A Big Weekend of Birding

The results from the big weekend of birding are in.  The two global birding events in celebration of World Migratory Bird Day, namely , Global Bird Weekend and the October Big Day resulted in record-breaking numbers in reported species (7,269) and the number of countries (195) reporting.  Here are the snumbers.

The second annual Global Bird Weekend started on Friday, October 8^th, and ended on Sunday, October 10^th.  Over 200 international teams, including 2 from Barbados, signed up and took part in the event.  In all some 32,670 people reporting 7,670 bird species, while birding in 195 countries across the globe.  The funds raised from this event, goes a long way in helping BirdLife International's fight to Conserve Coastal Wetlands and Save Threatened Migratory Birds across the Globe.  

The October Big Day, was  on the Saturday of that weekend. Some 32,670 birders from 195 countries submitted 78,024 checklists with 7,269 species, 43,153 photographs, and 1,170 audio recordings to www.ebird.org.  It was also noted on the ebird website that more than 2,800 contributors submitted their first checklist to this site on that day. 

Our beautiful island was also part of the do.  We recorded 60 species for October Big Day, which was the 8th highest species count among the islands of the West Indies.  It was also six less than our highest count of 66 species which was recorded in 2020.  The three days of the Global Bird Weekend event saw two local teams registering, The Moore's Birding Team (#184) led by yours truly, and Barbados Supernova Team (#193), led by Ed Massiah. The combine teams saw 63 species over the three days.

It was a big weekend of birding locally and internationally, as birders came together on World Migratory Bird Day to raise awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. This international effort caused us to “Sing, Fly, Soar – Like a Bird!”.   Until our next chat, stay safe and enjoy your birding.

See images from that weekend here

Here is a list of species seen over the 3 days, also click here for images

1. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna autumnalis
2. Blue-winged Teal - Spatula discors
3. Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
4. Rock Pigeon - Columba livia
5. Scaly-naped Pigeon - Patagioenas squamosa
6. Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
7. Common Ground Dove - Columbina passerina
8. Zenaida Dove - Zenaida aurita
9. Green-throated Carib - Eulampis holosericeus
10. Antillean Crested Hummingbird - Orthorhyncus cristatus
11. American Coot - Fulica americana
12. Common Gallinule - Gallinula galeata
13. Black-bellied Plover - Pluvialis squatarola
14. American Golden-Plover - Pluvialis dominica
15. Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus
16. Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus
17. Hudsonian Godwit - Limosa haemastica
18. Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres
19. Stilt Sandpiper - Calidris himantopus
20. Sanderling - Calidris alba
21. Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla
22. White-rumped Sandpiper - Calidris fuscicollis
23. Buff-breasted Sandpiper - Calidris subruficollis
24. Pectoral Sandpiper - Calidris melanotos
25. Semipalmated Sandpiper - Calidris pusilla
26. Western Sandpiper - Calidris mauri
27. Short-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus griseus
28. Wilson's Snipe - Gallinago delicata
29. Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularius
30. Solitary Sandpiper - Tringa solitaria
31. Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca
32. Willet - Tringa semipalmata
33. Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes
34. Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricilla
35. Least Tern - Sternula antillarum
36. Roseate Tern - Sterna dougallii
37. Royal Tern - Thalasseus maximus
38. Magnificent Frigatebird - Fregata magnificens
39. Great Egret - Ardea alba
40. Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
41. Snowy Egret - Egretta thula
42. Little Blue Heron - Egretta caerulea
43. Tricolored Heron - Egretta tricolor
44. Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
45. Green Heron - Butorides virescens
46. Striated Heron - Butorides striata
47. Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax
48. Glossy Ibis - Plegadis falcinellus
49. Snail Kite - Rostrhamus sociabilis
50. Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon
51. Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus
52. Rose-ringed Parakeet - Psittacula krameri
53. Caribbean Elaenia - Elaenia martinica
54. Gray Kingbird - Tyrannus dominicensis
55. Caribbean Martin - Progne dominicensis
56. Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
57. Shiny Cowbird - Molothrus bonariensis
58. Carib Grackle - Quiscalus lugubris
59. Yellow Warbler - Setophaga petechia
60. Grassland Yellow-Finch - Sicalis luteola
61. Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola
62. Barbados Bullfinch - Loxigilla barbadensis
63. Black-faced Grassquit - Melanospiza bicolor

A Big Weekend of Birding - Images

In celebration of World Migratory Bird Day, two global birding events, Global Bird Weekend and the October Big Day were held on the weekend of October 8, 9, 10th.  Here are a few images from that weekend.

