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!