Birding for Warblers - April 21st

Shiny Cowbird  from last weekend

The morning of April 21^st was wet and cold, it rained intermittently throughout the night and early morning. I started my journey at 5:15am it was still dark outside but some birds, not just the neighborhood roosters, were up and calling.  I made my way to the islands only remaining Red Mangrove swamp in hope of seeing stop-over migratory song birds, mainly warblers, on their northerly flight to breeding grounds in North America from wintering in South America.  This time of year (late April /early May)  is the best time to find them, but don’t be misled this is not a Point Pelee spring migration type of birding experience.   (Point Pelee is a national park in Canada which is famous for song birding during spring migration in April and May )type of birding experience.  Very few song birds stop on the island during spring migration but bad weather increases the likelihood of stop overs so it is like finding a needle in a haystack.

That was my first attempt at finding the proverbial needle in the haystack and I came up empty.  At the end of my birding I tallied 27 bird species, sadly none of which were migratory song birds. I will try to make weekly visits right through to mid-May, hopefully I will record a migrant or two at the end of it all.

Here a list of the birds seen:

1. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
2. Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
3. Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
4. Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
5. Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)
6. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
7. Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
8. Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
9. Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)
10. Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa)
11. Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
12. Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina)
13. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
14. Green-throated Carib (Eulampis holosericeus)
15. Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus)
16. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
17. Orange-winged Parrot (Amazona amazonica)
18. Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica)
19. Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis)
20. Black-whiskered Vireo (Vireo altiloquus)
21. Caribbean Martin (Progne dominicensis)
22. Yellow Warbler (Golden) (Setophaga petechia [petechia Group])
23. Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)
24. Black-faced Grassquit (Tiaris bicolor)
25. Barbados Bullfinch (Loxigilla barbadensis)
26. Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis)
27. Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris)

The 2018 State of the World’s Birds report By Birdlife Internat

Even familiar birds at risk of extinction, new study finds

The 2018 State of the World’s Birds report, which provides a comprehensive look at the health of bird populations globally, has found that the extinction crisis has spread so far that even some well-known species are now in danger. Continue reading here

Cornell’s Global Big Day 2018

In a few weeks, on May 5^th, birders from every corner of the globe will unite on the biggest birding day of the year, Cornell’s Global Big Day in a show of support for conservation worldwide.  Last year saw worldwide over 20,000 participants in more than 160 countries submitting over 54,000 checklists consisting of 6,637 bird species.

Bank Swallow from 2017 CGBD

During that year Barbados saw 3 participants who recorded a new CGBD high for the island of 53 species from 15 checklists.  This included a few rarities such as Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus and Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva and unexpected migrants like Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos and Bank Swallow Riparia riparia.  

I have already started scouting and planning my route for that day, taking note of the location and movement of specific birds to maximize their sightings.  I have set a goal of 55 species which would be a new high for the Big Day.  

The date is set, the planning is at an advanced stage, the excitement is building.  Wherever you are in the world, whatever your birding skill level, join me and over 20,000 participants in more than 160 countries on May 5^th for the Cornell’s Global Big Day 2018.