Afternoon Birding in St. Andrew

Juvinile Green Heron from Bawdens

I did a few hours of afternoon birding in the parish of St. Andrew on  Saturday  June 6^th, and even though it was overcast and rainy, not the best conditions for photography, it was good for birding.  I made two intended  stops, first at Walkers Reserves at Belleplaine, and then at Bawdens Irrigation Ponds and an impromptu stop at a bridge on my way home.  At the end of the afternoon of birding in St. Andrew I saw 25 species. Here is a synopsis of my afternoon.

Walkers Reserve

Caribbean Martin

I arrived at Walkers Reserve at 2:30 and stopped first at the north pond.  The most numerous bird in the pond were Common Gallinules (Gallinula galeata), including one unoccupied nest.  An adult Green Heron (Butorides virescens) was standing motionless among the reefs while a Snowy (Egretta thula) and Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) waded along the far bank. I moved on then to the south pond and from the lookout point, I saw lots of Common Gallinules of all ages, 129 individual birds was my final tally.  A few   Caribbean Martins (Progne dominicensis) were hawking over the pond for insects and some time swooping down for a quick drink.  The number of Pied-billed Grebes (Podilymbus podiceps) are steadily increasing there, I saw 14 birds, including 4 chicks who were being fed by a parent and another bird was sitting on a nest.

Monarch Butterfly on the flower of Cow’s Thistle

 I was briefly distracted from my birding when a beautiful Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) lit on the flower of Cow’s Thistle (Tridax procumbens) but then it was back to the birds on the pond. The main birds I wanted to see though were the American Coots (Fulica americana).  Even though this species is considered to be a rare to semi-rare migrant, for more than a year a few birds lingered at Walkers, increasing the likelihood of nesting there. This would be a big deal, since the last record of this bird breeding on the island was in 2007, but as the defunct Caribbean Coot (Fulica caribaea) (explained here).  I was excited when I saw one of the birds carrying nesting material but the nest  would have to be at an infancy stage. 

Laughing Gulls

As I was preparing to leave the rain came and soon after, nine Laughing Gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla) flew into the south lake adding just one more bird to my checklist.  In total I saw 20 bird species and 202 individual birds in the hour and a half I spent at Walkers. From there my next stop was the irrigation ponds a Bawdens.

Irrigation Ponds at Bawdens

Pied-billed Grebes and chicks

Bawdens is just over a mile and a half away from Walkers. The pond system there is made up of two irrigation ponds next to each other, with the smaller and more shallow of the two attracting the most birds. For a few weeks now I have been monitoring a few birds there: a pair of American Coots (Fulica americana) whos behavior led me to believe breeding is imminent, a Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) sitting on a nest and a family of Pied-billed Grebes (Podilymbus podiceps) with very young chicks. 

American Coot (white shielded)

The American Coots are an interesting pair represented both morphs of this species, the male, an aggressive white shielded, and the female red shielded. The male behaved extremely aggressive towards the Gallinules that shared the pond. Running them away from a cluster of grass that the female frequents.  On Saturday, I saw the male carrying what seen like nesting material to the grassy area but I was unable to confirm visually a nest.  The Common Gallinule that was sitting on the nest now had 4 chicks about a week old.  I watched as one of the adult birds brought food to the adult sitting on the nest, and later the family went out for a swim. Speaking of family, I was surprised by the size of the four Pied-billed Grebe chicks who were no more than 3 weeks old. These are now about the size of the smallest parent. I saw a new nest with eggs that look a lot like a Grebe’s nest.  Could this be the nest of this female Grebe who just had chicks? It looks like it. I will keep monitoring.  I saw 13 species at Bawdens.

Masked Ducks

On my way home I got a bonus bird, a Masked Duck (Nomonyx dominicus), well three of them, a male and two females.  These ducks topped off a fine evening of birding in the parish of St. Andrew. 

Stay safe and enjoy your birding.  

Here are the birds saw

1. Masked Duck - Nomonyx dominicus
2. Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
3. Scaly-naped Pigeon - Patagioenas squamosa
4. Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
5. Common Ground Dove - Columbina passerina
6. Antillean Crested Hummingbird - Orthorhyncus cristatus
7. Common Gallinule - Gallinula galeata
8. American Coot - Fulica americana
9. Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus
10. Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres
11. Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca
12. Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricilla
13. Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
14. Snowy Egret - Egretta thula
15. Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
16. Green Heron - Butorides virescens
17. Gray Kingbird - Tyrannus dominicensis
18. Caribbean Martin - Progne dominicensis
19. Shiny Cowbird - Molothrus bonariensis
20. Carib Grackle - Quiscalus lugubris
21. Yellow Warbler - Setophaga petechia
22. Grassland Yellow-Finch - Sicalis luteola
23. Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola
24. Barbados Bullfinch - Loxigilla barbadensis
25. Black-faced Grassquit - Melanospiza bicolor