A Second Eurasian Spoonbill

2nd Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) @
Walkers Reserve - photograph by Jonathan Ramsay

Regeneration Coordinator

Walkers Reserve

1st Eurasian Spoonbill

It is official; we have a second Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) on the island.  The first one, a juvenile, was first seen on November 30^th, Independence Day, last year at Belleplane, St. Andrew.  That bird relocated to St. Philip and remained there up to the time of this post.  On Monday, November 19^th, Shae Warren of Walkers Reserve, sent me an image of a Eurasian Spoonbill he saw in one of their ponds.  Was this the long staying bird or a 2nd spoonbill?  That question was answered on Tuesday (20th) when both Shae and I saw the respective birds at both locations at the same time thus confirming a second spoonbill.  This is not the first time we had two Eurasian Spoonbills on the island.  In 2008 the first record of this species on the island consisted of two birds.  It would be interesting to see their reaction if both birds met up. This is just one of the exciting happenings for this month of November, rarity month.  I will update you in an upcoming post.  Enjoy your birding!

More images of the 2nd Eurasian Spoonbill thanks to Jonathan Ramsay - Regeneration Coordinator Walkers Reserve

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2017 Photographic Big Year - 93 & 94

It has been a difficult time for me birding in the last couple of weeks.  Car troubles, which impeded my movement for a few weeks, camera troubles, which are still unresolved and relegated me to my less than stellar Rebel XT, which in itself has problems.  These along with a few other factors limited my birding in the latter weeks of October and most of November.  So you would understand my joy to have gotten in a few hours of birding on Thursday November 30^th, which was a public holiday for the island’s independence.  

This early morning birding trip took me to the easterly parish of St. Andrew and landed me my 132^nd Barbados lifer, 97^th year bird, 93^rd Image for my 2017 Photographic Big Year and a Mega Rarity for the island.  This bird, a Eurasian Spoonbill⁹³ (Platalea leucorodia), was only the second one ever recorded on the island.  The Spoonbill, a juvenile, was white with patches of black at the edge of its flight feather; its unmistakable spoon shaped bill was yellowish in color with black legs.  Eurasian Spoonbills breed from southern Spain and Netherlands to Korea and from Western Africa through India to China. – The Birds of Barbados – P.A. Buckley et al.  The bird appeared healthy as it waded in water up to its knees.  It was recorded at this same location days after. 

My 94^th bird sent me back to images I took in January.  The images were of a Green-winged Teal⁹⁴ (Anas crecca).  The images were not of the best quality and I was hoping to photograph the bird as it molted into its stunning breeding plumage, which is a combination of shades of blue and brown, but that never happened.  

The task to photograph 100 different birds looks daunting with just four weeks remaining in 2017 but I still believe I can pull it off and will be working tirelessly to do so in the remaining days to come.

Stay tuned and enjoy your birding!

See images below.  See 2017 Photographic Big Year images here.

93 - Eurasian Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia

94 - Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca

Roll Over Rarities 2018

Eurasian Spoonbill - Platalea leucorodia seen on January 20th

At the start of a new year it would normally take me just a few days to track down and record all or most of, the rare birds that rolled over from the previous year.  That was not the case for 2018, this year it took me most of January to do so and I still have one outstanding.

Fulvous Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna bicolor on on January 11^th

I saw my first and second rarities on January 11^th in a small pond at The Hope, St. Lucy.  I really only expected to see one, the Fulvous Whistling Duck but was happily surprised to see a juvenile Purple Gallinule, a bird that I missed last year, strolling out of the grass.  I did not have my camera with me but returned the following day to snap a few photos of these two beauties.

Purple Gallinule - Porphyrio martinica on January 11^th

My next rarity was not recorded until the 20^th in the eastern parish of St. Philip and it was the Eurasian Spoonbill.  This was a bird that was first seen by my son, Jason, on November 30^th last year while we were out birding and I was happy to see it was still around.  

Pacific Golden-Plover - Pluvialis fulva On January 27^th

On January 27^th I recorded two more Euro rarities from last year in the parish of St. Philip.  A Pacific Golden Plover, who was feeling at home among a flock of over 50 Black-bellied Plovers, and a very wary Grey Heron.  The Pacific Golden Plover is believed to be the same one first seen on May 4^th, 2017 and reappeared in December while the Grey Heron was nothing like the Grey Heron that was at this same location a year ago.  That bird was more tolerant, but this guy, of which its first winter appearance was recorded in November, flies the coup at the first sign of visitors.

The Glossy Ibis in the north is the only roll-over rare bird I was unable to see thus far in 2018.  With the local birding scene slowing, I will try to see it sometime in February once it is still here.