Bird of the Year

Deciding on my bird of the year was not easy; after all I had five lifers.  So I decided to ask some of my friends about their bird of the year and why it was.

Bat Falcon photograph by Grete Pasch

The Bat Falcon (Falco rufigularis) recorded in March was the Bird of the Year for both Ed Massiah and Grete Pasch.  It was a lifer for both of them, and me, but also the first confirmed record for the West Indies.  As for Grete, who is a new birder on the island, finding a new species for the island was a big deal.

 

Whistling Warbler photograph by Judd Patterson

Another birder, writer and outstanding wildlife photographer I met last year was Judd Patterson.  He travels the world creating images of many beautiful creatures and I was surprised to learn that his bird of the year was an endemic from our region.  It was the elusive Whistling Warbler (Catharopeza bishopi) from the neighboring island of St. Vincent. Read more about his trip here.

Two of my family members began ebirding this year and both had birds of the year. 

Puerto Rican Tody

 My wife, Sophia, fell in love with the Puerto Rican Tody (Todus mexicanus) while my son choose the Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea).

American Flamingo

The difficulty in highlighting a bird of the year emphasizes the kind of year it was.  I had five remarkable lifers.  Four in the first three months, but my bird of the year would have to be the American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber). Flamingos are glamourous birds known and celebrated by birders and non-birders alike so it was good to see one here.

What will this year bring?  Only time will tell.