West Indies & Bermuda: Summer 2019

Summer 2019: 1 Jun–31 Jul

Andrew Dobson (Bermuda)
andrewdobs@gmail.com

Robert L. Norton (Greater Antilles, Bahamas)
Corvus0486@aol.com

Anthony Levesque (Lesser Antilles)
Anthony.levesque@wanadoo.fr

Recommended citation:

Dobson, A., R. Norton, and A. Levesque. 2021. Summer 2019: West Indies & Bermuda. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-ccm> North American Birds.

Grenada stole the headlines with their first record of Marbled Godwit and second record of White-winged Swallow. A Trindade Petrel once again appeared in Bermuda.

A long-staying Black-bellied Whistling-Duck was at various Bermuda locations to 31 Jul+ (Tim White), and an four others were seen in Warwick, Bermuda 20 June (Erin Stovell). A female Blue-winged Teal remained at the Reef GC, Freeport, Grand Bahama from 21 Jun-12 Jul (Martha Cartwright). At least two Black-necked Stilts were present at various Bermuda locations from 10 May–22 June (John Weale, Neal Morris). A lone American Avocet was seen at North Dam Road, Inagua, Bahamas 27 Jul (Tarra Lindo). A Wilson’s Plover, a scarce bird in Barbados, was seen at Chancery Lane Swamp, Barbados 31 July (Julian Moore). A Marbled Godwit seen and photographed on a partially dried out coastal wetland at La Sagesse, Grenada 16 Jun was the first record for the island (Anthony Jeremiah). Following one record in the spring, single South Polar Skuas were seen 18 Jun at Petite Terre (Anthony Levesque) and 13 Jul at Pointe des Châteaux (Frantz Delcroix). Two nesting platforms at Petite Terre Nature Reserve, Guadeloupe allowed 40 Least Terns to fledge—vitally important as 150 beach nests failed (Anthony Levesque). A Royal Tern was photographed remotely in the Great Sound, Bermuda 13 Jun (Erich Hetzel). Black Skimmer is very rare in the Lesser Antilles, so one seen at Salines d’Orient, Saint Martin 9 Jul by Guillaume Letournel was an exciting observation. A Trindade Petrel was found at Spittal Pond, Bermuda 2 Jul (Robert Branco) and brought to Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo where it was checked and released. It was thought to be the same bird seen in Devonshire earlier in the year.

In Bermuda, a Masked Booby was seen offshore 9 Jun and 16 Jul (Joshua Stone), and 31 Jul (Ana Maciel). A Least Bittern was seen at Laguna Kiani, Vieques 16 Jun (Toby Koosman). Rarely seen in Puerto Rico, a Brown-headed Parakeet was photographed at Salt Flats, Cabo Rojo 21 Jul (Keisha Charlene). Grenada’s second record of White-winged Swallow was photographed here at Port Louis, Saint George 25 Jun (Juliana Coffey). A vagrant Orchard Oriole was seen at St. Georges Park, Taino Beach, Grand Bahama 26 Jul (Erika Gates). A Brown-headed Cowbird was seen at Freeport Pine Ridge Landfill 19 Jul (Martha Cartwright). A Black-throated Green Warbler was a surprising summer record 26 Jun at Îlet Fourchue, St Barthélemy (Eric Delcroix, Karl Questel).

Photos–West Indies & Bermuda: Summer 2019

A Black-throated Green Warbler was an unusual mid-summer find at Îlet Fourchue, St. Barthélemy on 26 Jun 2019. Photographed here on 26 Jun. Photo © Karl Questel.

Anthony Jeremiah discovered a Marbled Godwit seen on a partially dried out coastal wetland at La Sagesse, Grenada on 16 Jun 2019. It proved to be the first record for Grenada. Photographed here on 16 Jun. Photo © Anthony Jeremiah.

Least Terns have failed to breed on beaches at Petite Terre Nature Reserve, Guadeluope, but two nesting platforms positioned by reserve staff allowed 40 terns to fledge in 2019. Photographed here on 6 Jun. Photo © Anthony Levesque.

A Brown-throated Parakeet was at Salt Flats, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico on 21 Jul 2019. Very unusual in Puerto Rico, it was photographed on 21 Jul. Photo ML172158571 © Keisha Charlene.

A remote camera set up on a nest site with dummy terns, in the hope of encouraging Common or Roseate Terns, managed to attract a Royal Tern on 13 Jun 2019. Photo © Erich Hetzel.