Pile Bay, November 28

Brown Pelican

I stopped at Pile Bay on my way home yesterday after work to see what seabirds were there.  I was surprised to find a Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) in among the accustomed Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) sitting on one of the buoys.  I observed it fishing, plunging into the water to catch fry, a process which displayed the incredible sack under its bill.  Another surprise visitor was a Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus). These large gulls are becoming a  yearly visitor to the island of late.  I saw 13 species in the few minutes I was there.  

See the list below

1. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
2. Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus)
3. Sanderling (Calidris alba)
4. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
5. Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
6. Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
7. Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)
8. Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
9. Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster)
10. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
11. Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
12. Yellow Warbler (Golden) (Setophaga petechia [petechia Group])
13. Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)