October skies full of actionOct. 3
September, unfailingly, passes far too quickly. That extraordinary month, punctuated by large flights of birds, tied to the passage of frontal systems and prevailing winds, is fantastic for birding.
Fortunately, birders are not forced to go cold turkey, in other words forced to endure poor birding, with its passing.
October can be as good as and often even better than September on the Cape and Islands. October seems even more vibrant than September as the days continue to shorten.
Birds' daily activity — feeding, drinking, resting — is crammed into fewer hours of daylight and the "force" of migration appears more urgent than earlier in the season. This is what one hopes for, and lately more than half the time it comes true.
Virtually any bird that occurs, or has ever occurred, on the Cape and Islands is possible from now until the end of the month. Birds from across the spectrum are visiting our region, however briefly.
Visitors include insectivorous (insect eating) birds like flycatchers and warblers, to seed-eating sparrows, fish and squid eating sea birds, shellfish-loving sea ducks, frugivores (fruit and berry eating) like cedar waxwings, bluebirds, American robins and a wide variety if insectivores like vireos and warblers that can and do switch to a diet of ripe berries in the fall migration if it is too cold for insect activity. The region is alive with a great variety of bird life.
It is also far and away the best time to see migrating raptors. Because of the aforementioned plethora of bird life, raptors that depend on these species for food naturally have evolved a migratory pattern that coincides with nature's bounty of migrating birds.
The fall migration is much larger in terms of volume (number of birds) than the spring migration. The reason is simple. The breeding season has just ended and bird populations, with all the young birds, all first-time migrants, are at an annual peak.
One of the best things about birding in October, the most irresistible for hawk watching enthusiasts, is the migration of Accipiters and falcons. The largest numbers of peregrine falcons and sharp-shinned hawks ever recorded in Massachusetts both were reported from the Gay Head Cliffs in Aquinnah right around the Columbus Day Weekend.
The high counts occurred after periods of prolonged nasty weather, with 10 days or more of cold, rainy weather with northeast winds and then the passage of a cold front delivering clear skies and strong northwest winds.
Coincidentally, the maximum count for sharp-shinned hawks in Massachusetts was 1,100 individuals on October 2, 1982. These small, blue jay sized hawks have relatively short rounded wings and long tails.
They feed primarily on small birds that they capture in direct pursuit or close quarters ambush using their long tail as a rudder to steer through tree branches. In migration they soar as much as possible, alternating prolonged soaring with their quick flapping flight.
The inspirational peregrine falcon, the most highly sought after falcon, the most prestigious for Saudi sheiks to possess, is a superb aerialist and renowned hunter. This species is regular, at times even common, along shorelines of the entire region in October and November.
A few of these powerful falcons stay over winter and the species is now being reported during virtually all months of the year. As it has become established to nesting ledges on skyscrapers in many New England cities, the adults and young presumably do a little occasional wandering to the coast. The species' scientific or Latin name, Falco peregrinus, roughly translates to mean "wandering falcon."
On Oct. 12, 1985, in just under 2 hours, 46 peregrines were observed departing from the Gay Head Cliffs. Occasionally during October from three to as many as 15 individuals have been seen hanging in the west wind like so many falcon kites at the same time at this great spot to observe this species. This species is rapidly increasing and a new high daily count should be had during October.
October provides great birding action with not only the arrival of seed-eating land birds but a phenomenal number of water birds ranging from loons and grebes to tens and even hundreds of thousands of sea ducks by month's end.
Wherever one happens to be, whether talking to friends downtown or standing on a favorite beach, there are birds to be seen and heard. Chip notes given by migrant land birds seem to be omnipresent to those tuned to the frequency, and flyovers by loons, herons, geese or ducks are a common occurrence.
Impressive, loose flocks of passing sea ducks, heavy bodied common eiders and all three scoter species, become a common sight on waters surrounding the region, especially later in this month.
Birds are everywhere right now and falcons in particular are relatively easy to find. Hardly a day passes at this time of year without seeing a fast-flying merlin, a soaring or cruising peregrine falcon or a small, colorful American kestrel — the smallest of North American falcons.
Merlins seem always to be the most exciting as these rambunctious birds have a voracious appetite and always seem to be on the hunt or harassing other larger birds in nearby airspace.
Until next week — keep your eyes to the sky!
E. Vernon Laux's birding column appears every Saturday in the Cape Cod Times. Laux is the resident naturalist for the Linda Loring Nature Foundation on Nantucket. You can also hear him on "The Point" with Mindy Todd at 9:30 a.m. the first Monday of the month on the Cape's NPR station, WCAI, 90.1. He can be reached at
vlaux@llnf.org.
