Record October Big Day for Barbados

A Grey Kingbird during the October Big Day, emphasizing the theme of WMBD - "Protect Insects, Protect Birds"

On October 12th, World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), birdwatchers from every continent united for an extraordinary celebration of nature. In just 24 hours, over three-quarters of a million birders in 201 countries contributed to the most successful October Big Day ever, breaking the world record with over 7,800 species documented. Our island played a vital role in this global event, shattering our previous record for bird species seen on a single day. Local birders scoured Barbados, recording an astonishing 72 species – six more than the previous best year of 2020. (Click to see the Day's ebird Trip Report)
One of the highlights of the day was the impressive counts of several migrating shorebirds. Like the globally threatened Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) with over 100 individuals recorded.

Other notable shorebird sightings included:

• Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus): 168 individuals were counted.
• White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis): 136 of these birds were observed.
• Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres): A total of 115 Ruddy Turnstones were spotted.

One clutch of Black-bellied Whistling-Duck ducklings

The day also brought a heartwarming surprise – over 42 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck ducklings were recorded at a single location.

I had the privilege of leading a field trip with a group of young scientists from McGill University to North Point, St. Lucy. While excited to share my knowledge of local birds and how to identify them, I was disheartened to see a billboard announcing the erection of one or more wind turbines on this beautiful and unique landscape. I do hope a thorough environmental assessment is conducted, as this area is a hotspot for biodiversity. It serves as a prime nesting area for the Grassland Yellow-Finch (Sicalis luteola), a protected bird under the Barbados Wild Birds Protection Act.

Students from McGill during a field trip at North Point, St. Lucy

Despite this concern, our field trip was a success. We observed 18 species, including the globally threatened Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), and two rare visitors – the Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) and the Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus).

This day highlighted the rich avian life that Barbados boasts, both native and migratory. It's a reminder that we must protect these precious creatures and their habitats, remembering the theme of World Migratory Bird Day - Protect Insects, Protect Birds.

Safe and enjoy your birding adventures!

World Migratory Bird Day 2024: Protect Insects, Protect Birds

Yellow Warbler with a Caterpillar

Saturday, October 12th is World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD).  It is a global awareness-raising campaign celebrated annually to highlight the importance of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. In 2024, the theme was "Protect Insects, Protect Birds".   The campaign emphasized insects' critical role in migratory birds' survival.  Insects are a primary food source for many bird species, especially during breeding and migration periods. The decline in insect populations due to factors such as habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change poses a significant threat to migratory birds.  Insects provide essential nutrients for birds, especially during breeding and migration, they play a role in maintaining healthy ecosystems that support bird migration and are vital components of food webs and help regulate plant populations.  By protecting insects, we can help ensure the survival of migratory birds and maintain the balance of our ecosystems.  On World Migratory Bird Day birders from all over the world take part in this campaign that seeks to draw attention to the ply of birds. It is called the October Big Day.

October Big Day

 Last year's October Big Day, a staggering 36,332 people from 191 countries spent part or all of the day seeking out and recording birds in their local areas. The collective effort resulted in an impressive 83,735 checklists submitted to eBird.org, showcasing the incredible diversity of birds across the planet. In Barbados, the Big Day resulted in an underwhelming 38 species recorded.  Local birders are determined to do much better this year! We are preparing to hit the ground running on Saturday morning aiming to significantly increase the number of species recorded and contribute more significantly to the global day of birding. You can help. 

Here is how to participate

• Get an eBird account: eBird is a worldwide bird checklist program used by millions of birders. It’s what allows us to compile everyone’s contributions into a single massive October Big Day list—while at the same time gathering data to help scientists better understand birds. Sign up here. It’s 100% free from start to finish.
• Watch Birds on 12 Oct: It’s that simple. You don’t need to be a bird expert or go out all day long, even 10 minutes of birding from home counts. October Big Day runs from midnight to midnight in your local time zone. You can report what you find from anywhere in the world.
• Enter what you see and hear in eBird: You can enter your observations via our website or download the free eBird Mobile app to make submitting lists even easier. Please enter your checklists no later than 15 Oct to be included in the results announcement.
• Watch the results roll in: During the day, follow along with bird reports from more than 180 countries in real time on our October Big Day page.

So whether you are here on the island or overseas, a veteran birder or a newbie get out birding on Saturday, October 12th, World Migratory Bird Day. Submit your sightings to ebird.org and become part of this global celebration of birds and remember "Protect Insects, Protect Birds". 

Enjoy your birding!!