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 - November

Lesser Scaup- one of the species of migratory ducks seen in November

November was a calm month after the busy October we had. We added three new species to our 2023 checklist: Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca), Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata), and Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) ending the month with a jaw-dropping 123 species seen for the year. Meanwhile, more migratory ducks showed up and we saw four different species by the end of the month: Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors), Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca), Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris), and Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis). In St. Lucy and Christ Church, we observed some large flocks of Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) with over 100 individual birds each.

November's Rare Bird Sightings

November was a slow month for new rare bird sightings, and December tends to be even slower. But we still have a chance to see some wintering warblers at Turner’s Hall Woods and the Graeme Hall Swamp that could make 2023 end with a bang. Plus, the rains have filled up the ponds and made them more appealing to some birds, so we might get some surprises in December so stay alert. These are the rare birds that we saw in November, some of which stayed from previous months.

St. Lucy

one of the six long-stay Glossy Ibis

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)(6)*- These birds have continued at this location for over a year.
• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)*(1) – One bird seen among a flock of  Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
• Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous) - was seen last on November 5th 
 

St. Andrew 

• Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)(2)- This pair was seen at various locations

  

  Manx Shearwater

• Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) - This bird was found on the beach at Morgan Lewis in poor condition, and appeared to be caused by a fishing line or net.  It died two days later

  

  One of the two Prothonotary Warblers seen at Turner Hall

• Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) - two birds were seen in the Turners Hall Woods during the month. 

St. Philip 

• Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) seen early in the month 
• Red Knot (Calidris canutus) (2)* - This could be the pair from last month that roosted at a private wetland.
• Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)* - last seen on November 19 at a private location.

St. Michael

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)(2) - at Pile Bay

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   

Pelagic Bird Found on the East Coast

Manx Shearwater

Pelagic birds are seldom seen near the island, as they live mostly on the high seas. Most of the records we have on ebird.org were made by observers who were on vessels, except for our two native species, the Audubon’s Shearwaters (Puffinus lherminieri) that breed in St. Lucy and the Red-billed Tropicbirds (Phaethon aethereus) that breed in St. Philip. On November 25th, a visiting couple discovered a rare bird on an east coast beach, a Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus), which was identified by Ed Massiah. The bird was injured, lost the primary feathers on its right wing, and had a leg wound that seemed to be caused by a fishing line or net.

injury on the leg

Ed also kindly agreed to take and keep the bird until it could be brought to the RSPCA for treatment. The staff there have helped many wounded birds in the past, such as the  Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) in 2019, Greater Shearwater (Ardenna gravis) in 2016, link 2, Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), to name a few. He also consulted a veterinarian on how to care for it until we could get it there. Sadly, it died before it could reach the RSPCA.

The Manx shearwater is a medium-sized seabird that measures 12–15 in (30–38 cm) long and has a wingspan of 30–35 in (76–89 cm). It is known for its amazing migration, traveling thousands of miles between its wintering grounds in the southern Atlantic, Brazil, and Argentina, and its breeding grounds in northern Atlantic countries like the United Kingdom, Iceland, etc. These birds are closest to our island during February and March when they migrate to their breeding grounds. It would be wonderful to see these beautiful birds in their element, far out at sea, in the pelagic zone. Yes, a boat trip is needed for some open-water birding, maybe in 2024.

Stay safe and enjoy your birding.

 

The Barbados Birds and Birding Report – December

What a year of birding we had in 2022, with 119 bird species seen and reported for the year, many of which can be classified as rare.  December added one species to that tally one of the most coveted birds among the local birders, an indigenous species, one which breeds on the island but can be considered a rare species by virtue of the scarcity of sightings.  This bird, Audubon Shearwaters (Puffinus lherminieri), over 400 of them, was the only additional species for 2022. More on the birding highlights from 2022 will be coming in a future post so be on the lookout for it

December’s Rare Bird Sightings

 Here is a complete list, highlighted parish by parish. (* continuing Birds)

St. Lucy

Glossy Ibis 

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)(6)*- Last year December we saw 3 birds, then in January only one bird, as two of the 3 migrated but in August, 5 birds joined our loan bird.

