After the Pause

The first week back to work after the “pause” was surprisingly busy.  It was good to be out of the house after weeks of confinement but I was a little nervous, even a little afraid because of the pervasiveness of COVID in society.  The routine of mask and face shield has become the norm for me, and disposable gloves are added to the mix depending on where I am going. It was refreshing being outdoors, seeing the different birds as I moved around the island. After work, on most of the days, I visited a few of the birding hotspots, utilizing that activity for exercise as afforded by the government's COVID-19 protocols.  During that week I tallied 32 bird species from 8 checklists, also adding 2 yearbirds namely Caribbean Martin (Progne dominicensis), which I saw in Bridgetown and Laughing Gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla) at Pile Bay.  You can see the full list of the birds I saw below.

I continue to be impressed with the Canon 7D Mark II, even as it is paired with the underwhelming (because of reach) Canon EF-s  55-250mm f/4 – 5.6 IS II, which effectively becomes 89.1 - 405mm (x1.62 crop sensor of the Canon 7D II).  Here are a few highlight images for that week. All images were lightly edited using Adobe Lightroom CS2.

On March 1^st I had my best look at a Merlin (Falco columbarius) for the year. It was going after Eurasian Collared-Doves (Streptopelia decaocto) for dinner, and while the shots I got were not ones I would normally highlight, I love this one that shows the beautiful barring pattern in this raptor's tail. 

Merlin showing its tail feathers  (1/4000 @ f8 ISO 1000 – 250mm)

On the 3^rd, my after work exercising took me to Chancery Lane Swamp, Christ Church. While there, I tried to photograph an American Coot (Fulica Americana) with her chicks.  This was not an easy task as both mum and chicks played peek-a-boo with me, using the mangroves for cover.  While I easily got images of both of them alone, the image below was the only opportunity I had of them together.

Adult (1/1000 @ F/8 ISO 640 250mm)

 

Juvenile  (1/1000 @ F/8 ISO 640 250mm)

Mother & Chick ((1/1250 @ F/8 ISO 640 250mm)

The following day, the 4^th, I ended work in the north so I visited the irrigation ponds at Bawdens, St. Andrew, and had a short photo session with a pair of Pied-billed Grebes (Podilymbus podiceps).  

Pied  (1/1600 @ F/5.6 ISO 640 250mm)

The Pair (1/1250 @ F/8) ISO 640 250mm)

My last stop for the week was at the Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge (WSR) on Friday, March 5th.  The water in most of the ponds was evaporating making foraging by wading birds much easier.  This triggered a small feeding frenzy among various species of waterbirds.  In one pond I counted 7 species of heron/egrets tallying 22 birds, 6 species of shorebirds, and in another, 68 Blue-winged Teals (Spatula discors), only a fraction of the 111 seen just a few days before. My most exciting capture, though, was that of a Sora (Porzana Carolina). This was the best look I’ve had of this shy bird for the year.  I would’ve love to get even lower but two things prevented that: first, I would have to take my camera close to the water in the pond, too close for my comfort.  Even though it is weather-sealed I am not ready for that adventure as yet with this babe. Secondly,   I am always skeptical of lying, sitting, walking in the grass, fields, or even the paved road in the parish of St. Philip.  It is notorious for its forty legs, its big, long, ugly stinging CENTIPEDES and I don’t mess around with those things.  Here are a few of the images from WSR.

