The Barbados Birds and Birding Report – October

October continued the trend of the latter months of the year seemingly as if trying to make up for the almost two years of drought - it rained almost  daily.   This did not affect birding or the birders too much as over 150 checklists were submitted to ebird.org by 9 birders. Seventy-five of those checklists with sixty-six bird species came on the 17^th and 18^th during two global birding events, the October Big Day and the Global Bird Weekend.    Barbados birds tally for 2020 increased by an additional 5 species, namely Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) and Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) first seen at North Point, St. Lucy on the  3^rd and 11^th respectively, a Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) seen at Long Beach, Christ Church on the 9^th,  Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)  on the 10^th in St. Lucy, and a Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) at Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge (WSR) on 27^th, bringing the total birds reported for the year to 110 species.

October Rare Bird Sightings

We had lots of rare bird active during the month. Here is a list of Rare Birds reported during the last month parish by Parish (* continuing Birds)

St. Lucy

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) (3)* The first bird has been around since August 2019, it was joined by another in August and another one in September.
• American Coot ((White Shielded) Fulica Americana) bird first seen by John Webster during the October Big Day.

  

  Buff-breasted Sandpiper

  
  
• Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) – Three birds at North Point on 3rd

  

   Bobolinks

  
  
• Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)- First seen by John Webster on the 11^th. Over 21 birds at Archers Bay on the 21^st 

  

  Lesser Black-backed Gull

  
  
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) – seen on the 30^th during bad weather
• Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) – 2 birds seen late in the month
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)  at Husbands and Harrison’s Point.
•  Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) – seen off of Animal Flower Cave on 31st

  

  Southern Lapwing

  
  
• Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis)* – this rare local bird, the only one of its kind on the island was seen during the October Big Year.

St. Andrew 

• American Coot ((White Shielded) Fulica Americana) (6)*, 5 at The Walkers Reserve, and 1 at Bawdens. These birds were here for more than a year, nesting expected. 
• American Coot ((Red Shielded) Fulica Americana)* the rarer of the two American Coots.  This bird is paired with one of the White Shielded mentioned above at Bawdens.
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)  - seen at Walkers Researve, a first for Walkers

St. Thomas

• Striated Heron (Butorides striata)* was seen at the SBRC pond. This South American species returns to this location year after year.

St. George 

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

• Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) at Locust Hall.

St.Philip

• 

  Ruff

  
  Ruff (Calidris pugnax) – one bird seen at Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge on the 13^th.
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) at River.

 

Christ Church

• Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) – two birds were seen among the Mangroves at the Graeme Hall Swamp during the October Big Year.
• Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) – Seen by John Webster at Long Beach.
• Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)* seen at the Board Walk at Hasting and Oistin during the month.

St. Michael

• Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) at Welches

  

  Snail Kite

  
  
• Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis)* at Bay Street, a first for the island.

Feel free to contact me, Julian Moore @ 100birdsbarbados@gmail.com, John Webster @ barbadosbirds@gmail.com, or Ed Massiah @ ebmassiah@hotmail.com to report any rare bird sightings, or if you need assistance identifying a bird, we would be happy to assist.