The Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust's first bird walk of the new year took flight on January 8, 2025, at about 7:30 a.m.
Much to the Birding Team's surprise, the line of cars (and their many occupants) eventually stretched almost back to the Sun Bay entrance kiosk. It was so delightful to have such a large crowd!
Including the seven VCHT Birding Team members, 21 birders were present on a beautiful Wednesday morning.
To top it off, we had three outstanding photographers with us, and their pictures are included in this Trip Report. As eBird tends to credit the checklist publisher, copyright credit goes to our photographers, Rob Roy, Cliff Rader, and Joe Lovotti. Thanks for the great pictures!
After a brief introduction, members of the Birding Team pointed out a few of the more common birds in Vieques, such as the Scaly-naped Pigeon, the White-winged Dove, and the Zenaida Dove. The Gray Kingbird and Northern Mockingbird are also found all over the island. The most incredible find was a brief (and electrifying, no pun intended) moment when 13 Western Cattle-Egrets decided to perch on top of an electrical power line. No one ever remembers seeing Western Cattle-Egrets perched on a wire before, and we have the pictures to prove it!
The bumpy drive along Sun Bay proved quite rewarding, with several Royal Terns, a few more Gray Kingbirds, and a Mockingbird. The most momentous occasion was when Marie Murphy, a member of the Birding Team, literally jumped from the car as she had seen a Brown Booby perched on a swimming post. Joe and Cliff were able to capture it in pictures, and it was quite a find! Thankfully, Daphne picked her up for a ride to the end of Sun Bay!
The walk to the southern end of the lagoon was mostly uneventful, but an Adelaide's Warbler and a very fast-flying hummingbird were seen, among others. The mud puddles, of course, were enormous after the recent rain.
The lagoon was as spectacular as it always is, with various birds. Fourteen different species were observed, totaling about 620 individuals. There were ducks, including the Blue-wing Teal and the White-cheeked Pintail, a Smooth-billed Ani overhead, a Clapper Rail hiding in the bushes at the water's edge, a collection of beautiful Black-necked Stilts, a Black-bellied Plover, and a lot of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. Stilt Sandpipers joined us, along with a Magnificent Frigatebird overhead, Great and Little Blue Herons and Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, a Brown Pelican, and a Greater Antillian Grackle. There were an estimated 400 or more unidentifiable shorebirds on the far shore. Everyone got some good scope views, and the Birding Team answered numerous questions and provided clarification, when necessary and, if possible, on some of the species we saw.
The day's last stop was the freshwater pond at the end of Sun Bay. In addition to the Yellowlegs and the Spotted Sandpiper, there were 16 beautiful Black-necked Stilts.
A special thanks to Daphne Gemmill, a world-renowned birder, for her expertise and support as a member of the VCHT Birding Team and the VCHT Birding Committee. We also thank our three photographers for their passion, those who donated to bird conservation on behalf of the Trust, and those of you who discovered the wonderful world of birding. We hope to see you again soon!
In closing, the VCHT Birding Team reminds you that our birds are in trouble, with nearly 3 billion birds lost since 1970 and habitat loss at an all-time high. Read more Here.
Please do what you can to support bird conservation and donate to support our work in Vieques!
If you would like to support the work of the VCHT Birding Team and Birding Committee, please donate today using the link below:
If you would like to become a member of the Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust, please use this link:
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Wednesday, February 5 and 19, 2025
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
All VCHT Bird Walks start at 7:30 a.m. and take flight from just inside the main gate to Sun Bay. We will be parked along the sidewalk on the right-hand side!
Check out our baby bird web presence at cbc.saldelmar.info and vcht.saldelmar.info, and remember that these pages are ALWAYS a work in progress!
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