Birders Out In Full Force (November 23)

The local birders were out in full force this morning, spanning from the east to the north coast. Even though we did not visit all of the birding areas, we recorded over 40 species, including a few rare ones.

The North

My son Jason and I, visited the northern parish of St. Lucy. It was a complete contrast to the last time I visited.  Then everything was dry, now, every location  we visited had water, with some even full to the brink.  This was because of the downpour of rain we had during the last week. Many shorebirds were around, with us recording over 10 species including a <>rare Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus).  The ducks are still arriving and we counted 31 Blue-winged Teals (Spatula discors) at one location.  As the water settles and Dragonflies, fish, and tadpoles begin to strive in them, I am sure the number of birds will increase.

The East

John Webster, Ed Massiah, Jason and I all visited eastern parishes. John spent most of his time at Greenland collecting images - stills, and motion on a rare male Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) at that pond.  He also drew our attention to a duck he saw there that was much like a female Blue-winged Teal but had a very light-colored belly/underbody when compared to the Blue-winged Teal. It was also somewhat smaller. 

Ed went to the eastern parish of St. Philip to see a pair of Ruffs,  first seen by John two days ago. Sadly he did not see them but saw over 40 Black-bellied Plovers and over 50 Semipalmated Sandpiper and a semirare Western Sandpiper.

Jason and I added another an eastern rarity to the list and a lifer for him. We saw a juvenile Purple Gallinule at Redlands Irrigation Pond in the parish of St John.

A good morning of birding was had by all. Below are the birds we saw.

1. Blue-winged Teal - Spatula discors
2. Northern Pintail Anas acuta
3. Scaly-naped Pigeon - Patagioenas squamosa
4. Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
5. Common Ground Dove - Columbina passerina
6. Zenaida Dove - Zenaida aurita
7. Common Gallinule - Gallinula galeata
8. Green-throated Carib - Eulampis holosericeus
9. Antillean Crested Hummingbird - Orthorhyncus cristatus
10. Purple Gallinule - Porphyrio martinica
11. Black-bellied Plover - Pluvialis squatarola
12. Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus
13. Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus
14. Stilt Sandpiper - Calidris himantopus
15. Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres
16. Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla
17. White-rumped Sandpiper - Calidris fuscicollis
18. Semipalmated Sandpiper - Calidris pusilla
19. Western Sandpiper - Calidris mauri
20. Short-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus griseus
21. Wilson's Snipe - Gallinago delicata
22. Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
23. Solitary Sandpiper - Tringa solitaria
24. Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca
25. Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes
26. Magnificent Frigatebird - Fregata magnificens
27. Great Egret - Ardea alba
28. Snowy Egret Egretta thula
29. Green Heron - Butorides virescens
30. Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax
31. Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon
32. Caribbean Elaenia - Elaenia martinica
33. Gray Kingbird - Tyrannus dominicensis
34. Black-whiskered Vireo - Vireo altiloquus
35. Shiny Cowbird - Molothrus bonariensis
36. Carib Grackle - Quiscalus lugubris
37. Yellow Warbler - Setophaga petechia
38. Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
39. Grassland Yellow-Finch - Sicalis luteola
40. Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola
41. Barbados Bullfinch - Loxigilla barbadensis
42. Black-faced Grassquit - Melanospiza bicolor