Sightings Report
Vinalhaven Sightings November 9, 2009
Brought to y’all by the kind folks at VLT & MCHT
and alert viewers like you
“A lot of gyrations with talons extended. In beautiful, low light”. State beach (10/17)
Highlights: Octopus, Sandhill Crane, Tuna, Raptors – especially Falcons, Sandpipers- including Dunlin & White-rumped Sandpiper, Sparrows including Clay-colored, Grebes, Dead Man’s Fingers, Sand Dollars, Slime mold wrap-up, Ducks return!, Woodpeckers featuring Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Shrike, Black-legged Kittiwake, Barn Swallow, Deer, Raccoons, and much, much, more
Big Thanks: to Jeanette Lovitch for all the help in my getting set up with a great tripod and a couple of feeders for the day care center. The tripod as a replacement is a long time coming.
Sightings: The Atlantic Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is anything but common in the Gulf Of Maine. Audubon’s guide to seashore creatures has them found as far north as Connecticut and “Life Between Tides” publication put out by the University of Maine and focuses on animals and plants of Gulf of Maine and north, doesn’t mention anything about Octopus at all. That all said, Kassandra Hopkins came knocking on our door one evening (11/3) saying that her dad, Jimmy, had brought up an Octopod in a trap that day, stored it in his lunch box (full of water, of course) and had it for the tank in Amy Palmer’s classroom (Amy is super cute by the way). It was an offer we couldn’t refuse and that night I went over to the school to try and set up its own tank so it wouldn’t devour the rest of the critters already at home there.
It was transported in a Ricotta cheese container and we tried to make it feel at home, thinking we’d release it after the 1st graders made their annual visit to learn about the critters (11/6). Unfortunately, the stress of the entire enterprise was apparently too much for him and it survived roughly 24 hours in the tank. This turn of events is more than “too bad”. The kids got to see it for that one day though, and it has been jarred and kept and will now go into the hall of fame of tank critters. I haven’t heard of any other octopi being pulled up in traps, and it can be tricky trying to keep deeper sea stuff in the tank. But Jimmy went to lengths to share this find with the kids, and word from the middle school is that the Octopus was a super hit (should go without saying) and the kids learned just that much more about the incredible Gulf that we live near and many of us spend a good chunk of time on. Hats off to Jimmy for sharing his find! Thanks so much!
Seal Island – (10/9) – A trip out to Seal to see the bird banders (folks who’d been out there putting little leg bands on songbirds for weeks, or so) off became an epically productive day to say the least.
At least 12 different Peregrine Falcons were observed hunting from the cliffs – waiting for songbirds and woodpeckers to approach this landbird oasis in the bay of 2 peregrines waiting. Several dive bombs (with intent to kill for sure) were undertaken while we were there with three kills observed. What it must feel like to have 3 or 4 Peregrine Falcons barreling down on you, looking to kill you as you are exhausted and have been flying over the water since Nova Scotia! Should be noted – most if not all of the Peregrines observed had full crops (well-fed) even as they continued to hunt the songbirds coming in.
And though the Peregrines are super fast (may be the fastest of all time) many of the songbirds avoided death and (being) digestion by quick maneuvers or by flying as high as possible – take a look at this Brown Creeper that made it through an onslaught of killing machines to find sanctuary under a rock (?). The Creeper is a bird of the woods – and there are no trees on Seal of course! As far as we know the Creeper is still hiding. Also on Seal Island – crawling with Palmer Warblers, White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Northern Flickers (bait), Song Sparrows, American Robin . Also seen – Magnolia Warbler, Yellowthroat, Rusty Blackbird, Baltimore Oriole, Hermit Thrush, Merlin, Swamp Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorants, Indigo Bunting.
Seen from Seal and boat ride – (10/9) While on Seal we spotted some splashing teamed up with a feeding frenzy of Gannets and Shearwaters just off to the southeast of the island. Closer examination reveal there was a school of Tuna driving bait fish to the surface. The splashing witnessed were their (tuna) backs breaking the surface as the frenzy developed. A guess of 20-25+ individual Tuna seems a little conservative as the frenzy covered more than one scope view. The frenzy continued off and on the entire time we were on the island (10am-2pm roughly). Lots of Northern Gannets, Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Manx, Sooty and Greater Shearwaters made locating the frenzy easy peezy. 2 Atlantic Puffin, Horned Grebe, and Parasitic Jaeger were seen as well. I asked Walt Day about the tuna and he’d said he’d heard from at least one lobsterman that there’d been tuna seen around Seal for over a week or more.…Several groups of Surf Scoters flew by heading south – 20+ per group, and lots of Eiders as well…Harbor porpoise…and a pretty constant trickle of Sooty and Greater Shearwaters coming out of Isle Au Haut Bay. Might’ve been a good day to see shearwaters from State Beach.
