New Avian Species on the Best Day of Birding

December 26 will surely go down as one of—if not the—best birding days of 2025 in Barbados.

Western Reef-Heron one of the rare birds at WSR

That morning, most of the island’s birders gathered at the Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge (WSR), drawn by the sharp eyes of its principal, Ian “Bolt” Alkins. He had spotted a strange-looking heron wading in the shallows, and his alert quickly brought the community together. The bird turned out to be a Western Reef-Heron (Egretta gularis), a true mega-rarity for the region.
As if that weren’t enough, while scanning the refuge we discovered another surprise—a Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope). Both species are exceptionally rare in the Caribbean, though each has been recorded on the island before.
The excitement didn’t end there. As birders chatted and compared notes at WSR, one of the newer and enthusiastic members of the community, Macrae Hoyos, shared a video of a bird no one expected to see in Barbados. He then led me and fellow birder Ocean Campbell on a twisting and winding drive throught the parishes of St. Philip and St. John to the eastern fishing port of Consett Bay, St. John.

Gray Trembler

There, the mystery bird was quickly confirmed: a Gray Trembler (Cinclocerthia gutturalis), a near-endemic of Saint Lucia and Martinique. Measuring about 9–10 inches (23–26 cm)—roughly the size of our familiar Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis)—the trembler showed off its grayish-brown plumage, paler breast and belly, and a slightly darker facial mask. Most striking of all were its eyes, glowing with the brightest golden hue I’ve ever seen.

This unexpected find nudged Barbados’ official avian tally even closer to the 300 species milestone, a testament to the island’s rich and ever-surprising birdlife.

Two New Avian Species Record for Barbados

It’s been a little while since my last post—not because things have been quiet, but quite the opposite. The final quarter of 2025 has been packed with birding headlines, and the biggest news of all is the addition of two new species for Barbados, both of Old-World origin.
The first of these was spotted on May 6th by local birder Quincy Clarke at Harrison’s Point, St. Lucy. The bird was later identified as a Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus). Unfortunately, his photograph was too poor for a confident identification at the time, but it set the stage for what was to come. Just two weeks later, on May 20th, I had my own fleeting encounter with the same bird while driving along Highway 7 near Top Rock, Christ Church. It was flying from the direction of the Graeme Hall Swamp. I pulled into a nearby car park to snap a photograph to assist with the identification, but a series of unfortunate events thwarted that effort. In my eBird post at the time, I described the bird as:

“A large bird of prey. Because of the backlighting and looking into the sun, I couldn’t make out color. It had broad wings with finger-like extensions, held in a V-shape while gliding, and a long tail.”

Hen Harrier photographed by Michael St. John

The mystery lingered until June 11th, when Michael St. John finally captured a usable photograph of the bird in St. Lucy. Even then, local and regional eBird reviewers debated whether it was a Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius), a raptor from the Americas, or a Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus), its Old-World counterpart. Yes—even with an image, the identification remained elusive. Finally, in early September, the puzzle was solved. Dr. Mark Avery, former Conservation Director of the RSPB, reviewed the evidence and confirmed the bird as a Hen Harrier, clearly explaining his reasoning in a blog post.

The second new species was much easier to identify. It was discovered by visiting birders from Guadeloupe, Muriel Aboso and Anthony Levesque, right at the close of their highly successful trip to the island. Remarkably, they spotted it on their way to the airport—a final highlight before departure. Their find was a Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), a small raptor observed along the Belle, St. Michael stretch of the ABC Highway. Widely distributed across Europe, Asia, and Africa, the Eurasian Kestrel is best known for its distinctive hunting style. Using a hovering flight technique called kiting, it faces into the wind and flaps rapidly to remain suspended in place, scanning the ground below for prey. Its diet typically includes small mammals, insects, and birds, making it a versatile predator.

With these two remarkable sightings, the island’s official bird tally has now risen to 292 species (Clements checklist)—a milestone that underscores the richness and diversity of Barbados’ avifauna.

Mark Your Calendars for October Big Day 2025, it’s going to be a BIG DAY of Birds! by BC

Ready, set—BIRD! It’s time to flock together for the season’s biggest day of birding!

Get ready for a spectacular October Big Day (OBD)! This annual event, falling on Saturday, October 11, 2025, coincides with World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) and is a thrilling celebration of our feathered friends and the vibrant birding community.

At Birds Caribbean, we eagerly anticipate October Big Day. This massive citizen science event is a wonderful opportunity for us to unite with fellow bird lovers to share in the joy of birdwatching and the beauty of Caribbean wetlands, forests, botanical gardens, and neighborhoods. This is our chance to celebrate Caribbean birds, support science, and strengthen our conservation efforts. 

October 11 is truly the moment to puff out our chests and rack up those eBird checklists! 
And there’s more! Global Bird Weekend runs from October 10 to 12, offering even more opportunities to engage and possibly set new world records. Last year, we saw record-breaking participation during Global Bird Weekend — more than 750,000 people from 202 countries submitted 99,317 checklists with eBird — and we’re aiming to surpass that achievement this year. 

Let’s make birdwatching history together!

Read more >>>

The Unexpected Return of the Southern Lapwing

Southern Lapwing 2025

A bird once thought lost to the Barbadian landscape has made an unexpected reappearance.  On September 14th, Dr. John Webster observed a Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) in the parish of St. Lucy—marking a thrilling moment for local birders. This striking South American species, known for its bold plumage and loud, defiant calls, has long held a special place in Barbados’ avian history.

