Harrison's Point 2022 - Two Lifers, 5 Yearbirds

I would admit, I felt a bit down when I gave an update on my 110/10 big-year challenge just a few days ago.  I lamented the poor September birding returns and stated that if by month's end and I don't have at least 104 species, the task of reaching the target is next to impossible.  One weekend of birding at Harrison's Point, changed my mood completely.  Here is why.

I saw Yellow-billed Cuckoos on both days

The facility at Harrison's Points (HP) has taken on many faces over time, an American Naval Base, prison facility, and now an Isolation Facility, a key in the island's fight against COVID.   Through all the changes one thing remained consistent - during the month of October, the small wooded area between the Isolation Facility and the Light House is the best place on the island to see migrating songbirds, most notably Blackpoll Warblers (Setophaga striata) and Yellow-billed Cuckoos (Coccyzus americanus).  

Bobolink at HP

I visited HP on Saturday 15th, hoping to see both of these species. After walking for just over a mile I got a brief glance of a  Blackpoll Warbler with a caterpillar in its mouth.  A few feet from that location I heard the familiar call of another migrant I was not expecting to see. It took me a few minutes to follow the call but eventually, it drew me to its bearer a Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), my second yearbird for the morning.  The third, presented itself soon after, three of them as a matter of fact, Yellow-billed Cuckoos skipping around in a field of young cassava plants.  Satisfied with my morning I headed home with a smile.

One of the Blackpoll Warblers we saw on Sunday

I had no plans of going birdingt the following day but Dr. John Webster was going to HP and asked if I wanted to accompany him. My son, Jason, also was not  happy that I went to HP without him, and saw 3 birds that he needed for the year. So Sunday morning found the three of us at Harrison Point.   As I  got out of my car, Jason and I saw our first of our five Blackpoll Warblers for the morning.  John arrived just as it disappeared into the woods.   As we prepared to make our trek along the path that leads through the wooded area, John jokingly said "come let's go find a Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)".  That was funny because the last time that bird was recorded on the island was in 1988 at Turners Hall Woods, St. Andrew.  

Summer Tanager was our first lifer for the day 

We were intrigued by the large number of Grey Kingbirds (Tyrannus dominicensis) that were feeding on the seeds of the Black Willow (Capparis cynophallophora) plants just around the first corner on the trail.  Also the tamed nature of the Shiny Cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis) unflustered by our presents, as their fed on grass seeds about a hand's length away from us, got our attention.  We stopped and had many photographic opportunities.  Suddenly, a yellowish colored bird about the size of the cowbirds appeared on the Black Willow plant.   John and I both took images in an effort to  identify this very active bird.  On seeing its bill color and shape, I thought Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) and searched  for the species on the Merlin field guide app.  The comparison images helped with the identification but  a screen shot from the rear of the Canon was sent, by Whatsapp,  to our resident expert, Ed Massiah for further confirmation.  

2nd lifer a Black & White Warbler

We continued birding as we awaited his response, with John finally seeing his first Blackpoll Warbler for the morning, and we all saw our first Yellow-billed Cuckoos for the day.  Finally, Ed's confirmation came, our strange bird was indeed a Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra), a lifer for all three of us. (My 151st lifer for Barbados).  About five minutes later we had our second lifer but this one was easier to identify as no other bird has these features - white underparts with a black and white designed upper.  It was a Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)(My 150th lifer for Barbados). This bird was even more difficult than the tanager to photograph as it kept hopping up and down and all around tree trunks and branches but we got a few decent images between the two of us.  I dubbed John the bird whisper for calling this iconic bird to HP.   

We searched in vain for Bobolinks but we did not find any of them.

For that weekend I saw 28 species of birds, which included 2 lifers - Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) and a Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia).  These along with Yellow-billed Cuckoos (Coccyzus americanus), Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)  Blackpoll Warblers (Setophaga striata) took my 110/10 count to 106 species, just 4 short of my goal.  Can you guess where I will be birding this weekend?