Sandhill Crane – (10/16) Lane’s Island and Harbor – A Sandhill Crane (Roger’s favorite bird) was spotted circling over the Harbor and then appeared to land on Lane’s Island. A thorough search of Lane’s turned up Merlin, Great Blue Heron, American Kestrel, Bald Eagle, Northern Flicker, White-throated and Song Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, but no Sandhill Crane. Sandhill Cranes have been breeding in Maine for the last few years. I believe they breed somewhere in the state other than Vinalhaven. As far as our limited research has turned up this is the first Sandhill Crane observed and documented out here. They are magnificent creatures - fun to watch, huge and graceful with a long neck and a wonderful call.
Also at Lane’s Island – (10/10) Lane’s Island bird day- We had a nice turnout for the Hawk Watch and got some great scope views of both male and female Merlins perched – one on the Morehouse’s chimney!-- Kestrels, and Flickers. Plus 2 different Peregrine Falcons put on a show, or shows I guess, catching thermals over the marsh and riding them over the fields and the group. It was sweet. Totals for the day – 3 Peregrine Falcons, 7 Merlin, 5 American Kestrel, 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 3 Bald Eagle, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Common Snipe, 3 Least Sandpiper, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 5 House Finch, Indigo Bunting and many Northern Flickers, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow and Yellow-rumped Warbler…
State Beach – (10/16) A pair of White-rumped Sandpipers were spotted feasting on insects in the high tide bladder wrack line. This is the same place we saw them last year – which makes this the most reliable place to see White-rumpeds that I’ve ever lived close enough to bike to (what?). They exhibited the same behaviors as in 2008 – they were extremely tame - coming closer and closer to me, even with my wearing a bright orange sweatshirt! At times they were so close that I had to back up with the scope to take pictures. Also seen – 2 Oldsquaws (first of the season for me), 5 Red-necked Grebe, 10 Semi-palmated Sandpiper, 8 Song Sparrow, 4 Great Cormorants, and lots of Eiders…..(10/17) Patience Chamberlin reported - 4 White-rumped Sandpipers, 8 Semi-palmated Plovers, a “jazzilion” Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a juvenile Northern Harrier hunting over the marsh there, getting harassed by a crow.. ... (10/27) 3 Sanderling (first I’ve seen from Vinalhaven), Purple Sandpiper (only one of the season I’ve seen) 4 Red-necked Grebe, 2 Common Loon, 1 Black Duck, 7 Red-breasted Merganser.
Whitmore Pond – (10/11) – Bird sanctuary living up to its name. The place was crawling with tweeters on this morning. Trunkloads of White-throated Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, Black-capped chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Cedar Waxwing. Smaller numbers of Yellow-rumped Warbler, Brown Creeper, and one Blue-headed Vireo. A migrating Common Loon flew overhead.
The coolest thing, though, (judgment) was the presence of 5 different Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. The Whitmore Pond trail is lined with fruit trees and the fruit trees are lined sapsucker holes. (You know, the well organized lines of tiny holes on every apple tree on the island (exaggeration)). I was conversing with someone a few days prior to the 11th (maybe the 8th or 9th) and he mentioned that he hadn’t seen any Sapsucker holes looking freshly opened (and sappin’) anytime recently. I hadn’t seen any this fall either. Classic that few days later every tree in Whitmore Pond Bird Sanctuary had gappin’, sappin’ holes. From my observations, sapsuckers don’t breed on Vinalhaven. Instead they just migrate through each spring/fall with more being seen in the fall months. They are woodpecker, yes. But they lack the long tongue associated with other species (yes, the famous woodpecker tongue!) and instead attract insects to sap flowing out of the holes they drill.…Also seen that day – Citron Amanita and Emetic Russula.
Red Sea – (10/29) – 31 Oldsquaw, 50+ Surf Scoter, 3 Red-necked Grebe, Lots of common Loon and Guillemot, 6 Black Duck, White-breasted Nuthatch (fly over and then landed on Neck Island), 2 Great Blue Heron, Murder of Crows, 3 Bald Eagles, 2 Bufflehead, and about 20 harbor seals.