Three Hudsonian Godwits (Limosa haemastica) @ Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge 

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)

"three little birds" Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) @ Inch Marlow

A juvenile Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) @ Six Men's Bay 

Our lone endemic Barbados Bullfinch (Loxigilla barbadensis)

Carib Grackles (Quiscalus lugubris) @ Archer's Bay' St. Lucy

Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) on the powerlines somewhere in St. Lucy

The Barbados Birds and Birding Report – September

September is by far the best month of the year.  I am not just saying that because it just happens to be my birth month but look at the evidence, it is always a month to remember.   This September was no different, we add nine new year-species to bring up the island 100^th for 2021.  These birds, some of them rare, were:

1. Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) at Chancery Lane, Christ Church with Barn and Cliff Swallows;
2. Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), two sightings, a very low count for this “grasspiper”  in September;
3. Red Knot (Calidris canutus) three sightings, two in St. Philip and one at Long Beach, Christ Church;
4. Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) three seen in the east;
5. Ruff (Calidris pugnax) two records of this Eurasian shorebird at opposite ends of the island, St. Philip and St. Lucy
6. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) at Oistins ice pier, Christ Church;
7. Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) in St. Philip;
8. Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) two birds made a brief appearance in St. Lucy.

September was definitely a high point for shorebird migration, with high counts in various species reported throughout the month.  Well over 300 Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes), Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres), and Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) were reported, along with fair numbers for American Golden-Plovers (Pluvialis dominica) and White-rumped Sandpipers (Calidris fuscicollis).

It was truly a September to remember.

September Rare Bird Sightings

September saw an increase in bird activity with migration well on its way.  This movement also brought a few rare birds to the island,  Here is a complete list of birds considered rare for Barbados that were seen during September. (* continuing Birds)

St. Lucy

Fulvous Whistling-Duck

• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) - one bird seen in St. Lucy
• Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) (2) - two birds made a brief appearance in a private location.
• Ruff (Calidris pugnax) - the 2nd of two sighting for the month.

Glossy Ibis

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) (3) – made a return to the island after an absence of over five months.

St. Andrew

• American Coot (Fulica Americana)* - Walkers Reserve has become one of the established breeding areas for this species on the island, with multiple successful nesting records over the last year.
• American Coot (Fulica Americana)* – Greenland Irrigation Pond, probably one of the two birds recorded last month.

St. Philip

Red Knot

• Red Knot (Calidris canutus) - two birds appeared days after each other.

  

  Ruff

• Ruff (Calidris pugnax) the first of two birds seen during the month. This one spent a few days at Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge (WSR);

  

  Buff-breasted Sandpiper

• Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) (3) - first seen on the 20th by John Webster and remained into October

  

  Tricolored Heron

• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) Briefly seen by John Webster but resighted in October 

Christ Church

• Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) First seen at chancery Lane on the second and last see September on Long Beach.
• Bridled Tern – (Onychoprion anaethetus) (11) these seabird were seen at Oistins during bad weather sitting on a boat
• Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) also at Oistins

St. Michael

Snail Kite

• Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis)*- It was over a year when this bird was first reported when last seen the bird was still at its accustomed locaton catching and feeding on red crabs.

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.     

  

Two Global Birding Events

October 8th, 9th & 10th

October 9th

Two major global event will take place this weekend, all in celebrating World Migratory Bird Day.  Starting tomorrow, October 8th and running right through to Sunday 10th will be  Global Bird Weekend .  In the middle of that weekend, Saturday 9th, will be the second event October Big Day.  This special time of the year, when birds in our region migrate from north to south is a good to for birding.  How can you be part of this weekend's action? Click each like to find out how. If you are doing one or even both events, what ever you are doing, stay safe and enjoy your birding.