The Enthusiastic Birder

Sunday, October 18, 2026

From Barbados to Beyond: Chasing 300 Birds (updated August 18th)

#222. Arctic Tern was one of the lifers from my trip to Canada

It’s been a while since I last shared how my 2026 birding challenges are going. As you may recall, I set two goals:

To record 100 local bird species in areas accessible to the average birder.
Chasing 300 bird species worldwide in a single calendar year.

One challenge is going very well—I’m now just one species away from the 100 local bird milestone. The other, the 300‑species global goal, is proving to be much more difficult.

The One Hundred Birds Update

#97/271 - Fulvous Whistling duck

Since my last update on July 30, I’ve added 18 new species to my list. What makes this especially rewarding is that I was away from the island for most of August. As expected, common public access birding hotspots such as Woodbourne Shorebird Reserve (WSR), Chancery Lane, Inch Marlow, and Long Beach produced the majority of sightings.

But some unexpected places also delivered:

The Apes Hill Polo Field in St. James - viewing from the roadside
Grantley Adams International Airport in Christ Church - viewing from outside the fence
Even a random tree at Spring Hall in St. Lucy

As of this update, I’m just one species shy of 100 local birds and if all goes to plan, I could reach my goal as early as tomorrow, Monday October 19th. Honestly, there was a time when I doubted I would get this far, now I’m just excited to see which bird will push me across that milestone and how many more species I will see before year end.

Chasing 300 Update

238. Canada Warbler was a year bird for my Canadian trip

As mentioned above, I was off the island for most of August, visiting relatives in Alberta, Canada. I managed to fit in some birding, which gave my 300‑species challenge a welcome boost. (See Trip Page Here) The trip was both refreshing and rewarding, reminding me how travel opens doors to new habitats and species I’d never encounter at home. At my last update in July, my count stood at 261 species. By the end of the Alberta trip, that number had climbed to 271—an encouraging gain of 10 species.
With just under three months left in the year, the path to 300 may seem improbable, but I’m still pressing forward. I’ll stay alert for migrants and rarities, making every outing count. With steady effort, I’m determined to push closer to that milestone.
Already, this journey has surpassed expectations: I’ve broken my personal best for birds seen in a calendar year, added nearly 40 lifers, and photographed over 100 species. Whether I reach 300 or not, the experience has been deeply rewarding.

The story continues, follow along under the tab - “From Barbados to Beyond: Chasing 300 Birds” here as the story unfolds. See bird list below.

Caribbean Cruise: Checklist | Ebird Trip Report
Canadian Trip: Checklist | Ebird Trip Report

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

Return to the Prairies: Birding Alberta 2026 - Week 1 (August 2nd - 8th)

Swainson's Hawk
a year bird I saw in the first week

What a start to my Calgary birding adventure. The first full week was packed with action, producing 109 species — a fantastic total for early in the trip. Even better, 45 of those were new for this 2026 Alberta visit, and 34 were yearbirds, pushing my annual list forward with real momentum. But the true headline of the week was the eight lifers, each one adding a spark of discovery to familiar landscapes. Those eight new species lifted my world tally to 451 and my Canadian count to 166, remarkable milestones for a province I’ve explored twice before.

The lifers were:

Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope) which I saw on 6th at Mallard Point (Fish Creek)
Arctic Tern
Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) - August 7th at Frank's Lake was a pleasant surprise
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) - August 3rd at Mallard Point (Fish Creek)
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) - took me out of province to Brant, Drumheler
Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)
Purple Martin (Progne subis) - a flyby also at Brant, Drumheler
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) the nemiss
Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)

It would be wonderful to repeat this level of production in Week 2, but I’m realistic — birding rarely unfolds in identical waves, and I’m not expecting another eight lifers in such a short span. Still, the momentum from Week 1 has set a strong foundation. Calgary’s parks, rivers, and prairie are alive with birds, and the season is still unfolding.

PS: Check here and our Instagram page here, for more images from week 1.

To see my Fine Art offering check here

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Return to the Prairies: Birding Alberta 2026 - Week 1 (August 2n - 8th) - Images

By the end of the first full week in Alberta, I've took over 1500 images, processed just over half of them in Lightroom CS5 and shared close to 30 images on my various socials. Here are a few of them -

Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)

Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) - Lifer

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) - Lifer

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) - Lifer

Sunday, August 2, 2026

Return to the Prairies: Birding Alberta 2026 - Three Day Tune Up

Eastern Warbling Vireo was my lone lifer for the period

After a five‑hour, turbulence‑filled flight from Barbados to Toronto, followed by an eight‑hour overnight stretch in Pearson International Airport and then another nearly four‑hour flight to Calgary—also marked by turbulence—I finally arrived on the morning of July 30, carrying more jet lag than I can ever remember. After a short nap, I launched into three intense days of birding in Fish Creek Provincial Park, to lock down the common birds but also to get acclimatize. I averaged over 11,000 steps per day and recording sixty‑four species. Fifty‑two of those were new for the year, and one, the Eastern Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus), was a lifer.

Red‑necked Grebe my bird favorite day 1 bird

The afternoon of Day One found me shaking off the last of the jet lag and heading out around the pond and wooded area at Fish Creek – Burnmead. No lifers turned up, but Merlin, which I always keep running while birding, repeatedly detected a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). I searched the area thoroughly but never managed to see it. Over the next three days, the app continued to pick up Hermit Thrushes at various points, yet not once did I lay eyes on one. Yes — Hermit Thrush officially became my nemesis bird for this trip. Still, the afternoon was rewarding. I saw several nice species, with my favorite being the Red‑necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena). This Alberta trip is as much about wildlife photography as birding, so each day I’ll be posting a fine‑art photograph on my Fine Art IG page, along with a few species images on my regular birding page. Subscribe to see my selections.

My day 1 image of the day was of a Savannah Sparrow, which I captured in here - and additional images here & here

Day Two was when the real walking began. I covered just over four miles, birding from Fish Creek – Burnmead down to the Boat Launch and back. My favorite birds of the day were a Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) and a Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula). And, in the same spot where I found the Swainson’s, Merlin once again recorded a Hermit Thrush. I searched, I waited, I circled back… nothing. At this point, I had to laugh.

My day 2 image of the day was of another Sparrow, this time, Clay-colored Sparrow with a mouth full of bugs. You can see it here - and additional images here & here

Day Three was just as much walking as birding. I worked one side of the Bow River, followed the trail along the golf course, crossed over at the Chinook Rotary Park pedestrian bridge, and made my way back up to Burnmead. It turned out to be a productive route, adding several species to my year list. On this occasion, Merlin didn’t just detect a Hermit Thrush — it also picked up a Slender‑billed Gull. I searched for both, but neither materialized. The highlight of the day, however, was a Common Loon (Gavia immer) flying overhead, calling as it passed.

My day 3 image is a Landscape image of the sunrise at Burnmead Pond. You can see it here - and additional images here & here.

These first three days in Calgary should set the tone for the trip — long walks, steady birding, and a mix of familiar species, year additions, and stubborn nemesis birds that refused to show themselves. Between the birds, the landscapes, and the photography, Alberta continues to be one of the most rewarding places I’ve ever explored.

If you enjoy following along, subscribe to my blog and Instagram pages to see each day’s fine‑art photo selection and additional bird images throughout the trip. More adventures — and hopefully fewer nemesis birds — are on the way.