Wader Frenzy At WSR

A collection of waders, mostly heron and egrets, feeding at WSR

The dry season brings many ponds and wetlands that depend on rainwater to the brink of drying up. The water retreats and leaves behind the numerous creatures, fish, tadpoles and insects that dwell there, exposed. They are easy targets for the wading birds, such as herons and egrets, who swarm in masses to dine on them. This yearly phenomenon, if witnessed, can be a marvelous experience for nature lovers. I got the opportunity to see it this year at the Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge (WSR) and it highlighted why Barbados, though not the most birdy places on earth, is one of the most unique birding locations in the Americas. How so? Because it is one of the few places where you can commonly observe new world and old-world versions of some bird species.

Snowy Egret (Foreground) and Little Egret (Background)

Among the many white egrets busy feeding, a discerning eye could distinguish the Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) and its old-world counterpart, the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), in the mix. To spot the Snowy Egret, an indigenous bird of the Americas, one only has to look for the bright yellow skin that separates the eyes and the bill, the lores, and its shaggy head crest. Its cousin from across the ponds, the Little Egret, which arrived on this island in the mid 50s, has much paler lores and a more neat and uniform double or single plume coming from the back of the head.

Grey Heron (Left) and Great Blue Heron (Right)

Another such and even rarer example of new and old-world versions of a species living side by side naturally was that of the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) and its old-world cousin the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea). These two are even more challenging to tell apart, and I must admit I am still learning the differences between these two species. One field marking that I do look for is the color of the thighs. The Great Blue Heron’s thighs are brownish while the Grey’s ones are always pale.

Little Blue Heron

While these were some of the more interesting species in the frenzy, they were not the only ones. Continuing in the heron family, there were a few Green Herons (Butorides virescens), Little Blue Herons (Egretta caerulea) and also, as it got later in the evening, two Black-crowned Nightherons (Nycticorax nycticorax) joined the mix. From the egret side of things, there was the ubiquitous Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) and Great Egret (Ardea alba), a bird which is common on both sides of the great pond. In total, eight species of egrets and herons were on display at the WSR, feasting on the critters trapped by the receding water level.

It was a sight to behold and one I am glad to share. Stay safe and enjoy your birding.

Rare Cruise Visitor a First for Barbados

As thousands of visitors sail into our beautiful island via cruise ships, they're contributing to a neglected aspect of Barbados’ birdlife: pelagic birding, which is the spotting of birds that spend most of their life far out to sea. Just last month, a keen-eyed guest aboard a cruise ship added three bird species of this type to the 2024 bird checklist. These were the Red-footed Booby (Sula sula), Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra), and Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster).

Gray-breasted Crake photo by Cindy Johnson

A checklist with images, posted on ebird.org by Cindy Johnson, a cruise ship guest, amazed local birders on February 8th. The bird in the image was not pelagic, but a Rail, like our Common Gallinule, that lives in marshes and mangroves. This bird was small, with a grey chest, greyish brown upperparts, and barred underparts. It was a Gray-breasted Crake (Laterallus exilis), a bird found in Trinidad, Central and South America. We may never find out how the bird got on the ship, but Cindy wondered if it came from Iles de Salutes, French Guiana, or the Amazon river ports - likely previous stops for her ship. Her sighting is the first record of this species in Barbados.  

This is not the first time a new or rare bird species seen on the island was credited as ship-assisted and most likely will not be the last. Thanks to keen birders like Cindy this Gray-breasted Crake’s voyage even though left several questions unanswered is a step in helping scientists understand these all too common events.  Sop Birders stay vigilant, continue to share your sightings, and enjoy your birding.

Great Backyard Bird Count 2024—when the world comes together for the love of birds! By Team eBird

Whimbrel

The annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is Friday, February 16 through Monday, February 19. The GBBC was one of the first online projects to collect information on wild birds and was also instrumental in the creation of eBird back in 2002. Now there are more ways than ever to participate and share your love of birds!

If you’re new to birding, participate with Merlin: beginning bird admirers can participate in the GBBC using Merlin Bird ID—simply identify birds and save them with the app anytime February 16-19.

If you’re already eBirding, participate with eBird: go birding for at least 15 minutes anytime February 16-19, count all the birds you see or hear, and enter your observations via the GBBC website or eBird Mobile app. If you haven’t used eBird since the last GBBC, take the free eBird Essentials course for a refresher.