Around the island - Folly Pond – (10/11) 2 Black duck, 4 Wood Duck, 3 Bald Eagles, and a female Northern Pintail…Medical Center- (11/8) walking with Leif, only bird I got my glasses on was a Clay-colored Sparrow – my first on Vinalhaven and apparently the first recorded on the island. Several are seen each year on Monhegan and probably other spots in Maine – this distinctive little gem has pale lores and what I call “the sweetest little touch of an eye ring” (Kirk original unless someone else has said this before me) on a sparrow I’ve ever seen (judgment and an apology to all field sparrows reading this), and an overall tight, smallish feel. Leif was happy when we made it to the playground. White-breasted Nuthatch and Hairy woodpecker also seen…Basin Bridge (11/1) High Tide – 10 Greater Yellowlegs, 7 Black Duck, 2 Harbor Seals, 2 white-winged Scoter, 2 Ravens…Seal Bay (11/3) –from kayak - 20 Red-breasted Merganser, 19 Surf Scoter, 1 Red-necked Grebe, 20 Bufflehead, 36 Common Eider, 20+ Ring-billed Gull…Winter Harbor (11/3) – Red-necked Grebe, 5 Surf Scoter, 4 Common Loon, Common Raven (over Penobscot) 11 Oldsquaw, 1 Bald Eagle,…Brown’s Head Light (11/7) – 40+ Surf Scoter, Northern Goshawk, 25+ Oldsquaw, 5 Common Loon, numerous Black Guillemot, Common Eider… Isle Au Haut Mtn. (10/27) – American Tree Sparrow (1st of the season for me), Artist’s Conk (first I’ve seen on Vinalhaven (I think)).
The Artist Conk is much paler on top than the locally common Red-belted Conks, the pore side blackens immediately when scraped.
Ravens making all kinds of noises…School (10/23) – Gem-studded puffballs…Greens Island (10/31) 4 Northern Gannet, 2 Black-legged Kittiwake….(more recently) Northern Shrike…Carver’s Pond – (10/26) – 100+, 16 Hooded Merganser, 8 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Black duck, 5 Double-crested Cormorant, 2 Mallard…Mr. Crow (would sir Crow go to your head? You are getting tiresome) paddled around Carver’s late October and estimated he saw at least 30 Great Blue Heron while on his cruise. There has been a noted movement of GBHs around the island as many seem to be making their way to warmer climes…Old Harbor Pond (10/16)
Pied-bill Grebe (photo to right)…Roberts Harbor – Linnell and crew turned over a rock to find 2 or 3 little ring-necked snakelets! This species is tiny enough as adults, and the youngster are only more of the same! Good find!...(11/2) a Barn Swallow was reported from Pequot Road – seems pretty late as I don’t think I’ve seen a swallow out our way after September! Good sighting for sure – and the Barn Swallow caught bugs for about an hour before heading off on its way – south I would hope!
In town – (10/19) Field by the church – 2 Horned Larks…(11/8) Carver’s Road – 2 Northern Cardinals – first seen in yard since spring…(11/4) Pleasant Street - Baltimore Oriole spent a good little bit in the shrubs along the road.
Basin – East side woods - (10/11) American Woodcock, Yellow-rumped warbler, Dark-eyed Junco, Hairy Woodpecker, Merlin, Hermit Thrush, Northern Flicker, Yellow-bellied sapsucker. 4 Patches of Wolf’s Milk slime, 2 Destroying angels, common Laccaria,
Irregular Earthtongue Common Scaber Stalk, (photo to left) Scarlet Waxycaps, Orange Jelly, many types of Cortinarus. Ring-necked Snake (moving really slowly). Eastern Hemlock. (10/29) from kayak - 2 White-winged Scoter, 2 Barrow’s goldeneye, 2 Common Ravens, 4 Common Loons together in a bin, 35 Harbor Seals
Basin Bench – The new bench from Skip Thompson offers a great view of wildlife off the Strawson ledges area. Thanks so much Skip! Time spent on the bench is time well spent. (10/27) 18 Harbor Seals, male Barrow’s Goldeneye (state threatened) coming out of eclipse plumage, male Red-breasted Merganser coming out of eclipse plumage, Oldsquaw, Greater Yellowlegs…
Basin Watch – (10/8) 30 + American Crow (1st murder I’ve seen this season – been too long!), Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Great Blue Heron, 2 Laughing Gull, 5 Black Duck, 34 Harbor Seal…(10/16) Merlin, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, 7 Red-breasted Merganser. 3 Common Loon, Spotted Sandpiper, Savannah Sparrow, 79 Common Eider, 11 Harbor Seal (most towards the lobster pond)….(10/21) Bald Eagle, 8 Black Duck, 72 Common Eider, 3 Great Blue Heron, Ring-billed Gull, Red-breasted Merganser, 30 Harbor Seal…
(10/26) Dunlin! –First Dunlin on Vinalhaven for me. Check out that long, slightly decurved gem of a bill! In the Strawson Marsh (top 3 personal favorite spots on the island for wildlife observation). The Dunlin was hanging with 2 White-rumped Sandpipers (1st recorded from the Basin), and 5 Greater Yellowlegs were also observed. Also Bald Eagle, Surf Scoter (2nd time seen in the Basin), 3 Black Ducks, 2 Bufflehead (1st of the season for me), 12 Red-breasted Mergansers, Belted Kingfisher, Common Loon, 2 Common Ravens (very vocal), 40 Harbor Seal,
and these 3 Raccoons. These three thought they could blend in with the rocks. Little did they realize I had been watching them make all kinds of racket for about a minute before the triplets spotted me. They appear to be this year’s young. They stayed in this formation for 20 minutes as I observed from Mouse Island. The wild raccoons of Vinalhaven are great to watch – look for them in the Basin, Seal Bay, and Perry Creek as they search for crab and mussels.