First recorded on the island in 1998, the species made headlines again in 2007 when a nesting pair at Bright Hall, St. Lucy produced three chicks—the first documented breeding of Southern Lapwings in the entire West Indies.  By 2021, the last time the species was recorded here, only a lone female remained. She faithfully returned each year to the Turf Farm at Bright Hall to nest. Despite laying eggs, her efforts were in vain—without a mate, the eggs were infertile, and no chicks emerged to carry the lineage forward, effectively halting the species’ expansion on the island. With no new sightings in recent years, many feared the Southern Lapwing had been lost to Barbados. But this new observation stirs hope once more. Whether the bird is our long-resident female or a fresh migrant from South America, one thing is certain: the Southern Lapwing has returned to Barbadian soil—even if just for a little while.

Lean more about the Southern Lapwing - Here and here

Count, Rest, Repeat: Celebrate World Shorebirds Day 2025 and Join the Global Shorebird Count! by Birds Caribbean

With Migratory Shorebirds already arriving in the Caribbean we are getting ready to celebrate World Shorebirds Day on September 6! This year we’re asking you to show some love to our shorebirds and join the Global Shorebird Count, which runs from September 1 to 7. BirdsCaribbean has everything you need to help you take part. Read on to find out how to take part, and why you (and your friends!) should join the count this year! 

World Shorebirds Day is held every year on September 6. This day celebrates shorebirds, their amazing migration journeys, and most importantly, raises awareness of the threats they face and actively promotes their monitoring and conservation. The key event associated with this day is the Global Shorebird Count (GSC), which this year runs from September 1-7.

Whether you’re new to the GSC or a seasoned shorebird counter, you can rally around shorebirds in the Caribbean by joining our “Count. Rest. Repeat.” campaign! Your data will help scientists protect these special, threatened birds. 

How do you join in?

Joining is as simple as heading out to your local wetland sites and counting shorebirds! Really—it’s that easy! Don’t be intimidated if you’re a first-timer, this blog will walk you through everything you need to know to get out there—and start contributing valuable data for shorebird conservation!  First tip: Remember to record all the species you see and/or hear (including other non-shorebird species), and to note how many individuals of each species you spot. Take your time and scan the habitats carefully for birds, but be extra careful to stand and walk only in places where you won’t disturb the birds you are trying to count! continue reading >>

Banded Birds and Their Journeys

As August ushered in peak migration season, we observed an unusually high number of banded shorebirds passing through—three of which were equipped with GPS trackers. These tracking efforts, led by ornithologist, help monitor bird movements, reveal migration routes, uncover behavioral patterns, and support global conservation initiatives. Platforms like bandedbirds.org allow us to follow the journeys of these carefree world travelers in real time.

Whimbrel FF6 photograph by Michael St. John

Our first tagged bird was a Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), with the tag FF6, recovered on August 7th by Mike St. John at Long Pond, St. Andrew.

Whimbrel FK7 photograph by Michael St. John

At the same location on 30th, Eagle eyed Mike saw another Whimbrel (FK7) with a GPS tracker. While we don't have information on this specific bird's banding location or journey, its presence here is a wonderful start to our sightings for the month.

Willet HO4 with GPS tracker photograph by Michael St. John

The next exciting sighting also occurred at Long Pond, this time a Willet with a GPS tracker, HO4, seen by Mike St. John on August 22nd.

Willet HO5 photographed by Qunicy Clarke

A few days later, Quncy Clarke spotted a second Willet, HO5, at Inch Marlow in Christ Church. Thanks to Nathan Senner, we learned that both birds were tagged in Massachusetts, USA, in June as part of a Massachusetts Audubon project.

We also had a repeat visitor! A Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), tagged 2=T, was seen for the second consecutive year at Inch Marlow, Christ Church. This bird has made quite a journey.

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), tagged 2=T

• Captured and tagged: May 27th, 2018, at Mispillion Harbor, Back Beach, Delaware, USA.
• First Resighting: August 19th, 2023, at Long Beach, Christ Church, Barbados.
• Latest Resighting: August 14th, 2025, at Inch Marlow, Christ Church, Barbados.

Our final observation was of a Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), tagged N20, which was spotted at River Bay, St. Lucy. 

Semipalmated Sandpiper tagged N20

• Captured and tagged: May 13th, 2024, at Fortescue, Raybins Beach, New Jersey, USA. 
• First and only resighting to date: July River Bay, August 26, 2025

Each of these sightings offers a vital clue in understanding the migratory journeys of these vulnerable species. By tracking their movements, we aim to identify and address the challenges they face along their flight paths—and ultimately help reverse their population decline.

You can play a part in this important work. If you spot a banded bird, please report it to bandedbirds.org or share the sighting with us at Birds of Barbados.

Thank you and continue to enjoy your birding!

A Rare Sighting: The Cuban Martin Visits Barbados

Male Cuban Martin

On August 27, 2025, while the air in Barbados was filled with the sounds of CARIFESTA XV, thanks to the electrifying performance by the Cuban group Rumba Allstars, a different kind of cultural exchange was taking place in the skies. Without any fanfare, a rare and unexpected visitor arrived on the island: a Cuban Martin (Progne cryptoleuca).  This iconic bird, a species endemic to Cuba, was spotted at Spring Hall, St. Lucy, mingling with a flock of its more familiar Caribbean Martin (Progne dominicensis) cousins. While they share a similar shape and behavior, a closer look reveals the distinct features of this special guest. Unlike our local Caribbean Martins, the males of the Cuban Martin species are completely glossy blue-black, with subtle hints of white on their lower underparts. The females and juveniles, on the other hand, are much less iridescent, with a muted gray-brown breast and flanks contrasting with their white underparts.

This sighting is a fantastic reminder of the incredible biodiversity of the Caribbean region.