ABC Islands: Bonaire: The Southern Journey (February 09, 2026)

We docked at Kralendijk, Bonaire’s capital, at 7 a.m. With a comfortable hired Chevy SUV waiting, our plan was simple yet full of promise: circumnavigate the island in search of birds and adventure. The route would take us south toward the salt flats, around to Sorobon, back through the capital around mid‑day, then north to Rincon before looping through the rugged Washington Slagbaai National Park. By 5 p.m., we aimed to conclude the journey back on board the ship.

Bare‑eyed Pigeon

Even before leaving the port, the birding had already begun. On our short walk to collect the vehicle, we encountered the ubiquitous and comical Bare‑eyed Pigeon (Patagioenas corensis), the ever‑present Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus), and the invasive House Sparrows (Passer domesticus). Sharing the rocks with these birds were Green Iguanas (Iguana iguana), their prehistoric appearance a striking reminder of the island’s wild character—an unforgettable sight to behold.

First Lifer of the trip - Reddish Egret 

The first stop after leaving the port was a wetland just outside Kralendijk at the capital’s ponds, where I was overjoyed to spot my first lifer of the trip: a Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens). Other wading birds were scattered across the shallows and mudflats, feeding gracefully in the morning light.
Continuing our journey, we paused at a beach just past Flamingo International Airport to check out another remarkable creature—a lizard unlike any we see at home. Much longer than our familiar anoles, it carried an impressively long tail. What truly caught our attention was its coloration: a stunning blend of gray and brown, accented with shimmering shades of blue and green. Later I learned this striking reptile was the Bonaire Whiptail Lizard (Cnemidophorus murinus).

Bonaire Whiptail Lizard

The salt flats were breathtaking. First the towering salt pyramids came into view, followed by the shimmering pink lakes spread across the flats. We made a brief stop at the salt pier, the loading point where salt is transferred onto ships for export and collected a few salt blocks as souvenirs.
Just offshore, two Brown Boobies (Sula leucogaster) perched on a buoy, while an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) circled above, scanning the waters for its next fish. A signboard highlighting the birdlife of the area caught my attention, and I later learned it was part of an important conservation partnership between BirdsCaribbean, the salt field manager Cargill, and other collaborators. (Read here).

Flamingos nest building

Moving on from the salt flats, we made stops at the historic slave huts and the Willemstoren Lighthouse, built in 1837. Along the way, we paused periodically for birding, adding several species of shorebirds and herons, as well as Royal Terns (Thalasseus maximus), Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), of course the iconic American Flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) and Donkeys. Some of these stops were part of the Caribbean Waterbird Census, administered by Birds Caribbean.

We returned to the capital just after noon to begin our northern trek. The day was already full of adventure, birds, and lifers—so look out for that post.

ABC Islands Bird Species Tally:

Species Seen: 30    Lifers: 1

Birds Seen: Rock Pigeon, Bare-eyed Pigeon, White-tipped Dove, Eared Dove, Black-necked Stilt (190), Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellow Legs, Greater Yellowlegs, Ruddy Turnstone, Stilt Sandpiper, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Royal Tern, American Flamingo, Brown Booby, Tricolored Heron, Reddish Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Brown Pelican, Osprey, Brown-throated Parakeet, Tropical Mockingbird, House Sparrow, Carib Grackle, Bananaquit.

Link to Images 

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ABC Islands: Bonaire: The Southern Journey (February 09, 2026) (Images)

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Black-necked Stilt

White-tipped Dove

Eared Dove

Bared-eyed Pigeon

Brown Pelican

A pair of nest building Flamingos

Lifer - Reddish Egret

Another

Bonaire Whiptail Lizard

Green Iguana

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From Barbados to Beyond: Chasing 300 Birds (updated April 04)

#64/130. Brown Noddy, lifer #181/442

Since the last update on February 28, a few exciting additions have joined the tally. Among them were two lifers: a local milestone (#62) Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor), and a world milestone (#64/130) Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus).

I’ve also refined my counting system to show both local and world totals side by side. As of April 4, the chase toward 100 Bajan birds and 300 world birds stands at:

• Barbados: 70 species
• Worldwide: 134 species

My commitment to birding only in freely accessible areas faced its first real test this season. A photogenic Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva) made its now annual stop at the Congo Road impoundment in St. Philip, followed soon after by a small group of Northern Pintails (Anas acuta) at another impoundment in St. Lucy. Tempting as it was to bend the rule, I remained steadfast and stayed the course. 

I have two targets for this period:

1. Two birds I missed out on try for them. Their are :
• Prothonotary Warbler at Turner Hall Woods
• Grey Trembler at My Ladies Hole, St. John
2.  And reaching 80/140 species 

The journey continues in my bid to see 100 local birds in public spaces and 300 worldwide.

Key: Rare birds; Barbados Purple lifer; W.I Lifers; World Lifer; World total * Rare for the time of year

Two Warblers, One a Local Lifer

I love warblers! And finding wintering warblers in Barbados is even more joyful. Why? Because they are so rare—only very small numbers spend the season here. So, imagine my excitement when, within the span of just one week, I discovered two different species, one of them a local lifer - #180.

