Prettiest Egrets On the Island

Cattle Egrets rookery at Half Acre

While passing through the parish of St. Lucy this afternoon, I could not resist the opportunity to visit the Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) rookery at Half Acre.

five juvenile Black-crowned Night-Herons

The rookery is mainly a Cattle Egret one but I saw five juvenile Black-crowned Night-Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax), suggesting that this nocturnal heron also nested there this year.  A Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) in breeding plumage, two Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula) were wading in the pond just below the nesting trees and three  Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) on the bank.  Egret rookeries are noisy and smelly but it presents the best odds of seeing what I consider the prettiest Egret/Heron species on the island, the Cattle Egret in full breeding plumage and I was happy to find many examples there.  As I approached the primary nesting area I startled a mongoose. Mongooses normally prey on anything that falls from nest such as eggs, chicks, even an unsuspecting parent.  The birds were collecting nest-building materials and a few were sitting on nests, but I did not see any chicks.

Cattle Egret in breeding plumage

In prime breeding plumage, everything on the egret that is yellow turns a shade of pinkish red to purple. The normally yellow facial skin at the base of the bill, becomes a rich purplish color, the bill from base to about ¾ of its length turns a bright red,  the yellow iris of the eye, a blood red and the legs pinkish.  Golden plumage on head, breast and back.  I am sure you would agree with me that these are beautiful birds.

Egret collecting nest-building material

Full breeding plumage

Breeding plumage

Egrets nesting tree

Big Year Update: May

With the COVID restriction eased and I back out to work, I tried to make up for the lost time.  I did that by stepping up my after-work birding and while I am still behind in both challenges I was able to draw closer to were I envision I would be at this time of the year. 

Big Year 2020

For the Big Year challenge, I added 3 more species. The first one, a Yellow-crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala) came on my  Truncated Global Big Day 2020 on May 9^th.  The other two species came as a result of after-work birding, like the  Black Swift (Cypseloides niger), seen on an afternoon at Long Pond on the 20^th, and then on the 25^th at Oistins a  Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) sitting on the ice pier among Royal Terns (Thalasseus maximus) and Laughing Gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla).  While this bird is a yearly visitor, it was earlier than expected but a welcome sight none the less.  At the end of May my challenge stood at 79 species compared to 84 species this same time last year.  That year, 2019, I concluded the year with 106 species, telling me I am off the mark by 5-6 species, hence my goal for the end of June is 87 bird species.

Photo Big Year 2020

Even though I did not make a post-update for April, I was able to add some images during the lockdown month (you can see them here).  For May I added 13 images to the Photo Big Year 2020.  I am starting to get the best out of the cheapo Canon 75-300mm and came to realize how to get the best out of it, resulting in more keepers.

See the images below.

22. Yellow-crowned Parrot
(Amazona ochrocephala)

23. Western Sandpiper
(Calidris mauri)

24. Laughing Gull
(Leucophaeus atricilla) 

25. Greater Yellowlegs
(Tringa melanoleuca)

26. Spotted Sandpiper  (Actitis macularius)
breeding plumage

27. Eared Dove
(Zenaida auriculata)

28. Green Heron 
(Butorides virescens)

29. Common Gallinule
(Gallinula galeata)

30. Pied-billed Grebe-
(Podilymbus podiceps)

31. Glossy Ibis
(Plegadis falcinellus)

32. Carib Grackle
(Quiscalus lugubris)

33. Cattle Egret
(Bubulcus ibis)

Evening at Long Pond

Long Pond looking west at men playing cricket 

On Wednesday evening, after work, the children and I went to the estuary at Long Pond, St. Andrew for an afternoon outdoors and birding fun.  It rained for most of the day but not a torrent or a drizzle, but at that calming in between pace. This we figured would make the trail to the beach muddy, so we parked and walk, a trek of about 1/2 mile.

Golden Warbler

They were Caribbean Martin (Progne dominicensis) zipping right overhead and calling constantly as we walked down the trail.  Yellow Warblers  (Setophaga petechia) were singing sweetly with two even giving us good looks, but we were not so lucky with the Caribbean Elaenias (Elaenia martinica) and Black-whiskered Vireo (Vireo altiloquus) both heard but not seen until our trek back.

As we exited the woods looking north towards the river, we were surprised to see a group of men playing cricket on the river bank, then again I should not have been surprised knowing West Indians would play cricket anywhere even in this secluded nowhere.

A Ruddy Turnstone among the Sargassum Seaweed

We made our way to the beach which was covered with Sargassum seaweed, and feeding among the weeds were a few shorebirds. Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres), were the most numerous, but I also saw Sanderlings (Calidris alba) and a few Semipalmated Plovers (Charadrius semipalmatus).

The sandbank separating the calm river from the choppy Atlantic Ocean was still intact and we noticed a disturbance in the sand that may have been a turtle nest.  This beach is one of the few places on the island were  Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) nest. I contacted my friend Carla from the  Barbados Sea Turtle Project who normally runs patrols of this area.

 I spent a few minutes checking the beach for birds or any other signs of turtle nesting while the children went off to look for "treasure" which normally equates to pieces of driftwood, shells, glass, or bottles. 

My first Black Swift for the year

On our way back to the car we saw more Caribbean Martins (Progne dominicensis) hawking for insects over the woods, we counted about 60 birds, but could easily be more. As we exited the woods close to where the vehicle was parked, I noticed the unmistakable shape of a Black Swift (Cypseloides niger)  among them. This was my first sighting of this bird for the year and moved my Big Year tally to 78 species.  

