The Barbados Birds and Birding Report – February & March

 It was a slow two months for rare birds but we recorded a mega-rare bird.  This bird was a Garganey (Spatula querquedula) a Eurasian duck of the Teal family.  The bird remains the main attraction up to now as it remains with a flock of Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors).

 Here is a complete list, highlighted parish by parish. (* continuing Birds)

St. Lucy

Glossy Ibis 

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)(6)*- long stay birds at a private marsh.
• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)* – the lone duck that was seen last month was joined by another 2.

  

  Garganey

• Garganey (Spatula querquedula) remains at a private marsh with teals
• Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) - seen at North Point

St. Andrew 

• Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)* - multiple sightings at Bawdens over the two months

Christ Church

• American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)* This bird was last seen on March 14th at Inch Marlow

St. Michael

• Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) multiple reports before confirmation  at Pile Bay 
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)* continues at Carlisle's Bay, the city 

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.  A new tool to help with your local bird identification is our Facebook Group, The Birds of Barbados. Click here to join   

From Scotland to the Scotland District

 

Osprey tagged KW0 at Bawdens, St, Andrew (photo by Michael St John)

For the last few weeks, an immature female Osprey seen and photographed by our island's newest birder and bird photographer, Michael St, John, in the Scotland District, has been causing a stir; first in the English ornithology community and then in the English press. What is so special about an Osprey on our island you may ask since this bird species have been recorded on the island since 1848? (Schomburgk 1848).  What was different about this bird was its journey to get to our fair isles.  A blue band on its foot labeled "KW0" lead Mike to search for the source of the tag. He found that The bird was one of two chicks banded on 23^rd June 2022 at a nest in Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, Scotland some 4124 miles (6,637km) on the other side of the Atlantic. (See images of the chicks and more here) How the bird got here is still a mystery with some suggesting it may have been shipped assisted.  We, the local birders, will continue to keep an eye out for this bird and any other carrying a tag but for now, we continue to be amazed by the journey of KW0 from Scotland to the Scotland District.