Cuba September 30

Sunday Sept 30 The day the rains came meaning that the eastern mangrove was a no go as the fringes were downgraded to quagmire status. The rear of the western mangrove proved crushingly boring with just 1 each of Reddish Egret & Little Blue Heron, 6 Smooth-billed Ani, ditto GA Grackle, 1 Northern Mockingbird.

Sunday 30th after munch. The rain ceased so I went to the western mangrove which was not flooded excessively. Things picked up as did my spirits with 2 trip newbies seen. A pr of Barn Swallow a la UK were the first but they didn't hang about. The second incomer was a very impressive Greater Yellowlegs that actually flew in for a photo call 😋😀. Also 3 Turnstone, 1 Gray Plover, a pr Reddish Egret, 5 Grey Kingbird, 1 Piping/Snowy Plover briefly, 4 Semi P Plover & 4 Semi P Sandpiper down to 4 yards feeding around my plates of meat. The suspected winter Spotted Sandpiper only showed once briefly and the Brown Belly Can has legged it.

Saturday Sept 29 A poor day alleviated by an Osprey flying low down over my head in the eastern mangrove. Of course my camera was firmly stashed at rucksack bottom 😲😪. Others: 1 Giant Kingbird, 3 Killdeer, 5 Least Sandpiper, 1 SB-Ani ditto Reddish Egret, 3 Snowy Egret, 1 each Northern Mockingbird & White-winged Dove, Savannah Sparrows.

Cuba September 28

I ventured down a long and not winding road before doubling back and inspecting the rear of the western mangrove main lake after breakfast. It pleased me to find evidence of movement albeit of local birds not migrants, still I got some welcome trip newbies. 2 Red-legged Thrush, 1 Cuban Green Woodpecker, pr Giant Kingbird, 6 Northern Mockingbird. I listened to the melodious song of the latter in preparation for the annual March migration to Shibden Head 😎 😂.
Also a pr of nuclear warhead warblers that decided sitting still for a nano second was not an option.

The main lake produced 1 each of Little Blue Heron & Reddish Egret, 3 Tricoloured Heron, 1 Royal Tern, 2 Snowy Egret ditto Green Heron & newbies a pr Black-necked Stilt. A distant bird atop a tree showing extensive white on the shoulders and top back turned out to be an Anhinga which I think is a lifer. A Double-crested Cormorant had just taken off from alongside this bird, showing good species comparison detail.

After munch I decided the western mangrove Brown Pelican needed to be photographed. The bird spent some time in the lagoons and some in the sea fishing. Laughing Gulls hung around it hoping for snacks, I don't know if they got any dropped goodies as it's beak can hold more than its belly can. 😌😴.
Others here 1 Great White & 3 Reddish Egret, 2 Grey Plover one of which almost jumped into the camera and the previously reported regulars. The Turnstone from yesterday is still hanging around the same beach area.

There are a few really striking flutterbyes and goths (you only see these at night) here and I've managed some pics of one or two. Local legend has it that some of these beauties are musically inclined and in fact a couple of decades back they formed a well known rock band Def Lepidoptera.
Don't ask me how I do it just be grateful it's free 🤢😇.

Cuba September 27

Addendum from Sept 26 @ 1715 hrs approx heard loud  calls from hotel balcony subsequently got photos of a Northern Flicker (Woodpecker species) which is not a lifer. The two of you who read this tripe must be bored rigid by now cos I certainly am 🤥 💀.

Sept 27 approx 0700 hrs a/m Flicker calling loudly again outside balcony.
Western mangrove approx 0900 hrs 3 Newbies appeared, one a Mangrove Cuckoo is a lifer;  t'other 2 a  suspected non breeding plumaged Spotted Sandpiper (subject to confirmation) and Brown Pelican which is an old sparring partner.
The usual suspects all present.

Eastern mangrove: a newbie here Tricoloured Heron otherwise same old crowd except Killdeer now at 4 birds.

Western mangrove pm: Pelican still here as is a Green Heron & Great White Egret. Got cheesed off birding so went for a swim; it weren't me wot scared the sharks off 😅.
Pleasant surprise on the beach outside of hotel a single Turnstone doing what the species does best, ignoring people and allowing for close up shots.

Cuba September 26

A few cloudbursts made for cooler walking conditions if muddy underfoot at times. It also got the birds in party mood and produced another first for the trip and one not seen in 11 years i.e Little Blue Heron which even lent itself to a couple of photos at the eastern mangrove.

I did the western mangrove first at approx 0855 hrs to find the Pectoral Sandpiper not in evidence albeit the Solitary Sandpiper showed briefly. Terns were plentiful with c10 Royal, 3 Sandwich, 7 Bridled & c18 Least Tern.
Also 1 Semi P Sandpiper, c9 Semi P Plover, 2 Piping Plover, 1 Reddish Egret and the many Gulls.
As I moved up to the eastern mangrove a Royal Tern flew low overhead from behind and the Friggin Magnificent Bird pursuing it nearly took my toupee off, the rotter 🙄.

It poured down on arrival at the eastern mangrove and dropped 6 Least Sandpiper in and the a/m LBH. 3 Killdeer were highly visible as usual as were c21 Turkeys. 5 of the latter were perched on a nearby fence and I'm almost sure I heard one of them say "Got any smokes mate?" 😎.
The pr Common Yellowthroat showed reasonably well and I managed a couple of shots of the female. At this point I'll mention there are no signs of the hoped for USA passerine migration yet.
17 Savannah Sparrow, 1 Northern Mockingbird bird, 6 Smooth-billed Ani & a couple of GA Grackle were seen as were a pr Green Heron & the usual Snowy Egret.