Here is a list of the 23 species we saw on our evening excursion:

1. Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa)
2. Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina)
3. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
4. Black Swift (Cypseloides niger)
5. Green-throated Carib (Eulampis holosericeus)
6. Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus)
7. Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
8. Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
9. Sanderling (Calidris alba)
10. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
11. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
12. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
13. Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
14. Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica)
15. Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis)
16. Black-whiskered Vireo (Vireo altiloquus)
17. Caribbean Martin (Progne dominicensis)
18. Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis)
19. Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris)
20. Yellow Warbler (Golden) (Setophaga petechia)
21. Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)
22. Barbados Bullfinch (Loxigilla barbadensis)
23. Black-faced Grassquit (Melanospiza bicolor)

 A few more images from Long pond

Golden Warbler

Golden Warbler

Ruddy Turnstones in flight

Long Pond looking south 

A warning sign to protect the nesting
 Leatherback Sea Turtles

Black Swift

Black Swift

Black Swift

Caribbean Martin

World Migratory Bird Day Interview

This is my interview with WIRRED on World Migratory Bird Day 

Truncated Global Big Day 2020

Yellow-crowned Parrot

Every year I look forward to the Global Big Day but knew this year would be different because of the restrictions that are in place because of COVID-19.  I took advantage of the few hours given for exercising and beach visits, between 5:30 and 9 am,  to do some express birding.  After 2 ½ hours, my bird tally was 32 species including a 1-year bird.  The most eye-raising sighting for the day was what appeared to be a breeding pair of parrots of different species, Orange-winged and Yellow-crowned Parrot. It reminded me of a parrot John Webster photographed which was identified as a hybrid of these two species.  Interesting!!  

On returning home I saw an invitation, by email, to be part of The Flying Pintails (go donate) team as part of Birds Caribbean Global Big Day fundraiser.  The two other birders on the island who were part of the big day, John and Ed, were part of the team President's Perch (go donate).

I got started at 5:40 AM and quickly tick a few common birds like Barbados Bullfinch (Loxigilla barbadensis), Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa), Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita) and the ubiquitous Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto).  My first stop was at Pile Bay for sea birds but only saw  Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), but I added Caribbean Martin (Progne dominicensis), Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola).  As I drove through Bridgetown I got a few feral Rock Pigeons (Columba livia) and then to Belleville to look for Parrots and Parakeets but only saw the Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri).  My next stop was the Graeme Hall Swamp but on my way there I saw two parrots in a tree, a Yellow-crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala) and Orange-winged Parrot (Amazona amazonica) that I referred to earlier.  A quick drive on the outskirt of the swamp gave me Little (Egretta garzetta) and Snowy Egret (Egretta thula), Green Heron (Butorides virescens) and Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina). At my next stop, Oistins I added Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla).  From Oistins, I headed for home making a stop at Redland and adding  Sora (Porzana carolina), Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius), and Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) with my final bird of the morning being Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus).  In the late afternoon added my final species for the day Green-throated Carib (Eulampis holosericeus). 

I would have loved to spend the full day birding but I am satisfied with the result of the 2 1/2 hours spent. I hope you guys had a wonderful  World Migratory Bird Day and an  outstanding Global Big Day.

Here is a list of the birds I saw:

1. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia)
2. Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa)
3. Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
4. Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina)
5. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
6. Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus)
7. Green-throated Carib (Eulampis holosericeus)
8. Sora (Porzana carolina)
9. Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)
10. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
11. Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
12. Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
13. Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
14. Great Egret (Ardea alba)
15. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
16. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
17. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
18. Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
19. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
20. Yellow-crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala)
21. Orange-winged Parrot (Amazona amazonica)
22. Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica)
23. Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis)
24. Black-whiskered Vireo (Vireo altiloquus)
25. Caribbean Martin (Progne dominicensis)
26. Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis)
27. Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris)
28. Yellow Warbler (Golden) (Setophaga petechia sp. petechia Group
29. Grassland Yellow-Finch (Sicalis luteola)
30. Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)
31. Barbados Bullfinch (Loxigilla barbadensis)
32. Black-faced Grassquit (Melanospiza bicolor)

Orange-winged Parrot

Snowy Egret

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Green Heron

Cattle Egret

First Day Out After COVID Break

I went back to work from today, the first time in five weeks.  This was because of the government easing some of the restrictions that was put in place because of COVID 19.  I was in the north of the island and checked out one of the wet areas during my lunch break. Only a few common birds were there and the Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), a long stay rarity.  It felt great being out in the wet lands again and was happy to see the Ibis was still around. 

The birds I saw

1. Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa)
2. Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
3. Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina)
4. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
5. Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)
6. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
7. Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris)
8. Grassland Yellow-Finch (Sicalis luteola)
9. Black-faced Grassquit (Melanospiza bicolor)

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

Big Year Update: April

I gave deep consideration to suspending both of my big year challenges, in like of the month-long quarantine in April. Even though the bulk of restrictions will come to an end mid-night May 3rd, a few limitations will remain in place for an indefinite period.  Last year when I finished the year with 108 species, I had 82 species at the end of April.  This year I am at 76 species in my Big Year challenge and this would be very difficult to makeup but not impossible. The Photo Challenge is much easier to accomplish even though I am behind schedule. I was even able to add five images of common species during April, thanks to backyard birding, ending the month with 20 images.  It is hard to foresee what will happen during the month of May and how the restrictions will affect birding.  The Global Big Day will be on the 9^th and I would like to be part of it. At the end of May I will take a look at my progress in both big year challenges and make a decision then.  So stay safe, practice physical distancing, and have a wonderful and productive month of May.

20. Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)

19. Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

18. Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

17. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)

16. Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)