The Birders - Bird of the Year

Let’s hear from some of the local and visiting birders who made the amazing birding count of 2023 possible. What was their most memorable local bird sighting of the year is the question we are asking them?

Curlew Sandpiper

A mega-rare and gorgeous Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) in breeding plumage, with its striking brick-red feathers, was the bird of the year for two experienced local birders, Dr. John Webster and Niels Larsen. John spotted this exceptional bird in St. Philip on May 29th, 2023 (read here), a remarkable discovery for both the island and the region.

Little/House Swift

The Little/House Swift (Apus affinis/nipalensis), a new record for Barbados and possibly the western hemisphere, was Ed Massiah and my bird of the year. It was first sighted on June 3rd and then again at the Hilton Hotel by a visitor named David Hollie on June 24th, where Ed saw it for the first time. When asked what was his bird of the year? Ed exclaimed, “It can only be one, Little\"House" Swift by a long margin.”

Osprey KW0

Our rookie birder on the island, Mike St. John, had an impressive year in 2023. He moved his local life count over the 100 species threshold and saw the second most species for 2023. His bird of the year was a sensational find: a banded Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) with the tag KW0, spotted on March 9th. Ospreys are not uncommon during migration, but this one was extraordinary. It was tagged as a young bird in Scotland and ended up here in Barbados on its first journey. This amazing feat made headlines on major and minor news networks, giving the island some free publicity. For Mike, this incredible voyage was the key factor in crowning this Osprey his "bird of the year." To him it wasn't just about rarity - of which he saw a few or a potential first record - of which he got in 2023; it was about the embodiment of resilience that defines so many migratory birds.

A photograph of the Little/House Swift at Hilton Barbados by Nigel Lallsingh

In June Trinidad and Tobago's top ebirder, Nigel Lallsingh, made a brief visit to our island. When I asked him what his Barbadian bird of the year was, his response was that the Little/House Swift is my number one bird that I saw in 2023. He saw the bird at the Hilton and got good images of the bird, many of which were passed on to the experts for use in making a positive identification.

The island’s birdlife revealed its mysteries to us in 2023, thanks to the efforts of every birder, whether local or visitor. Each sighting had its own story to tell. We look forward to more birding adventures in 2024 and sharing them with you. We hope our stories will inspire you and show you the magic that happens when we pay attention to the world of birds. Especially the Birds of Barbados.

Enjoy your Birding!

2023, An Epic Year of Birds and Birding

Shorebirds in the sunset of 2023

Barbados had a remarkable year of birding in 2023. More than 100 birders, mostly tourists, sent over 1400 checklists to ebird.org, documenting a stunning 126 bird species, the highest tally in over a decade. The year unveiled a treasure trove of rarities, with three, possibly four, species gracing the island for the first time ever: 

They were:

• House Swift(Apus nipalensis) or Little Swift (Apus affinis), either one would be a first for the island 
• Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) was seen in July, and
  
• Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera)  
• Grey-breasted Martin (Progne chalybea) or Brown-chested Martin (Progne tapera) - Another bird that is still with the experts.  This bird was seen and photographed by Quncy Clarck at Harrison's Point, St. Lucy.  If ratified as either one of the two this would be the 127 species for the year.

Some of them had not been seen on the island for over 10 years. These included: 

• Garganey (Spatula querquedula) which was last seen in 2000 before last year's sighting.
  
  
  
• Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) seen in 2001 before 2023
• Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus Philadelphia), the last addition for 2023 was last recorded on the island in 1981 at Chancery Lane, that is 42 years ago! (The Birds of Barbados, by Buckley, Massiah et al.)
• Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) - the wounded bird found on Morgan Lewis beach, St. Andrew was the second verified record for the island and the first since 2005.
• Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) was last spotted in 1994 before 2023. Last year's record is the third sighting of this species on the island.

 There were a few other amazing records in 2023. Some of the standout records were: 

• The incredible voyage of Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) KW0. This bird was tagged as a fledgling in Scotland on June 23rd, 2022, and spotted by local birdwatcher Michael St. John on March 9th, 2023. It is hard to fathom how such a young bird traveled so far.
• The astounding number of Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) at Harrison’s Point in October. On several occasions, they counted more than 200 birds at a time. They were so abundant that they outnumbered Shiny Cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis) as the most numerous species in the area, which is no easy feat.
• The impressive abundance of some shorebird species, especially during the peak migration months. For instance, from September 16th to 19th, more than 300 American Golden Plovers (Pluvialis dominica) were recorded at Chancery Lane, Christ Church, and then more than 600 birds on the island from September 22nd to 26th. These were only the highest peaks of this species’ movement, as a consistent and large migration was observed throughout September.

  

  Whimbrel

• Some other bird species that had a higher-than-usual individual count in 2023 were Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus), Stilt Sandpipers (Calidris himantopus), Red Knots (Calidris canutus), Hudsonian Godwits (Limosa haemastica) Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca), Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) and Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus).

The remarkable records set by birds in 2023 showed how vital Barbados is as a key destination for winged travelers on their worldwide journeys. From the solo voyage of a brave osprey to the combined force of visiting songbirds and the stunning numbers of migrating ducks and shorebirds, 2023 showcased the diversity and beauty of birds and birding in Barbados. These records were only a sample of what we witnessed in 2023, and we are excited to see what wonders lie ahead in the future. We will keep you updated as always.

I hope you had a wonderful birding 2023 and I do wish you a better 2024, birding-wise and otherwise, and as always - Enjoy your birding. 

The Barbados Birds and Birding Report - December

December wasn't a month for major avian discoveries in Barbados, but two new feathered friends were still added to the 2023 checklist:

Bonaparte's Gull

• Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia): This charming gull in non-breeding plumage was seen at Oistins, Christ Church for a few days before disappearing.

  

  A male Northern Pintail at WSR

  
  
• Northern Pintails (Anas acuta): These elegant ducks with long, slender necks were spotted at two separate locations on the island.

These additions brought the year-end tally of birds seen on Barbados in 2023 to an impressive 126 species, a testament to the island's rich and diverse birdlife. Stay tuned for a more comprehensive review of 2023's birding highlights coming soon!

December's Rare Bird Sightings

Here is a review of the rare bird sighting for December. (*birds that stayed from previous months)

St. Lucy

one of the six long-stay Glossy Ibis

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)(6)*- This flock has been loyal to this location since joining a single bird there in October 2022. Seeing one of them with what appears to be nesting material earlier in the year, has sparked hope for Barbados' first ibis chick.
• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)*(2) –  Long say birds, maybe a pair, often seen with Black-bellied Whistling Ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis)

  

  Grey Heron

  
  
• Grey Heron* (Ardea cinerea) - one of the island's annual Eurasian visitor 

St. Thomas

• Striated Heron (Butorides striata)* - Made a brief appearance at its usual stomping ground at the SBRC pond. 

Christ Church

Bonaparte's Gull

• Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) - First seen at the Oistins is pier on the 26th, last seen on the beach at the same location.

  

  One of the two juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull at Oistins

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (2)* - most likely the same juvenile birds seen at Pile Bay, St. Michael in November.

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   

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 National Bird Day is on January 5th! Join us at Walkers Reserve as we celebrate these magnificent avian species with a bird count. Visit… | Instagram