110/10 Quick Update: Bird #111

111. Killdeer

In the fading light of yesterday afternoon (November 18th), while birding in the northern parish of St. Lucy, I recorded my 111th bird species for the year.  It was a noisy Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous).  Few shorebirds were around, mainly a few  Least (Calidris minutilla) and Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) so I was surprised when the plover flew in.  This sighting took me past my year's goal of 110 bird species in 110/10 Big Year challenge.

Big 110/10 Big Year Update

Bank Swallow, my 110th local bird species for 2022

Get the bubbly stuff out and let the celebration begin - Today, November 14th, 2022, I Julian E Moore, for the first time ever, saw 110 bird species in Barbados for a calendar year.  The bird that took me to that mark was a Bank Swallow aka Sand Martin (Riparia riparia).  

Barn Swallow

The observation was magical, I was watching a few Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) on a powerline, when this small, more delicate-looking swallow alight on the powerline and smiled at me, no joke, it looked directly at me, and appeared to smile.  The encounter lasted less than 10 seconds before the bird flew away.  

With a month and a half still to go in 2022, I am excited to see what my end-of-year tally will be as the 110/10 big year nears its end.