“Ravens are acting up”- or so the note I sharpied onto the back of my hand says. First observed on (10/25) some of the Ravens around the island have turned up the volume and have been catching/drawing attention to their presence. The Basin, Huber, Isle Au Haut Mtn., Lane’s and Carver’s Pond, Perry Creek, the White Islands, Greens Island (pretty much everywhere the last few weeks) local Ravens have been making a racket. The Basin pairs have been especially fun to watch with synchronized flight displays and at one point 3 local pairs chasing and charging, squawking and synchronized flighting altogether over Steep Mtn.
Little White Island (10/15) – A paddle out to Little White was a great time to be out on the water. Many Common Loons were seen (a few heard), Black Guillemot, Common Eider abundant as well. A Sharp-shinned Hawk was observed rising way up on what was likely its last thermal before crossing Western Penobscot Bay. On Little White itself – 4 notable collections of Otter Scat along the shoreline, 1 observed Mink latrine. 3 White-tailed deer were flushed off the island (photo thanks to Jeff Romano! – yes, Jeff Romano the author!)
Several Sand Dollars – some dead, a few alive) were found on the low tide beach along the north side of the island. Sand Dollars are yet another wonderful member of the Echinoderm phylum, along with Urchins and Sea Stars. A dead Flicker and living Raven, Hairy Woodpecker, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Juncos and Chickadees were also seen/heard (dead flicker not heard).
Fungus of the month – this month the roller coaster decision ride that determines the “fungus of the month (FOTM)” section evolved at a pace faster than dinosaurs into birds. And with the same (ok, similar) type of results.
We started the month with a rush of Cortinarius. Now, its unheard of to have a ”fungal Genus of the month” or “Genus fungally of the month”, especially since we’ve only done like 4 “fungus of the months” so far. But it seemed logical since there were so many of them and since it’s so easy to figure members of this group out to genus – but taking to species can sometimes be a headache. Anyway, then the third (YES 3rd! albeit small) round of Chanterelles came through instantly raising the level of mushroom sightings for the year from “low” to “low but somewhat legendary”. Chanterelles suddenly seemed like a logical FOTM (or FOTMa which sounds better when said - if you aren’t into the whole brevity thing). The thing is though that I think we might have had chanterelles as a FOTMa before. As a rule I don’t go back and read these things, so I can’t confirm this.
Then Linnell sent in about a bunch of “Dead Man’s Fingers” or DMF she had growing around a tree stump in her yard. And just like that DMF became the new classic. And if I had gotten my act together and sent this out two weeks ago DMF would have been “the chosen one”. I do believe this is the first Dead Man’s Fingers that I’ve seen on this most recent (going on 6 years and (or 15 “Rich from Tanglewood” years) and counting) east coast swing. I’ve seen them many times before on Cape Cod, New York, Ohio and other places that aren’t here.
But then a real treat crossed paths with me. At the Huber Preserve there is a trio of Red Maple stumps on the right side of the path about ¼ mile past the Welcome kiosky thing. The rest of the trees (the upper parts where the leaves and branchy things are) had fallen across the trail and when I chainsawed the trees the stumps bounced back into place and are now about Torso high (depending on height). This work was done 2 winters ago. When checking the trail after one of the windier storms I spotted some Luminescent Panellus (Panellus stipicus) fruiting some fruiting bodies on each of the stumps! This is one of several fungal species that create/cause the classic “Foxfire” - an eerie bioluminescent glowing effect that certain fungus have! (not to be confused with the 1980s Clint Eastwood classic “Firefox” about the speedy war time airplane). Here’s a great quote –
“the gills give off a greenish light in darkness. It can reportedly stop bleeding.”
- Audubon field guide to mushrooms on luminescent panellus
So the greenish light can stop bleeding? If this is true, I’m not sure if I know of anything cooler. Anyway, so here is the FOTMa for ya! Hope you enjoy knowing that there is a glow along the Huber trail every night, in case you lose your way.
And slime molds – the summer of slime molds have come and gone. Many appreciated the slime molds this summer just by walking any of the trails around the island. And we ended the slime mold season with a bash – a last round of wolf’s milk slime seen around the basin and at Huber for a bit and then a coral slime (in the Basin) closed things up! What a year to remember slime wise. And a slime is a smile with just a few letters mixed up and a whole lot more gooeyness – depending on who’s smiling I guess.
And a warm rained Orange jelly for closing .
So alrighty then – get on going and get out there – just remember to wear lots of orange!
Best to all. See you out there…..