Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)

Description: 9 inches; bill black long and thin. Non-breeding: upperparts grey; underparts white; eyestripe. Breeding Male: pale pinkish wash on neck. Breeding Female: upperparts grey and brown; Black eyestripe, which continues down sides of neck. Habitat: shallow ponds; Statue: non-breeding migrant

Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

Length: 22-26" (56-67 cm) Description: large goose-like duck, Monotypic (males and females look alike), a reddish-pink bill, pink feet, a white body with chestnut patches and a black belly, and a dark green head and neck. The wing coverts are white, the primary remiges black, and the secondaries green (only showing in flight) and chestnut. Habitat: marshes and estuaries; 

Status: Vagrant, Extremely Rare,  Vagrant; 

Comment:  Common in the Euro-Siberian region of the Palearctic, mainly breeding in temperate and wintering in subtropical regions, also common around the coastline of Great Britain and Ireland. It was first recorded in Barbados in November 2013 in St. Lucy, which was also the first record for the Caribbean,

white and chestnut body, dark green head and neck, and a bright red bill

Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)

Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata

 

Ring-necked Duck

Ring-necked Duck  - Aythya collaris

Hudsonian Godwit ( Limosa haemastica)

Description: 13-16 inches; bill long, pinkish at the base and black at the tip, slightly upturned; tail black with white base; white rump. Non-Breeding: upper parts greyish; underparts whitish. Breeding: upperparts reddish brown, black and grey; underparts reddish brown with blackish fine bars. Habitat: mud flaps

Statue: Migrant

 

Photographs From October

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius ),

Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)

Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius),

Gray Kingbird  (Tyrannus dominicensis)

October in Review

The most of my birding this month was in search of the seemingly elusive Black Poll Warbler “Setophaga striata” at Harrison’s Point St. Lucy. Up until the end of October this bird was nowhere to be seen.  However for the month of October, I posted five (5) birds moving my Photo Challenge count to 75 species.  I also was able to add three (3) new species to my year and life count, both of which now stand at 82 species.

The search for Blackpoll Warblers

I spent three Saturdays and some weekday afternoons in search of Blackpoll Warblers at Harrison’s Point.  The first Saturday I met with Edward Massiah, Co-author of the book Birds of Barbados, at about 6:30am. I was happy to add the Yellow –billed Cuckoo” Coccyzus americanus” to my list on that day. The Yellow Warblers were also plentiful at this location and I was able to get my best photo to date of this bird.

The 2^nd Saturday we were joined on our expedition by Dr. John Webster, Host of the Local, Regional and dear I say, International, bird show Breakfast with the Birds.  I felt honored to be birding with my mentors.  There is a wealth of knowledge between the two of them, which I so often tap into. However, after about 4 to 5 hour of looking we called it quits.

The 3^rd Saturday we were all hyped up. We heard of a massive Blackpoll Warbler fall out in Bermuda. I met Edward at about 6:30am to continue our hunt. I am not just a birder I am “naturer", (lookup that word in your dictionary and add it, if it is not there); hence, after realizing that this outing was going to be like the others, I switched from my long lens to the micro lens and took photographs of some of the insects around. The hunt for the Black-poll Warbler will continue but you will have to hear about that next month.

Photograph of the Month

My Photograph of the Month is of a Juvenile Peregrine Falcon "Falco peregrinus". The photograph was taken on October 31, 2013. 

 

Harrison’s Point

October 5^th would have been the second time I had been to Harrison’s Point but the first time for Birding. Located on the Northern tip of the island, Harrison’s Point, a decommissioned American Naval Base turned make shift prison, now stands abandoned with empty dilapidated buildings, over grown  by shrubs and trees.  The Myamosee or River Tamarind tree “leucaena leucocephela” is the predominant tree in this area. This tree is known to attract many worms and caterpillars making this area a perfect place for migrating birds like Warblers. A study done by Douglas McNair, Edward Massiah and Martin Frost at Harrison’s Point involving mist netting, added a number of species to the local Avifauna and offered valuable information on the migration of Blackpoll Warblers. So this location known for its lighthouse, is also an important area for birds. Link to the studies done at Harrison’s Point.

The Lighthouse @ Harrison's Point

On Identified Moth

Dragonfly

On To November

I entered November needing twenty-five birds. This pretty much seems like an impossible task, however, I am hoping to get at least ninety birds. I will continue the lookout for the Blackpoll Warblers and also the Godwits. The Blue-winged teals are here, and I will be looking for any vagrant among them.  I missed out on two juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Herons at WSR, but I hope that they are still around. So I am keeping my ears to the ground my eyes to the sky. So here is to another month of birding in Barbados.  

See the following post for Photograph for the Month of October.