A Second Eurasian Spoonbill

2nd Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) @
Walkers Reserve - photograph by Jonathan Ramsay

Regeneration Coordinator

Walkers Reserve

1st Eurasian Spoonbill

It is official; we have a second Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) on the island.  The first one, a juvenile, was first seen on November 30^th, Independence Day, last year at Belleplane, St. Andrew.  That bird relocated to St. Philip and remained there up to the time of this post.  On Monday, November 19^th, Shae Warren of Walkers Reserve, sent me an image of a Eurasian Spoonbill he saw in one of their ponds.  Was this the long staying bird or a 2nd spoonbill?  That question was answered on Tuesday (20th) when both Shae and I saw the respective birds at both locations at the same time thus confirming a second spoonbill.  This is not the first time we had two Eurasian Spoonbills on the island.  In 2008 the first record of this species on the island consisted of two birds.  It would be interesting to see their reaction if both birds met up. This is just one of the exciting happenings for this month of November, rarity month.  I will update you in an upcoming post.  Enjoy your birding!

More images of the 2nd Eurasian Spoonbill thanks to Jonathan Ramsay - Regeneration Coordinator Walkers Reserve

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Blackpolls at HP Finally

Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata

After not birding last weekend, 27^th or 28^th October I thought I had missed the opportunity to see a tiny bird that undertakes one of the longest migration routes of any animal.  The bird I am referring to is the Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata.  Every year between the last week of September and the first week of November, a small area of woodland at Harrisons Point (HP) in the northern parish of St. Lucy, is the most reliable location to see these birds.  But after visits by me and other birders, even during the peak flight period – 24^th & 25^th October, none were seen.  With that in mind I was skeptical in making this, HP that is, one of my birding spots last weekend, November 3^rd. 

The trip went just as the previous weekend – Yellow Warbler (Golden), Black-whiskered Vireos, Caribbean Elaenia and other common birds.  I tried my best to make a Black-whiskered a Red-eye Vireo but to no avail.   After about half an hour, I decided to leave and on my way out I got sight of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo.  This was exciting for me because this bird has not been recorded here at HP in over two years.  This may be due to the cutting and clearing of a large percentage of the woodland to facilitate a project by the local water authority.  Seeing the cuckoo invigorated me to give the look for the Blackpoll one more try and I started phishing vigorously.  In less than 2 minutes my calls were answered when a beautiful Blackpoll popped out from the canopy of river tamarind plants.  Soon it was joined by another and both flew into the mid to low areas of the wooded section.  Finally, I was able to record not only Blackpolls but also Yellow-billed Cuckoos at HP for 2018.    

My 2018 Checklist

I just updated my 2018 checklist adding 10 new species between September 1st to  now. Follow this link to see my 2018 tally.

93. Common Tern - Sterna hirundo

97. Yellow-crowned Parrot - Amazona ochrocephala

88. Fork-tailed Flycatcher - Tyrannus savana

89. Collared Plover - Charadrius collaris

91. Upland Sandpiper - Bartramia longicauda

90. Cliff Swallow - Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Bobolinks on October’s Big Day

Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus by Dr.J. Webster

I really love and enjoy the yearly Global Big Day initiative by Cornell, but always bemoaned the fact that it was held at one of the low points of our birding season where a record of 40 species on that day would be considered an accomplishment.  Following the end of this year’s Global Big Day in May I learnt of the October Big Day and was eagerly planning to be a part of it.  Unfortunately that was not possible, but I was still able to spend a few hours birding in the parish of St. Lucy with my son Jason and Dr. John Webster on that day and saw Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), a year bird for me.   As you may know if you follow this blog, in the month of October the local birders normally focus their attention on a path of woodland at the once American Naval Base at Harrisons Point St. Lucy.  This patch of woods is an Important Birding Area for birds, mainly for Warblers, during their migration from North to South America but it was not here that I saw the Bobolinks.  It was at the private location not too far away, feeding on seeding grass with over 50 Grassland Yellowfinches.  This offered the rare privilege to compare these two yellowish seed eaters.  It was easy to find the bobolinks among the yellow finches with the Bobolinks being twice the size of the Grasslands.

Bobolinks are 7.25” in length, yellowish in colour when in non-breeding plumage, the way we see them. These birds feed mainly on seeds and migrate from North America to South America.

I really wanted to be a part of October Big Day, but that was not to be, I eagerly await next year.