  

  Fulvous Whistling-Duck

• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)* – the lone duck that was seen last month was joined by another 2.

  

  Killdeer

• Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous) flew into a private marsh late one evening
• Audubon's Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri) a night visit to Bird Rock, the first time in some 29 years,  tallied  451 sightings. 

St. Andrew

 Grey Heron at Bawdens St. Andrew

• Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) seen at the Bawden ponds. 

Christ Church

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)(1)* seen on the south coast was most likely our long stay friend.
• American Coot (Red-shielded) (Fulica Americana) - the rarer of the two American Coots, this was discovered at the WSR by Ed, along with a white shielded virity.
• Ruff (Calidris pugnax) - Also was seen at the WSR by Ed Webster hiding among tall grass in the pond.

St. Michael

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)(2)* - two birds seen at Brown's Beach late in the month.  One a sub-adult, most likely the long-stay bird, and the second, a new arrival, a juvenile bird.
• Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis)* was seen pearched on the fence of the property which is destine to be the new Hyatt Hotel

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   

The Journey to Bird Rock - Part 3

Since 2019, the birders of the island stepped up plans for a return to Bird Rock, one of the few nesting colonies of Audubon Shearwaters (Puffinus lherminieri) in the Caribbean. (see The Journey to Bird Rock - parts 1,2 ) The last time data, anecdotal or otherwise, was taken at this location was over 20 years ago and there was a need to update the status of the roost.  One factor that hindered data collection was that these birds are most active around the colony at night, preferably moonless dark nights, and with the main observation point being only accessible through a gully, a hike that can be trying during the day and daring at night, you can understand the drought of records. 

In 2019 the discovery of a better vantage point made regular observation possible (see The Journey to Bird Rock 2 ) but before we were able to visit the site COVID-19 closed the island down.

The view of Bird Rock from the new vantage point

On the night of December 21^st, three birders – Ed Massiah, a new birder Mike St. John and myself journeyed to the new location. We arrived around 6:30pm as the daylight was fading.  Armed with various lights in all shapes and sizes we made our way across the grass field to this new untried, last scouted 3 years ago, lookout point.  I was relieved to find the clear unobstructed view of the rock stack some 100 meters away, at the 11 o clock position from the vantage point, was still there.  Mike had the most important tool, a powerful torch, but sadly it only lit up fractions of the stack at a time. All of us took turns holding the torch and searching the illuminated section, with our binoculars, for flickers of white - the underbellies of the shearwaters.

At a few minutes to 7pm Mike saw the first bird, then we saw another and another as the birds slowly arrived, with some even calling as they flew to and from roosting.  We recorded the 100th sighting around 7:25 and then the arrivals sped up.  Two hundred sightings by 7:36, 300 by 7:45, 350 at 7:49, 400 – by 7:55, and 451 was our last tally at 8pm.

Although this count was anecdotal, it proved that this 300-year-old Audubon Shearwaters colony is still very much active and striving.

I would love to see this very important and unique site protected by law and an in-depth study done on the ongoing health and status of the colony.  The naturalist Colonel Henry W Feilden collected seven eggs for a Bird Rock on March 22, 1889, and three chicks on May 9^th, 1888, since then I found no other records of any studies done at Bird Rock.  One thing is for sure, with easier access to this new vantage point, records of this locally breeding bird, the Audubon Shearwater, will be a yearly norm, not a 20-year project.  

Stay safe and enjoy your birding. 