Below are some additional details about Great Backyard Bird Count ... continue the article here

The Barbados Birds and Birding Report - January

Avian abundance kicked off 2024 in Barbados! January soared with 74 bird species, including some not spotted in December. Among the highlights were a warblers twosome at Turners Hall Woods - a beautiful Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) and Northern Parula (Setophaga Americana). Other highlights were the annual return of Red-billed Tropicbirds (Phaethon aethereus) and Caribbean Martins (Progne dominicensis) for breeding, and a Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) and Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) spotted by a birder cruising into the island.

Yes! More than 50 birders, mostly tourists, birded on the island, contributing to the 74 species seen. This is not unexpected, as birding is a rapidly growing hobby worldwide. Barbados attracts many visitors from countries with a high proportion of bird enthusiasts, who may also enjoy some birding while on vacation.  It is not that these persons travel here to bird, we are not that birdy, but while on vacation may take the time to see a few species. What is interesting is that some of the most famous birding tour operators, such as Wings, Sunrise Birding, and Carefree Birding, include Barbados in their Lesser Antilles birding trips, increasing the number of birding tourists. The Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary, if it were still open, would be a popular attraction for them, as well as a potential source of income for the government, if they developed their side of the Graeme Hall Swamp into a nature reserve. This could be a lost opportunity for a tourist destination with limited attractions.

January Rare Bird Sightings and February Notes

Caribbean Martins are returning from migration

February is the month when we can listen to the songs of the Black-whiskered Vireo (Vireo altiloquus), one of our most elusive woodland birds. We can also look forward to seeing more Caribbean Martins (Progne dominicensi) flying around, as their return from their migration. Many rare birds lingered in January and we can expect the same in February. Here is a summary of the rare bird sightings for January. (*birds that remained from previous months)

St. Lucy

One of the two remaining Glossy Ibis

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)*(6) While the year started with the usual six birds at a private sanctuary it ended with only two birds seen. The other may have migrated. 
• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)*(2) disappearing and reappearing at various locations.
• Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous)*(4) seen on a grassy field foraging. 

Grey Heron

• Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)* - a Long stay Eurasian visitor, seen to favor this location but was also seen at a egrets roost not far from this location.

  

  Ruff

• Ruff (Calidris pugnax) - this Eurasian shorebird was seen on 12th.

St. Andrew

Prothonotary Warbler showed well on visit to Turhers Hall Woods

• Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)* a brief visit to the Turners Hall Woods on the 24th in search of wintering neting first this beauty.
• Northern Parula (Setophaga Americana) another find from the Turners Hall Woods visit on the 24th.

Christ Church

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)* the two birds seen at Oistins appeared to have separated. I January only one was seen here.
• Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) this bird was a fixture at the Graeme Hall Swamp last month and the first week of this year. since then the bird has disappeared.

St. Michael

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) the second bird from Oistins appeared to had relocated to Pile Bay.
• Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) (5) On the 23rd, while sailing into the Bridgetown Port on a cruise ship, visitor Sushil Kumar spotted and photographed some these birds a few miles offshore. He then reported his sightings on ebird.org.

  

  Masked Booby  (fp)

  
  
• Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) Another submission to ebird by Sushil Kumar as he was sailing into Barbados. These too he reported on ebird.org.

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 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!

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 - December

December wasn't a month for major avian discoveries in Barbados, but two new feathered friends were still added to the 2023 checklist:

Bonaparte's Gull

• Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia): This charming gull in non-breeding plumage was seen at Oistins, Christ Church for a few days before disappearing.

  

  A male Northern Pintail at WSR

  
  
• Northern Pintails (Anas acuta): These elegant ducks with long, slender necks were spotted at two separate locations on the island.

These additions brought the year-end tally of birds seen on Barbados in 2023 to an impressive 126 species, a testament to the island's rich and diverse birdlife. Stay tuned for a more comprehensive review of 2023's birding highlights coming soon!

December's Rare Bird Sightings

Here is a review of the rare bird sighting for December. (*birds that stayed from previous months)

St. Lucy

one of the six long-stay Glossy Ibis

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)(6)*- This flock has been loyal to this location since joining a single bird there in October 2022. Seeing one of them with what appears to be nesting material earlier in the year, has sparked hope for Barbados' first ibis chick.
• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)*(2) –  Long say birds, maybe a pair, often seen with Black-bellied Whistling Ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis)

  

  Grey Heron

  
  
• Grey Heron* (Ardea cinerea) - one of the island's annual Eurasian visitor 

St. Thomas

• Striated Heron (Butorides striata)* - Made a brief appearance at its usual stomping ground at the SBRC pond. 

Christ Church

Bonaparte's Gull

• Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) - First seen at the Oistins is pier on the 26th, last seen on the beach at the same location.

  

  One of the two juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull at Oistins

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (2)* - most likely the same juvenile birds seen at Pile Bay, St. Michael in November.

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