American Oystercatcher at Great Point, photo by S.M. Sternick
It’s my good fortune to have dear friends with a home on Nantucket, and we have just returned from another week with them on their beautiful island. These friends are also birding and photography enthusiasts and have taught me much. For those who don’t know, Nantucket, or the Grey Lady, is a 48 square mile island in the Atlantic, 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. Its “greyness” likely originates from the common morning fog or possibly the weathered shingles on almost all the buildings. The island’s rich maritime history is well known, but its birding is also phenomenal. “A picture is worth a thousand words” so this post will be a small portfolio, sharing the sights from this late summer excursion and some earlier visits.
Brant Point (click on any picture for zoom)
Bobolink at Bartlett’s Farm
Nantucket Harbor
Peregrine Falcon at Great Point
Double-crested Cormorant at Great Point
Madaket
Common Tern
Golden-crowned Kinglet at Hummock Pond
Great Point Light
Common Tern with catch, Great Point
Foggy morning at Cisco Beach
American Goldfinch at Bartlett’s Farm
Sankaty
Sanderlings
Sunset over the moors, from Altar Rock
Savannah Sparrow
Grey Seal off Great Point
Approaching storm at Great Point
Red Breasted Nuthatch at Hummock Pond
Fog rolling in at Siasconset
Herring Gull with lunch
Madaket
Northern Harrier at Smith Point, photo by Andy Sternick
Madaket Harbor
Author and Andy Sternick
A visitor to Nantucket is immediately struck by the vast undulating moors in the central island with isolated ponds, leading to unspoiled marshes and beaches. The town has its countless photo-ops, but I prefer to wander the remainder of the island, especially after Labor Day when the crowds have thinned. Various conservation organizations have acquired and preserved close to half of the island’s land. Birding with friends with local knowledge allows one to visit countless habitats, some down dirt and sandy roads, to view native birds as well as migrants, seeking respite on the island before moving further south. My Nantucket life list grew to 90 this week with the additions of a Black Tern and Least Sandpiper. Keep in mind that the Linda Loring Nature Foundation runs weekly birding trips and a Birding Festival, this year on October 16-18, 2015. Its a great chance to bird with local guides with knowledge of this gem in the Atlantic. http://www.llnf.org
brighamstephen 
Lovely photos 🙂 seems like you had a wonderful time 🙂
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Thank you. Yes, early fall seems like the ideal time to visit.
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We don’t have fall here in the tropics but a lot of birds are migrating down at this time 🙂
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Another lovely posting, Steve. So many of your photos–both ones of birds and others, like the lonely house near the marsh at Madaket–are yearning to be framed.
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Nantucket just begs to be photographed, all across the island. I guess that’s why its such a popular destination. Thanks.
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Like the lighthouse pic. The last I will see of the blue oystercatcher hat!
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I still think you could have dove for it. Maybe we need neck straps.
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From the elusive oystercatchers to the American Goldfinch, beautiful photos!
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Thank you for that. It was great fun taking and then selecting the shots for this posting.
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such beautiful pictures, i don’t know which i like best, they’re each and all so superbe!
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That first Oyster-catcher shot has an interesting story. My non-birder friend was just holding her husband’s camera when those birds ran by the car. She took that picture out of the car window, barely knowing what button to push. I think its my favorite. Thanks for your comment.
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