Sora (1/1000 @ F/8) ISO 1000 250mm)
 

 

Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs
(1/3200 @ F/8) ISO 1000 250mm)

Lesser in flight (1/2500 @ F/8) ISO 1000 250mm)

Little Egret in flight (1/5000 @ F/8) ISO 1000 250mm)

These are the birds I saw during the first week of March

1.  Black-bellied Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna autumnalis
2. Blue-winged Teal - Spatula discors
3. Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca
4. Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
5. Scaly-naped Pigeon - Patagioenas squamosa
6. Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
7. Common Ground Dove - Columbina passerina
8. Sora - Porzana carolina
9. Common Gallinule - Gallinula galeata
10. American Coot - Fulica americana
11. Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla
12. Wilson's Snipe - Gallinago delicata
13. Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularius
14. Solitary Sandpiper - Tringa solitaria
15. Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca
16. Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes
17. Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricilla
18. Royal Tern - Thalasseus maximus
19. Red-billed Tropicbird - Phaethon aethereus
20. Brown Booby - Sula leucogaster
21. Great Egret - Ardea alba
22. Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
23. Snowy Egret - Egretta thula
24. Little Blue Heron - Egretta caerulea
25. Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
26. Green Heron - Butorides virescens
27. Merlin - Falco columbarius
28. Gray Kingbird - Tyrannus dominicensis
29. Caribbean Martin - Progne dominicensis
30. Carib Grackle - Quiscalus lugubris
31. Grassland Yellow-Finch - Sicalis luteola
32. Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola  

Great Backyard Bird Count 2021

Carib Grackle

This was the first  Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) that I spent solely counting in my backyard.  Normally for this four-day international event,  which ran this year from February 12-15^th, I would have visited a few local birding locations and would have ended the event with 35+ species recorded.  This was not possible this year because the island is on “pause” because of the second wave of the COVID virus.  The GBBC is an event that engages birders from across the world, of all ages, in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations worldwide.  Participants are not tied to their backyards but can submit a checklist from any location.

A female Shiny Cowbird

I did my count on the morning of February 13^th. A Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris) and a Bananaquit(Coereba flaveola) are both in the process of constructing a nest in the Bajan (Barbados) Cherry Tree (Malpighia emarginata) just outside my bedroom window, and I realized that it attracted a lot of other species.  Where ever Carib Grackles are nesting you will find Shiny Cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis)  and four of them came to the tree.  Cowbirds are brood parasites, in that they lay their eggs in another bird's nest, relying on them to raise their young.  Carib Grackles are the main host for this behavior.  I was soon joined by a pair of Yellow Warblers (Golden) (Setophaga petechial) and three noisy Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica) on my back fence.

Eurasian Collared-Dove

All in all, I saw only a few common birds, like Eurasian Collared-Doves (Streptopelia decaocto), Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) and Gray Kingbirds (Tyrannus dominicensis), and I tallied 13 species in 30 minutes. See the full list below

1. Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa)
2. Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
3. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
4. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
5. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
6. Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica)
7. Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis)
8. Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis)
9. Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris)
10. Yellow Warbler (Golden) (Setophaga petechia)
11. Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)
12. Barbados Bullfinch (Loxigilla barbadensis)
13. Black-faced Grassquit (Melanospiza bicolor)

Highlights and Images from January

As I said in a previous post, my birding will be very low key this year, but when you look at my activity for January you may feel I was joking.   The fact is I  tallied 68 species in 21 outings during the month, an all-time high for me.  This came about because I was involved in a region-wide conservation program directed by Birds Caribbean called the Caribbean Waterbird Census or CWC, which got me out during the month.  It also afforded me the time to get more familiar with my new camera, the Canon 7D MK II.  Even with the sub-par Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS II lens that I paired it with I was very surprised by this beast.  I am still figuring out some of the bells and whistles (man this thing has lots of them) but I am happy with the results.  For February, the island will be on lockdown, at least for the first half of the month but my goal would be to photograph the birds around my curtilage. (One of my new COVID words).

I wish you all a great and productive month of February. Remember to follow the protocols and stay say.  I hope you enjoy the images below from the month of January.

Semipalmated Plover
(Charadrius semipalmatus)

Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)

Sanderling (Calidris alba)

Sanderling (Calidris alba)

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

Cliff Swallow
(Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)

Cliff Swallow 
(Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)

Lesser Scaups (Aythya affinis)

American Coot (Fulica americana)

Morning Birding in St. Lucy

I had an exciting morning of birding in the parish of St. Lucy yesterday.  In just a  few hours, I saw rarities, good raptor action, and plenty of good birds.  The only thing missing that would have made the morning perfect would have been a lifer. Here is a synopsis.  

