Ducks, Ducks and More Ducks

Blue-winged Teals

Shorebird migration has slowed but the island is still seeing the effects of the fall migration with the arrival of ducks, ducks, and more migratory ducks.  Our most numerous migratory duck, the Blue-winged Teal (BWTE) (Spatula discors), was reported at three locations with numbers close to 100, and in one case over 200 birds.  On November 5th a season-high of 220 Teals was recorded at Woodborne Shorebird Refuge (WSR), Christ Church.  On the 6th, 86 birds were reported in the north of the island while 70 were tallied at a location in the parish of St. Philip on the 8th.   We can assume that numbers like these are also at other suitable locations across the island.

Male and Female Ring-necked Ducks

The duck species with the second highest count was the Ring-necked Duck (RNDU) (Aythya collaris) but its numbers were nowhere close to that of the BWTE.  It was recorded at four locations.  Fours birds were seen at St. Lucy on October 30th, while a high count of three ducks at the WSR on November 7th.  The following day four birds were seen in St. Philip and three more at Redland, St. John/ George. Another close relative to the RNDU, Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) also stopped in at the WSR with six birds reported by a visitor to the island. 

Female Northern Pintails

Three female Northern Pintails (Anas acuta) were reported at three locations between WSR and St. Philip.  WSR continued its outstanding fall migration with the only Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) seen so far for the year.

We are still midway through the duck migration so we should see some more arrivals maybe even a rare species or two, which would be nice. Yes, the ducks are here, lots of them,  ducks, ducks, and more ducks, I hope you get to see them as you Enjoy your birding.

The Barbados Birds and Birding Report – October

Black-and-white Warbler was
seen at Harrison's Point

October was a good month for birding.  Seven year-birds were added to the island’s 2022 checklist, including two rare songbirds and a few ducks, closing the month with 114 species. The new species were Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris), Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata), White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) and our two rare songbirds - Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) and a Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia). The last record of these birds on the island was, for the Black and White Warbler in 1988, in the Turner's Hall Woods, Saint Andrew and for the Summer Tanager, 2004 at Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary, Christ Church, so both were welcome additions.

November Birding

November is an exciting month for birding. This is because historically, not just rare-birds were recorded during this month, but mega-rare birds - birds you usually only see once in a lifetime in this region.  Here are a few examples of mega-rare birds seen during November:

• Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) – 26^th November, 2021
• Eurasian Marsh-Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)  - 5^th November, 2015
• Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) -  24^th  November, 2015
• Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) – 19^th  November, 2014
• Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) – 2^nd November, 2014
• Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)  - 18^th  November,  2013
• Greater Ani (Crotophaga major) – 18^th  November, 2012
• Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) – 15^th November 2009

Let's see what will turn up this year.

 

October’s Rare Bird Sightings

October saw a few new birds entering the list. Here is a complete list, highlighted parish by parish. (* continuing Birds)

St. Lucy

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)(6) – remains at this location. Six other birds were seen in the east, which may or may not be these birds.
  
  

  

  Fulvous Whistling-Duck

• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)(2)* - numbers varies between 1 to 3 birds 

  

  Gull-billed Tern

• Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)* - This bird appears to be carrying a slight injury last month, happily, it now appears in good health.
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) - a high count of 6 birds seen at Harrison's Point.
• Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) - seen and photographed at a private location.
• White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) - first seen on the 1st of the month and last seen on the 30th.
  
  

  

  Summer Tanager

• Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) - seen at Harrison's Point
• Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) - seen at Harrison's Point

  

  Blackpoll Warblers

• Blackpoll Warblers (Setophaga striata) - seen at Harrison's Point
• Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) - seen at Harrison's Point.

St. Philip

• Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)* - not far from where it was first seen last month.
• Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) (2) - female birds seen first, one or both relocated to WSR and lost themself among a sea of teal.
• White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) - most likely our bird from St. Lucy relocating to the east.
• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) - (6) - may or may not  be the six from the north 

  

  Least Tern

• Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)* - relocated from North Point, St. Lucy to Chancey Lane

Christ Church

Glossy Ibis

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) (1) -  a single bird seen at WSR.
• Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) - A female among a large flock of teal

  

  Snail Kite

• Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) - was seen in the back lake at WSR

St. Michael

• Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)(2) - Reported at Pile Bay.
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) –  on Carlise Bay.

  

  Snail Kite

• Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) - seen at its roost in Bay Street

St. James

Brown Pelican

• Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) - Seen at Paynes Bay but known to roost just off of Sunset Crest. The same birds were seen in Pile Bay, St. Michael. 

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.   

 

Birding in Barbados: American Coot (episode 2)

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