Waterfowl through Alcids

An adult Snow Goose discovered on Mid-Ocean GC on 8 Dec (GB) then remained at Bermuda Airport until 10 Jan (AD). A female Common Eider, the first record for Bermuda was photographed at Clearwater on 19 Dec (AD, AMD, FDo, KD). Two male Eurasian Teal were at various Bermuda locations from 2 Jan–28 Feb+ (AD). A Bermuda maxima of four Ruddy Ducks were on Mangrove Lake on 7 Dec (AD). A Cory’s Shearwater was reported on 20 Dec (MG) offshore south of Cayo Largo, Isla de la Juventud, Cuba. The first Manx Shearwaters of the year passed Cooper’s Point, Bermuda on 24 Feb (PW). A Masked Booby was photographed from Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda on 25 Jan (JS). In Bermuda, a Northern Gannet passed Cooper’s Point on 19 Dec (AD, AMD, FDo), two were seen off St Georges, Bermuda on 1 Jan (PW), and one was still present to 6 Jan (AC).

Four American White Pelicans were photographed flying over Catchment Hill on 1 Jan (AD) for only the third record in Bermuda. A Least Bittern was at Pitman’s Pond, Bermuda on 16 Dec (IP) and on 31 Jan (DBW). Up to five Glossy Ibis spent the winter season at various locations in Bermuda (m. ob.). An immature Purple Gallinule was seen in Devonshire Marsh, Bermuda on 12–23 Feb (AD, EH, JS). Seven Semipalmated Plovers were photographed at Dockyard Bermuda on 18 Feb (AD). Killdeers continued to visit the Lesser Antilles during the winter period. They were observed in Guadeloupe and Barbados, but three individuals on St Vincent and the Grenadines on 19 Jan (LY) were particularly noteworthy. Red Knot is rare during the winter in the West Indies, so two birds at Long Salt Pond, Anguilla on 13 Feb (SM) were a good find.  Least Sandpipers are uncommon in the winter in Bermuda, but numbers increased to nine in Devonshire Marsh on 22 Feb (AD). A Wood Sandpiper found last Nov at Saint Lucy, Barbados was observed until 2 Feb (JMo, JW).  The first Dovekie in Bermuda for 50 years was discovered at Ferry Point on 10 Jan (SMc). 

Cuckoos through Blackbirds

A Yellow-billed Cuckoo was at Pitman’s Pond, Bermuda on 5 Dec (DBW). A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was in Jenningsland, Bermuda from 19 Dec–19 Feb (JM, LM). A late Tree Swallow was over Ship’s Hill, Bermuda on 9 Dec (PW). A flock of 15 Bahama Swallows was (ph) on 27 Jan (YS) at PN Cayo Guillermo, Ciego de Ávila, indicating a wintering location outside the neighboring breeding environs of the Bahamas. A Northern Rough-winged Swallow was a good present for a Christmas Day at Morne à l’Eau, Guadeloupe on 25 Dec (FD).  A Great Crested Flycatcher was seen on 28 Nov (MD) at Cuban Parrot Breeding Centre, Matanzas, Cuba.  A Hermit Thrush was discovered in the Smiths Hills, Bermuda on 17 Dec (JM). A Wood Thrush was reported on 19 Jan (TW) at Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Rosario, Las Terrazas, Artemisa, Cuba and on 7 Feb (RS) at Iberostar Playa Alameda, Matanzas, Cuba. An American Pipit was on Devonshire Marsh, Bermuda on 11 Feb (AD, JS). Two Snow Buntings were seen on Bermuda Airport on 26 Jan (PW). A Blue-headed Vireo was seen on 1 Dec (JH) at Hotel Ermita, Pinar del Río, Cuba while another was reported on 23 Feb (BDL) at Soplillar, Matanzas, Cuba.  Two Yellow-throated Vireos were found in the Lesser Antilles, as usually during the winter months, one in Guadeloupe, on 23 Jan (AL) and one in Saba, on 12 Feb (SM).

During the winter in Bermuda, 21 warbler species were recorded including a Swainson’s Warbler on Hinson’s Is on 18 Dec (EH, JH) and a Blue-winged Warbler at Port Royal GC on 21 Jan (AD, EH). A Magnolia Warbler was wintering at Port-Louis, Guadeloupe on 3 Jan (AL, FD). A male Common Yellowthroat discovered near Port-Louis swamp, Guadeloupe on 18 Feb (FD) was still there on 1 Mar (FD, AL). A Bananaquit was found on 14 Dec at the cruise-ship terminal, Cienfuegos, Cuba (RM) which raises questions about its provenance. Wintering sparrows in Bermuda included a Chipping Sparrow at Fort Scaur on 20 Jan (PW), a Dark-eyed Junco at Fort Albert on 4 Jan (PH, PW), a White-throated Sparrow at Turtle Hill GC on 18 Feb (AD) and a Lincoln’s Sparrow at Port Royal GC on 7 Feb. A Dickcissel was photographed on Mid-Ocean GC, Bermuda on 6 Dec (NM), and another was caught in a chicken coop in Devonshire, Bermuda on 23 Feb (EB). A Savannah Sparrow was seen on 24 Dec (CS) at Cayo Coco, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. A Rusty Blackbird seen at Jubilee Road, Bermuda on 3 Dec (AD, EH) was perhaps the same bird see on Turtle Hill GC in November.

Report processed by José R. Ramírez-Garofalo, 20 Mar 2021.

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