A female Black-and-white Warbler at Turners Hall Woods

The first, a female Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia), appeared on February 25th at one of the island’s best spots for wintering warblers—Turners Hall Wood, St. Andrew. Soon after, another individual joined her. This species breeds across northern and eastern North America and winters in the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America. It is unmistakable in appearance, clad in bold black-and-white stripes. Females, like the one photographed here, show a white throat, while males display a black throat.

Prairie Warbler

Just days later, on March 4th, I encountered something even rarer, a local lifer —a Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor). Rain had thwarted my plans to bird at Turners Hall Woods, so I decided to explore a road I had only recently noticed, despite driving past it daily for months. The road led me into a mix of vegetation: River Tamarind (Leucaena leucocephala) on one side, mature Flamboyant trees (Delonix regia), and dense shrubbery.

With warblers still on my mind, I stopped to “phish” and see what might respond. As usual, the first arrivals were Barbados Bullfinches (Loxigilla barbadensis) and Bananaquits (Coereba flaveola). Then, in flew the warbler. Even before I saw its colors and markings, the size and shape gave it away. Once I caught sight of the plumage, I knew instantly—it was a Prairie Warbler. This beautiful species breeds in the eastern and southeastern United States and winters in Florida, the Caribbean, and parts of Central America. Its preferred habitats include scrublands, mangroves, and regenerating forests—ironically, it is seldom found in actual prairies.

I’ll continue my search for wintering birds, and soon, the migrants will be passing through. Let’s see what else turns up.

GBBC 2026 - Day 3 February 15 (Grand Turk)

Wilson’s Plover was one of the two yearbirds on Day 3

The final day of the GBBC turned into a shorebird spectacle on Grand Turk. My focus was on two target species—Snowy Plover (Anarhynchus nivosus) and Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)—but despite my efforts, neither made an appearance.

Stilt Sandpipers at West Point Salinas

I visited two of the island’s major wetlands, with a quick glance at a third. Killdeers (Charadrius vociferus) were ever-present, their calls ringing out across the wetland near the cruise port. At the first, West Point Salinas, eBird flagged my checklist for the unusually high number of Stilt Sandpipers (Calidris himantopus) recorded—perhaps an uncommon occurrence for the island, but they were certainly present in significant numbers. Another wetland held a handful of Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) and two large gulls, which turned out to be Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus).

American Flamingos at Hawkes Nest Salina

My final stop was at Hawkes Nest Salina, a wetland adjacent to the cruise port, where I tallied a striking group of American Flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) 95 in total, along with a few warbler species. By the end of the day, I had added no lifers, missing my two target plovers, but I did secure two yearbirds: Wilson’s Plover (Anarhynchus wilsonia) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus).

This GBBC was truly unique—an adventure across land and sea that I’ll always remember. My bird of the count, without question, was the Black-capped Petrel (Pterodroma hasitata) seen on Day 2.

The Stats

• New for the count:
• - Lifers: 0
• Year birds: 2; Wilson’s Plover, Lesser Black-backed Gull 
• For the GBBC
• Total species seen: 59
• Total lifers: 12

Day 2 | Home | Images |Trip Report 

GBBC 2026 - Day 3 February 15 (Grand Turk) Images

One of the few Black-necked Stilts at Town Salina

A Lesser Blackback Gull at Town Salina

Donkeys are a part of Grand Turks history and these
Cattle Egret are benefiting for them 

Palm Warblers were ever present

Shorebirds were the main birds at Great Salina

Greater Yellowlegs

Ruddy Turnstone

Wilson's Plover

Wilson's Plover

Least Sandpiper

I was not expecting to see Sanderlings at the mud flats

One of the many Stilt Sandpipers I saw

Semipalmated Plover

GBBC 2026 - Day 2 February 14

The coastline of Cuba

Day 2 was, for the most part, uneventful as the ship sailed along the eastern coast of Cuba, through the Windward Passage in route to the Turk & Caicos Islands, island of Grand Turk. I say “mostly” because the morning’s sea watching gifted me a lifer—an unforgettable highlight in an otherwise quiet day.

It was impossible not to be awed by the sheer size, rugged beauty, and dramatic coastline of eastern Cuba. I rose just before daybreak to find the ship already gliding past the shore. In the darkness, only two faint red lights—perhaps from an antenna—hinted at civilization. As dawn broke, a haze lingered, but the ghostly outline of the land drew the attention of nearly everyone gathered on the port side.

Later in the day, as the haze lifted slightly, I tried to capture the landscape in photographs. Though the coastline remained a distant backdrop for most of the journey, its presence was striking.

Birding was quiet, with only two species recorded:

One of the two Black-capped Petrel - Lifer

• And my lifer of the day—two Black-capped Petrels (Pterodroma hasitata), spotted a few miles apart.
• Four Brown Boobys (Sula leucogaster) that accompanied us, diving sporadically for flying fish.
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Though sightings were few, the lifer made the day memorable.

The final day of the GBBC found me in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands. You can read about that adventure here.

Day 1 | Home | Day 3