The Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge (WSR).

Fresh Water Wetlands

The fresh water areas on the island of Barbados are of importance to migrating shore and water birds.  There are made up mainly of a network of artificially created swamps for the purpose of luring migrating birds down so that they can be shot.  Some of these shooting swamps, as there are called locally; maintain water levels outside of the shooting season which spans from July to October.  This is a plus for those birds which migrate outside the hunting season.

But without a doubt the beacon in bird conservation on the island of Barbados is -
The Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge (WSR).  This once abandoned shooting swamp was brought to life to give the many migrating shore and water birds a place of safety during migration.  At this one location you can see well over 15 species of birds on any given day but it is well known for Snowy, Cattle and Great  Egrets, Little Blue Heron, Green Heron, Black Bellied Whistling Ducks, Common Moorhens or if you prefer Common Gallinule and much more.  I am expecting to pay a lot of visits there during the New Year.

Click Here  Google Map

Click Here to read about how WSR came about.

Click Here for articles on the Woodbourne Shorebird Sanctuary (WSR).

Below are some Photos from WSR:

The observation blind built at Woodburne Shorebird Refuge
 called "The Hutt," after  Barbadian Ornithologists, Naturaliist and  Conservationist Captain M.B. Hutt (1919-1998)

One of the fresh water ponds at WSR

Osprey "Pandion haliaetus" fishing at WSR

Sora "Porzana carolina" in the wetfeilds



Green Heron "Butorides virescens " and Wilson's Snip "Gallinago delicata"

Egrets taking time to rest at the pond infront The Hutt

Great Egret "Ardea alba"