The Barbados Birds and Birding Report - August

August was a thrilling month for birds and birding, as we witnessed the fall migration in full swing. We added eight new species to our island’s checklist, bringing the total number of bird species reported for 2023 to over 100 (106). The new arrivals were White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis), Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis), Red-footed Booby (Sula sula), Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica), Bridled Tern (Onychoprion anaethetus), Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus savana) and Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor).

Short-billed Dowitchers at Long Beach

We also had several days of high counts of various shorebird species, like Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes), Stilt Sandpipers (Calidris himantopus), Short-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus griseus), Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus), and for most of the month Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla), which are near threatened.

Michael St. John continued his impressive streak of finding banded birds. He spotted the famous Osprey-tagged KWO, as well as several Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla)and Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres) with tags from the East Coast of the United States. He reported them to the relevant authorities, of course. The Motus Wildlife Tracking station that was installed at the Walkers Reserve last year as part of the Birds Caribbean Motus Collaboration detected its second radio-tagged migrant on August 1st. It was a Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) with the nano-tagged ID# 73718.  This bird was tagged in Nova Scotia, Canada on July 18th, 2023. Is that not an impressive journey for the smallest species in the sandpiper family? but it is one made yearly but many species of birds, tagging just gives us a small view of it.  There were many highlights during the month, and I apologize for not keeping you updated as they happened. I have been swamped, but I can assure you that August was a fantastic month for birds and birding.

August's Rare Bird Sightings

Shorebirds continued their migration in August, with American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) being particularly prominent in the last week. We can expect more bird families, such as ducks and raptors, to join them in September. Let’s hope for a memorable month of birdwatching. Here are the rare bird sightings for August, sorted by parishes. (*birds that stayed from previous months)

St. Lucy

Glossy Ibis

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)(6)*- These birds have been at this location for over a year now, during the month one of them was photographed carrying nesting material. Could this be a breeding attempt on its way?

Fulvous Whistling-Duck

• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)*(2) – Two were seen at various locations in the north.
• Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)*- There were a number of sightings throughout the month at various locations, both inland and at sea.
• Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) (2) - Winds blowing out of the west, historically bring these birds close to the island, that was the case on the 25th when tropical storm Grete, which passed to the north of the island brought about these rare conditions.  Two birds, brown morph, were seen at North Point.
• Collared Plover (Charadrius collaris)* - Last seen on the 2nd, most likely relocated 

St. Andrew 

• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) - Seen at Walkers Reserve on the 27th by Michael St. John.
• Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)* - Very common at Green and Long Pond, along with other tern species

St. Philip 

Gull-billed Tern (FP)

• Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) - reported by John on the 29th, had additional sightings since.
• Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) - one bird was seen on the 19th, but others since then.
• Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)* - a regular visitor to a private marsh

A Red Knot, the largest bird in the background, with a few peeps

• Red Knot (Calidris canutus) - a bird molting to winter plumage stayed a few days at a marsh. 

Christ Church

Bridled Tern on a boat at Oistins

• Bridled Tern (Onychoprion anaethetus) (3)- three birds in the Oistins Bay during bad weather, unconfirmed sightings at Green Pond, St. Andrew.
• Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) - Seen at the WSR by Ed, the bird stayed for a brief period before moving on. 

Least Tern (FP)

• Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)* - A regular at Chancery Lane and along Long Beach where multiple sightings were reported throughout the month. 
• Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) - I observed this bird first at Inch Marlow, then at the old hotel end of Chancery Lane, with its diagnostic yellow bill tip 

St. James

• Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus savana) - seen at Fitts Village 

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