Two New Lifers Years Apart

Chimney Swift at Harrison's Point

In the past week, I added two new lifers, though one wasn't from this year. Curious how that works? Well, let's dive into the details. The latest addition is a Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica), spotted at Harrison's Point on the evening of October 14th. This small swift, often dubbed a "flying cigar" due to its shape, has been recorded on the island a few times. Measuring about 4-5 inches (10-12.5 cm) in length with a wingspan of 12-14 inches (30.5-35.5 cm), it sports a sooty gray-brown coloration with a slightly paler throat. Chimney Swifts have faced population declines due to habitat loss and are considered globally threatened, appearing on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List category. These tiny birds breed in North America and spend their winters in the upper Amazon basin of Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Brazil.

Pomarine Jaeger photographed off the coast of Dominica in 2015

The second lifer I recorded goes back to 2015, when I saved every photo I took—good or bad, sharp or blurred. I don't do that now, but last weekend I was scrolling through old hard drives, reminiscing on family photos, and marveling at how quickly the kids grew up. That's when I stumbled upon an image of a bird I photographed while sailing into Dominica on a cruise in 2015. I knew it was a Jaeger, either a Parasitic or Pomarine—the two most common species in the region. Local birding expert Ed Massiah identified it as a Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus). This large seabird measures around 20-24 inches (51-61 cm) in length with a wingspan of 47-56 inches (119-142 cm). Adults have predominantly dark brown plumage with a paler gray underside, a white patch under their wings, and a dark brown cap on their heads. Juveniles are more mottled brown with white patches on their wings. Pomarine Jaegers breed in the Arctic and subarctic regions of North America, Europe, and Asia, and winter in all major oceans, including the Atlantic.

Two new birds years apart.