The Journey to Bird Rock - Part 1

Bird Rock by John Webster's iphone

It is the local breeding bird never seen by most of the island's birders.  It nests in limestone crevices on a small rock stack about 30 meters offshore Cluffs Bay, St. Lucy, called Bird Rock.  It is known to return to this rock stack daily during the breeding period which commences in late November and tapers off by May- June.  You may ask if you know where the birds sleep and when it goes to sleep, what's the problem? Since the last visit by Martin Frost and Ed Massiah (Birds Of Barbados by Buckley, Hutt Massiah et al) in 1998, many attempts were made to visit Bird Rock, but for one reason or the other, the trip never came to fruition.  The main issue was with the path leading to the nesting colony, it was treacherous during the day, so you can just imagine how it was at night. Let me tell you more about this bird and why the journey to see it is such a difficult one.

The Birds

Audubon's Shearwater  Free image from www.goodfreephotos.com

The bird,  Audubon's Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri), is about 12” (30cm) – that is about the size of a Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita). These seabirds are black at top and white underparts. And were nesting on this same rock stack for over 300 years. In his book The Natural History of Barbados: In Ten Books published in 1750, the naturalist  Rev. Griffith Hughes referred to Bird Rock as a “place of safety for several seabirds”(The Natural History of Barbados: In Ten Books: book IX pg 252) and that it is, and I hope it remains so for another 300 years. These seabirds spend their days far out to see, in the pelagic zone, returning to the nesting site well after dark. Hence the first problem is to see these birds, you have to go after dark, at night.  The second difficulty is the path to Bird Rock.

The Path to Bird Rock

Reaching the lookout point to the rock stacks at Bird Rock,  involves a tricky descent into a wooded ravine, along a tenuous pathway. Tricky enough during the day, so you can just imagine traversing it at night. On Saturday, March 7, John Webster, Ed Massiah, and I, the three birders, took an exploratory trip to Bird Rock, to feel out the path for a night visit. We met at the entrance to the path, which is in Greenridge's St. Lucy, a small community off highway 1B.  We met at 6 AM, well most of us did but one person, who I will not name, was late.  As we waited for John to arrive I took note of the birds in the area, a few Caribbean Martins(Progne dominicensis), Cattle Egrets(Bubulcus ibis) but was surprised when a Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias) flew overhead and landed about a ½ mile away.

The path to Bird Rock started along a trodden path through a pasture, but it was not well defined suggesting that it was not widely used. This slowly gave way to shrubbery and trees. We then started to descend into the ravine, zig-zagging between trees and boulders before coming to a clearing looking out to the rear of Bird Rock. It was a stunning view, enhanced by the morning sun escaping the horizon and starting the journey slowly across the sky, it was breathtaking. An abandoned foundation of a building in the background suggested that someone attempted to make this amazing view a daily event.  We spent some time surveying the area, taking note of a few areas along the cliff that should give a less challenging view of the stacks, before heading back to the top. These areas I will investigate in the coming week.

The excursion to Bird Rock provided us with the information we needed. It would be difficult to make the journey at night. We do have a few other options to explore, but for sure the trip to Bird Rock is on. I hope!

My 2016

I had a good time as usual, birding in 2016.  I tallied 100 species for Barbados the third year in a row, which included 5 lifers, one of which was a first for the island.  I had a very rewarding birding trip to Trinidad and Tobago which added 97 species to my international checklist.  Here are a few of my highlights for 2016.

Highlights

Lifers

Great Kiskadee @ Hilton on February 08^th 

Purple Gallinule @ St. George on February 11^th

Greater Shearwater “Ocean” on June 09^th  

Brown Pelican @ Pyle Bay on October 1^st

Tricolor Heron @ Chancery Lane on October 13^th

Trinidad Trip    

The family and I vacationed in Trinidad and Tobago from August 1^st to 8^th.  We visited iconic birding hotspots like Asa Wright Nature Centre, Caroni Swamp and Aripo Agriculture Station.  We also hooked up with one of the island’s top birders and wildlife photographers, Wendell Reyes, for a wonderful week of birding and photography.  In that one week I tallied 141 species, 97 of which were lifers.  This increased my world life count to 241 species.  Here are a few images from that trip.

As 2016 fades into history I look forward to a fun time in 2017.