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A regular question from visitors to Martha’s Vineyard is “what is the best Martha’s Vineyard hotel to stay for birders?” Well, we’d like to think that Nobnocket is the best place to stay on Martha’s Vineyard.
The spacious grounds and woodland at the Nobnocket Boutique Inn create a wonderful sanctuary for island birds, whether they be year-round residents like us or seasonal, migratory birds that stop by for their Martha’s Vineyard summer vacation. The large variety of trees that populate the inn’s woodland include mighty black oaks, lindens, sassafras, witch-hazel, maples, mimosa, cherry, American holly, cedar, balsam fir, pitch pines, white oak, white pines, birch and beech providing the necessary home, shelter and abundant food for the resident and migratory birds.
Guests who leave their room windows ajar are awoken each morning to a beautiful dawn chorus of birdsong. A “trilling” way to start your Martha’s Vineyard birding adventure!
We welcome many guests to the hotel who are on a Martha’s Vineyard birdwatching vacation and who in many cases booked their stay with us purely because they can relax with their binoculars and cameras in one of the many secluded sitting areas that dot the property and woodland and have the birds simply come to them – the perfect type of bird watching! One of our favorite birder guests is the lovely Andrea. She is blessed with far more patience than I, with a better birding ear and with a canny ability to capture our feathered friends with her camera. All-in-all a much savvier birder. She was kind enough to share some of her Nobnocket birding shots with us for this blog. I have also included some of my shots but I don’t think you’ll have much difficulty in recognizing who is the real photographer!
Year-round birds that chirp from Winter to Fall at the inn are cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, Carolina wrens, woodpeckers, owls, hawks, song sparrows and tufted titmice. Oh yes, and a rather large flock of wild turkeys! That is if “flock” is the correct collective noun? Some claim a “rafter” or “posse” is better, but frankly I’m thinking a “stuffing” of turkey or maybe I’m just feeling peckish!
We also have majestic red-tailed hawks year-round and we were lucky enough to have a nesting pair in the woods at the inn until a couple of years ago. They had offspring and maybe thought our maximum double occupancy room policy also applied to them. Here’s hoping they return next year to entertain us with their aerial displays.
Spring is always alive with the sound of robins, nuthatches, wrens, song sparrows, flickers, cardinals, titmice and cheeky catbirds. In May we get to enjoy the new youngsters learning to fly (or crash as initially is often the case) and eventually soar and flit around the gardens. As summer approaches we get to see and hear ruby-throated hummingbirds, flycatchers, goldfinches, kinglets (if we’re lucky) and chimney swifts. A plethora of color and activity. Many of the birds are nesting on the property and we are proud to share this tranquil oasis on Martha’s Vineyard with them.
A partial list of birds to be seen at the inn*
*no guarantees they’ll all be here during your stay at the B&B as they have busy social lives
Eastern Towhees, Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, Carolina Wrens, Brown-headed cowbirds, Blue Jays, Downy woodpeckers, Red Bellied Woodpeckers, Red Tailed Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, Screech Owls, Great Crested Flycatchers, Catbirds, Tufted Titmice, Eastern Phoebes, American Goldfinches
Gold Crowned Kinglets, Song Sparrows, Northern Flickers, Mourning Doves, White breasted nuthatches, Hummingbirds, Baltimore Orioles, Robins, Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Eastern Bluebirds
Thank you to Andrea for her photos and friendship!
For those that are looking for shore and coastal birds then you will indeed have to venture away from the inn, as your chances of seeing any cormorants, oyster-catchers, black skimmers, herons, coots or buffleheads hanging out in the trees is pretty slim! We can however tell you where you need to head on Martha’s Vineyard to capture any of those birds and indeed many more as the island is home to over 300 species of birds. We have bird books and binoculars to help with your birding on Martha’s Vineyard. If you don’t mind bundling up then maybe come join us at the annual Martha’s Vineyard Christmas bird count.
Safe travels,
Simon
