Monday 24 June 2013

Short Billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)

Length:
 10-12"(25-29cm); Description:  medium-sized, stocky, shorebird, with a small head, long-billed, that curves down slightly close to the tip, long yellowish legs. NonBreeding Plumage: gray overall, with pale eyebrow and white lower back and rump, Breeding Plumage: vibrant reddish-orange underparts and breast, also spotting on breast and sides, whitish belly, barred flanks, and reddish edges on feathers of upperparts. 
Habitat: Wetland, mudflats, beaches with sargassum seaweed 
Status: Spring and Fall yearly and common migrant, common on most wetlands
Sound/call: A soft tu-tu-tu




Breeding Plumage



Thursday 20 June 2013

Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

Male

Description: 16 inches; greenish yellow plumage; bill pinkish red; pinkish eye ring; tail long and pointed with yellow undertail coverts; Adult Males: Neck ring of rose (Pinkish red), blue and black (hence the name); chin black; Female and Juvenile: no discernible neck ring; lighter in color.
Habitat: Variable; from city dwelling to the countryside.
 
Statue:  Very Common, Islandwide; The population of Rose-ringed Parakeets in Bridgetown has grown significantly since they were introduced in the 80’s. The book The Birds of Barbados states that until 1997, only a few pairs of these birds could be seen in some places in St Michael, such as Belleville, George Street, and Strathclyde. Now, there are hundreds of these birds all over the island. Color variants of yellow and turquoise are now appearing in some flocks


References:




Thursday 13 June 2013

Bird #50: Willet



Common Name: Willet
Scientific Name: Tringa semipalmatus
Description: 15-16 inches; large shorebird; Upperparts mottled brownish grey; rump white; underparts whitish; legs gray; bill thick; flight: black and white wing pattern.
Habitat: mudflats, swamps and marshes – chancery Lane, Graeme Hall
Statue: Common migrant, Passage Migrant (Birds of Barbados)







Wednesday 12 June 2013

Bird #49:Golden Warbler





Common Name: Golden Warbler
Scientific Name: Dendroica petechia sp. petechia
Description: 4-5 inches; plumage yellow; underparts reddish streaks, upperparts greenish yellow; Males:  red cap on crown
Habitat: swamps, mangroves, grass fields, since to follow the Leucaena leucocephela plant what is locally refer to as River Tamarind or Myamosee;;   
Statue: Resident Breeder
Barbados endemic race sp. petechia; one of the hosts for the Shine Cow Bird (Molothrus bonariensis) which is a brood parasite.




Goldon Warbler in a River Tamarind Tree (Leucaena leucocephela)  









Friday 7 June 2013

Bird #48: Whimbrel





Common Name: Whimbrel
Scientific Name: Numenius phaeopus
Description: 15-19 inches; large bird; down curved bill; dark brown striped crown; whitish eyebrow strip; dark brown eye line; long neck; breast speckled; belly whitish; Upperparts mottled brown and white to buff and white; long legs.
Habitat: Ponds, swamps and the sea shore.
Statue: Vagrant
Photographs taken at Chancery Lane Swamp on May 29 and June 3