The Barbados Birds and Birding Report – August

White-rumped Sandpiper one of the new birds for 2022

Barbados recorded its 100th bird species for 2022.  The bird was a Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), which was seen at Inch Marlow, Christ Church on August 24^th.  This was just one of five new bird species for the year. The others were: White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis), seen in the parish of St. Lucy on the 1^st, and a Bridled Tern (Onychoprion anaethetus) sitting on a fishing boat in the bay at Oistins on the 3^rd, a Red Knot (Calidris canutus) joined the hundreds of shorebirds on Long Beach, Christ Church feeding among the sargassum Seaweed, and a rare Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) was seen by John Webster at Walkers Reserve, St. Andrew on the 23^rd.

With a few days of Southernly winds predicted we may be in for a few rare birds in early September even as migration continues.  Of course, we will keep you up to date.

August’s Rare Bird Sightings

Here are the rare birds seen during the month, highlighted below parish by parish. (* continuing Birds)

St. Lucy

Six Glossy Ibis

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)(6)*- Last year December we saw 3 birds, then in January only one bird, as two of the 3 migrated but in August, 5 birds joined our loan bird;

  

  Fulvous Whistling-Duck

• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)* – the lone duck that was seen last month was joined by another 2;

  

  Tricolored Heron

• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)* seen in the first half of the month but no sighting during the latter half of the month;
• Collared Plover (Charadrius collaris)*seen in the same area at North Point.

St. Andrew

• Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) this stiff tail was seen by John Webster at Walkers Reserve on the 23^rd.

Christ Church

Lesser Black-backed Gull

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)* – This juvenile was with us for most of the year so far, which is rare in itself.  It is somewhat of a celebrity on some beaches with food, eg. sardines, being provided for it on regular occasions.  In this instance it was seen at the Oistins ice-pier instead of its usual stomping ground at Carlise's Bay;

Brown Pelican

• Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) was first seen at Oistins and then at Inch Marlow.

St. Michael

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)* – seen at Carlise Bay.

  

  Snail Kite

• Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis)* seen at its usual spot on Bay Street

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 help.