Raptor Action

Peregrine Falcon with its bat prey

The first sign that it was going to be a good day in the field took place on my way to my first stop.  It was about 6:15 am, and still a little dark out when I noticed a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) on a powerline feeding on a bat.  I stuck around, photographing, and even did a little video until he was finished, then he flew off.  The second raptor encounter was not as exciting and happened between birding stops.  It was a flyover from an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), the fishing falcon. I had no time to adjust the setting on the camera but just fired away.

Rare Birds

Purple Gallinule

I saw a plethora of rare birds that morning.  At my second stop of that day, was a pair of Long-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus scolopaceus) which was the appetizer for the main course.  That came at my next stop which presented multiple rarities.  First up was a beautiful adult  Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica).  This bird showed very well until it realized that it was being watched and then disappeared into the tall grass.  As I continued along the water's edge a juvenile one came into the clearing.  It was more tolerant than the adult and I was able to observe it for about 5 minutes.  The other two rare birds were ducks.  The first was a  Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor), this duck was hanging out with a flock of Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) but our second duck was alone.  It was a Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis), the stiff tail diving duck. This is most likely the same duck I saw there in late December that was still around.  The most surprising rarity of the day was a bird I saw at my last stop. 

It was an American Coot (Fulica Americana), and what was surprising is that it was a juvenile bird, which means the bird was hatched at that location.  Coots have not nested on the island for some time but with the increase in long stay individuals,  it was expected. For more than a year John Webster and I were on Coots nesting watch at two locations in St. Andrew and here it appeared that one was nesting right under our noses and we never knew. Well well, at least I did see some good birds.

Plenty of Good Birds

Outside of the rare birds I also saw some good common birds.  I saw 66 Least Sandpipers (Calidris minutilla) as the most numerous bird for the morning, followed by Blue-winged Teals (Spatula discors) (52).  Soras (Porzana Carolina) also made their presence felt throughout the morning.  At one location these tiny birds demonstrated their big voices when one started a chorus of calls and held their own against the much larger Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) and Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) who joined in.  It was my first time hearing the call of the Purple.

Juvenile Purple Gallinule 

At the end of the morning I had tallied 314 individual birds divided into 44 species. See the species list below.

1. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna autumnalis
2. Fulvous Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna bicolor
3. Blue-winged Teal - Spatula discors
4. Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis
5. Scaly-naped Pigeon - Patagioenas squamosa
6. Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
7. Common Ground Dove - Columbina passerina
8. Zenaida Dove - Zenaida aurita
9. Sora - Porzana carolina
10. Common Gallinule - Gallinula galeata
11. American Coot - Fulica americana
12. Purple Gallinule - Porphyrio martinica
13. Black-bellied Plover - Pluvialis squatarola
14. Semipalmated Plover - Charadrius semipalmatus
15. Sanderling - Calidris alba
16. Least Sandpiper - Calidris minutilla
17. Semipalmated Sandpiper - Calidris pusilla
18. Long-billed Dowitcher - Limnodromus scolopaceus
19. Wilson's Snipe - Gallinago delicata
20. Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularius
21. Greater Yellowlegs - Tringa melanoleuca
22. Lesser Yellowlegs - Tringa flavipes
23. Magnificent Frigatebird - Fregata magnificens
24. Great Egret - Ardea alba
25. Snowy Egret - Egretta thula
26. Little Blue Heron - Egretta caerulea
27. Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
28. Green Heron - Butorides virescens
29. Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax
30. Osprey - Pandion haliaetus
31. Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus
32. Rose-ringed Parakeet - Psittacula krameri
33. Gray Kingbird - Tyrannus dominicensis
34. Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
35. Cliff Swallow - Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
36. Shiny Cowbird - Molothrus bonariensis
37. Carib Grackle - Quiscalus lugubris
38. Northern Waterthrush - Parkesia noveboracensis
39. Yellow Warbler - Setophaga petechia
40. Grassland Yellow-Finch - Sicalis luteola
41. Bananaquit - Coereba flaveola
42. Barbados Bullfinch - Loxigilla barbadensis
43. Black-faced Grassquit - Melanospiza bicolor

