Up on the North Haven Road this picture of a Bullfrog was taken in a water-filled quarry (photo thanks to Linnell). Apparently the frogs are quite active in the quarry (get a room)…
Spring Peepers - Winter Harbor – (8/16) 2 young spring peepers were seen crossing a woods road. One was caught. Peepers also being heard on Lane’s Island during some days.
Snakes in the ferns – While GPSing (is there anything funner?) I stumbled upon a patch of Hay-scented Ferns in the Basin loaded (somewhat) with snakes! One Garter snake resting on some Hay-scented Fern pays little to no attention to the bald sweaty guy tromping through its turf!
Fungus/Fungus-wanna-be of the month – Well, we had our second round of Chantrelles as a nice compliment to the happenings of July – “It was like it was when I started back in the day” – mushroom enthusiast on the ferry. “But where are the Boletes?” – Great question. And while there are definitely fungal fruiting bodies in the woods – and apparently every Maple leaf just off Sand Cove road – all in all I don’t think I’m alone remarking at the slimmer pickings (not just for pickin either, how about that Yellow Patch eye candy) this summer has yielded. The reason behind the mystery, as with everything, it was undoubtedly connected to the summer rains or global warming or both!
That said, there are a few species that still are showing up with numbers lower than the previous two years. (enough already!) The subtle, awe-inspiring Tawny Grisette (Amanita fulva) has maintained a steady presence along many of the trails this summer – and good for you Grissettes!. They most definitely are an Amanita – a name that can send shivers down the spines of fungo-phobes across this great land. It’s a poison whose story of death always gets (somewhat) excited looks and moans from 5th graders from coast to coast. There are valid survival instincts at work here, and I pooh-pooh no one cursed with an irrational fear of mushrooms. There are worse beliefs out there for sure. But the Grissette is in no way a threat to you or your lifestyle. It acts as a welcoming beacon along any trail. Not poisonous – but I’m not saying there is any reason to eat them, none to think of at all. A mushroom to admire, for no other reason than the beautiful breadloafy striate cap. Gently peel back the soil around the base of the stalk and you’ll expose the universal veil of your dreams – the signature full-on egg shell view from which hatched the mushroom. (I personally like that last sentence). So with all that in mind it gives me great pleasure in introducing the Tawny Grissette (Amanita fulva) as August’s Fungus of the Month! Congratulations to all Amanitas near and far!
I’ve also included a shot of a Tawny Grissette growing amongst our fungus wannabe – Indian Pipes. And what a year it has been for everyone’s favorite parasitic plant! From the Adirondacks to Trescott. Maybe a handful of observers asked about the weird white fungus growing in clumps over the last few weeks. This Heath (yes, they are Ericaceae, like blueberries) has been considered a wayward, a renegade plant with no self-respect as it has followed a path of non-photosytheticness. One that taps into a fungus that taps into Trees – apparently making it an “epi-parasite”. Truly a bomber year for the Pipes.
Not without my dodder! - And speaking of Parasitic Plants VSR received some photos of a parasitic plant that “even Linnell had never seen” – and that a killer named – Dodder ( the orange spaghetti like stuff – thanks Colleen ). Other quotes associated with Dodder – “it was like orange spaghetti”. And my favorite “Probably the creepiest plant on the planet”.
In Dodder we find a parasite like no other that our tiny island hamlet has seen before (well, maybe). Here’s the gruesome details - when just a fresh seedling Dodder find their host (prey!) by waving their elongating stems in a clockwise fashion. When contact is made, and it is deemed that the host meets their needs, the Dodder will then wrap itself around the plant. Once that occurs the Dodder will then grow what’s known as “Haustoria”, which are adventitious roots that come off their stem and slowly penetrate the host plant. These haustoria push and “enzymatically” digest their way in! Soon the Dodder taps into the host’s vascular system and pretty much all the nutrients the host plant produces go to the dodder! After the vascular system is tapped the lower section of the Dodder stem dies off and all connection between the Dodder and soil ends! So cool!
Dodder is considered a noxious weed and has even made the US Department of Agriculture’s list of the 10 most problematic weeds in our country. This is quite a compliment for a plant (really?) and to have a top ten noxious weed show up on our island is a wacky thing. Almost impossible to get rid of, we’ll keep our eyes open to any more that are seen around the island paradise.
Correspondence with you all has been fun and the pictures, sightings, and questions you send are what this sightings report is all about. So get out there with your eyeballs and whatever other physical sensory appendages you have and send in your observations to kgentalenvlt@myfairpoint.net. “Sharing is good”- Leif.
We’ll see you out there.
Kirk Gentalen