They were also the first in quite a while on Martha’s Vineyard. They sort of had to be the first of the year, since it was the first of the year, about ten thirty in the morning.
The checklist for the Martha’s Vineyard Christmas Bird Count, which takes place tomorrow, on January fifth, due to a weather delay, says the CBC has recorded one Tundra Swan since 1999. Soo Whiting’s book, Vineyard Birds II, says tundras were seen more frequently and more regularly on CBCs up until ‘92 and then, for the most part, not seen after that. She writes, “Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are the two best places in Massachusetts where an observer might expect to see this rare visitor.” It’s only a guess, but I would be quite surprised if [click to continue...]