Big Year Update: Final Update & Review

I enjoyed both the 2020 Big Year and Photo Big Year challenges, despite the perplexing year we had.  I saw some great birds, logged two lifers, recorded a personal best for species seen in a year, but was not able to reach my set targets.  I came close in the Big Year, finishing the year with 109 species, just one short of the 110 I was aiming for but was only able to put up 92 images in the Photographic Big Year.

Big Year Challenge

After recording my 108^th species on November 29^th, it took me another 30 days to see the 109^th, an American Wigeon (Mareca American) at Chancery Lane, Christ Church on December 28^th.    I was disappointed in not reaching the 110 species goal but I was happy with the effort. That effort provided me with a few personal best:

• A new year high of 109 species –  This is two more than my previous high which was 107 species in 2018.

Snail Kite

• Two Barbados lifers, Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) and Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) moved my local lifer tally to 142 species.

Photographic Big Year

You would figure that if you saw 109 species it should have been a breeze to photograph at least 100 of them but sadly it was not that easy.  I have never successful completed a Photographic Big Year in two or three attempts, but 2020 was supposed to the year... The year started promisingly but was quickly marred with a series of equipment failures leaving with a temperamental Point and Shoot for most of the year.  In December I was able to add nine images, some of which quality wise I am not proud of, bring my year-end tally to 92 species.

Goals for 2021

This year is supposed to be a slow birding year for me.  The plan is to spend more time sharpening my photography skills.  I have a new camera, my dream camera a Canon 7D Mark II, it's a beast.  At present I am using a Canon EF-S 55-250 mm with it - this is the longest lens I have at the moment. I am amazed  at the quality of the images, even when cropping to sometimes ¼ of the original.  The video on it is not too shabby either and may encourage me to do a few of them.  The new  Canon 100-400L II is my dream lens for the 7D, and will try to get one sometime next year, but at the moment I am close to acquiring a used Sigma 50-500 mm.  So the plan for 2021 is to take it easy on the birding front but work hard on improving my photography.  So please join me on the journey. Stay safe friends.

Needed! One Bird in 24 Hours

American Wigeon

After recording my 109th bird for the year on Monday (December 29) an American Wigeon (Mareca Americana), I’ve worked hard to find #110 for my 2020 Big Year Challenge and now it all comes down to one bird in just 24 hours.   I am not sure where this bird will be found but I will work hard today to find it.  Let's see how it goes.

Big Year Update: November

December! The last month of 2020, the last month of my Big Year Challenges and I can see the finishing line for one of them, while I have a few more corners to turn with the other one.  I have already reached a personal mild stone with my Big Year Challenge.  On  November 29^th I recorded my 108^th bird species for the year, a Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis), which is now the most local species I have seen in a calendar year, surpassing my 2013 tally of 107.  This effectively places me just two species behind my goal of 110 species.  You can see my Big Year 2020 species list here.

It is not as rosy with the Photographic Big Year 2020.  In November I added  11 species, moving the total to 83, seventeen short of the goal of 100 images, so I still have a lot of work to do.

In December, it will be all out birding to complete both of these challenges,  stay tuned for the conclusion.

Here are the Photo Big Year addition for October

73. Northern Waterthrush 
(Parkesia noveboracensis)

74. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

75. Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)

76. Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)

77. Antillean Crested Hummingbird 
(Orthorhyncus cristatus)

78. Long-billed Dowitcher
(Limnodromus scolopaceus)

79. Black-bellied Plover
(Pluvialis squatarola)

80. White-winged Tern

(Chlidonias leucopterus)

81. Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica)

82. Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

83. Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)