A Record-Breaking Year of Birding in Barbados – 2025

What a year 2025 turned out to be! I recorded 124 bird species on the island, out of a total of 132 seen overall. Even more thrilling, eight of those were lifers, pushing my personal Barbados checklist up to 178 species.

Here are some of the highlights from this unforgettable year:

May Surprises

Black-throated Blue Warbler

• Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) – My first lifer of the year, spotted in Turners Hall Woods on the evening of May 10th. Completely unexpected, but it lingered just long enough for me to capture a few documentary photos.
• Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) – Just days later, this Old-World raptor appeared. Its identification took months to confirm, making the sighting even more rewarding.

October Trio

After a quiet summer, October delivered three lifers in quick succession:

A pair of Red-eyed Vireos

• Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) – Found at Harrisons Point on a rainy Sunday afternoon, October 19th.
• Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) – Seen at North Point, St. Lucy on October 21st.

  

  Eurasian Kestrel

• Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) – A strong contender for “Bird of the Year,” spotted at The Belle, St. Michael on October 26th. Special thanks to Muriel Aboso and Anthony Levesque, visiting birders from Guadeloupe, who found the last two birds.

December Big Three

The year closed with a final burst of lifers:

• Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) – Soaring along the cliffs at North Point on December 10th.

  

  Western Reef-Heron

• Western Reef-Heron (Egretta gularis) – Found at Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge on December 26th.

  

  Gray Trembler

• Gray Trembler (Cinclocerthia gutturalis) – A rare and exciting sighting at Consett Bay, St. John, also on December 26th.

Bird of the Year

My Bird of the Year is without question the juvenile Western Reef-Heron, first seen at Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge on December 26th. Some may wonder why this particular heron deserves the title. The truth is simple: I’ve been waiting many years for its return. I missed its last appearance early in my birding journey, and ever since, I’ve hoped for another chance. To finally see it gracing our shores felt like closing a long-awaited chapter in my birding story.

Best Birding Story 

Every bird comes with a story—where you were, what you were doing, and who was there to share the moment. I could fill a book with birding tales from 2025, but one that truly stood out was my encounter with the White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala).

White-crowned Pigeon

The Date: February 1st, 2025 - I was sitting on my bed, deep in conversation with my wife, getting dressed to head out. In fact, I was just pulling on my socks when I glanced out the window. Normally, I’d expect to see the familiar Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa) feeding on the flowers of the vine outside. But this time, something different caught my eye—a pigeon of similar size, but with a striking white cap. In that instant, I knew exactly what it was. My heart raced as I frantically called for my son and searched for my camera. My wife looked on, jaw dropped and bewildered by my sudden burst of excitement. With my own camera locked away downstairs in the car, I grabbed hers instead and managed to capture a few images before finally retrieving mine. That brief, unexpected moment turned an ordinary morning into one of the most memorable birding highlights of the year.

From unexpected warblers, rare raptors and seabirds to countless rare and mega rare birds, not to mention gps tagged birds - 2025 was an extraordinary year for birding inn Barbados, kept me on my toes and filled my birding scrapbook with tons of memories. From lifer to common birds, each added a new layer of excitement to my birding journey, and I’m grateful for the community of birders who shared in these discoveries.

Here’s to even more surprises and milestones birding in 2026!