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.