I hope my camera disk capacity can stand another week of photos weighing it down as I can't transfer a thing to this Tablet; this should teach me to remember connection cables in future 🤔.

After lunch I couldn't resist the western mangrove again and it proved a winner with another wader lifer a Willet in non breeding plumage i.e grey and sharply contrasting white. This cost me about another 1500 Mb of camera disk space 😋.
Also Wilson's Plover doing a smokin version of Midnight Hour (I know I'm losing it now).

Cuba September 25

Sept 25 Poor day that improved. The western mangrove turned up a Solitary Sandpiper and I managed some photos which showed some plumage variation from the eastern mangrove bird. A Magnificent Frigging Bird was harrasing Gulls & Terns. 1 Semi P Sandpiper and 2 Semi P Plover. 1 Double Crested Cormorant flew over from the sea, 1 Savannah & 15 House Sparrow, 10 GA Grackle, unid large raptor appeared within 40 seconds of me putting the optics away, 2 Gray Kingbird.
Eastern mangrove Solitary Sandpiper, pr Killdeer, 4 Savannah Sparrow.
Hotel grounds American Kestrel heard only.

I thought that the western mangrove may be worth a late afternoon visit and it turned out my luck was in. At 1635 hrs the tide was out, more areas were accessible and I could see waders creeping about apart from one that was perched on a single isolated old small mangrove root.
I got distracted from this by what I thought was a rare white phase Great Blue Heron at distance so I took some shots hoping to prove it was this and not Great White Egret. Then a BB/Gray Plover became photographable so I got a few in before concentrating on yonder perched wader.

The size of this bird was beyond that of the Wilsons Plover now in proximity and it was obviously a brutish sandpiper. Oh my word what a nice strongly barred well defined chest you have my little beauty; a Pectoral Sandpiper was on show!
This is only my second such sighting after a Spurn Pointer back in the mid 80s.

Also: 1 each Snowy Egret, Piping Plover, 2 Semi P Plover, Royal Tern close up fly past.

Cuba September 24

To conclude the sightings for Sunday 23 Sept: I was sat in the hotel lounge guzzling a coldie when at approx 1945 hrs the following ensued. A Greater Antillean Nightjar had the afrontery to fly in from the road, sweep through the lobby and lounge, exiting over the swimming pool 🤓🤑.

Monday am 24/09. Twas grey cloudy and humid and I expected a storm that didn't happen. However I did get a pr Antillean Palm Swift from my balcony, niceee.
I opted for the western mangrove which was at high tide and disappointed a little. All the previously mentioned Gulls & Tern species were present but waders were down to 1 Piping ditto Black-bellied & 3 Semi P Plover. The BB alias Gray Plover was neurotic; the other sp. and certainly Killdeer will allow approach down to 5 yards on a good day, this bird took flight at over 50 yards.
Others: 1 Northern Mockingbird, pr Common Ground Dove, Reddish Egret,

I then decided the eastern mangrove may be more productive which it turned out to be slightly so.
The Solitary Sandpiper was not only seen but it let me take 4 photos of it; talk about the similarity to Green apart from the diagnostic rump.
The Killdeer pr and 1 Green Heron were laying in wait at the usual spot and 2 Snowy & a Reddish Egret were seen.
8 Savannah Sparrow were in some long grass and 3 Smooth Billed Ani were chortling from a fence. Also 1 each Gray Kingbird & Northern Mockingbird plus the obligatory Turkeys blocking the skylight. The Common Yellowthroat showed for over a minute but that was it warbler wise.

I think I've almost hit the species ceiling count for the area now and am dependent on the Yankee migrants moving through.

Cuba September 23

I did the eastern mangrove earlier today on what seemed a crueller than cruel hot morning 😂. Almost as cruel is the fact that the so called Green Sandpiper from two days ago was not of that species. Although not up for images I got better views and sounds of the bird and was and still am overjoyed to have observed my first Solitary Sandpiper. Bugger one's ego the mistake is more than fair trade off for a lifer 🤗.

The bulk of the wader mass seen then have moved on leaving just 5 flighty Least or Semi P Sandpiper (your guess as good as  mine given the difficulty in separating when flying). A pr of Green Heron and a Snowy Egret showed well with a Great Blue seen briefly in flight.
Another first for this trip was a Common Yellow throat and I got a second Belted Kingfisher. A pr of Magnificent Frigate Bird were flying very high up and I got some shots of  2 Turkey Vulture perched on dead branches down to 4 yards.
Also: 3 Killdeer, 2 Gray Kingbird, 1 Northern Mockingbird, 7 GA Grackle, Royal Tern & c26 Guffawing Gull 😆.

After lunch I braved the heat once again but for only just over an hour as both my resolve and the birds were wilting. At the western mangroves a Green Heron allowed for close up photography before it was frightened away by a vociferous Common Black Hawk passing over. Views of this large raptor were good enough to confirm the pair of disputed birds seen on the 21st were of this species. That was it apart from a rocket fuelled dark warbler that I had no chance of identifying as it performed like a bullett.
I can't get my head round the fact that as yet these two large expanses of water have failed to produce a single Duck sp.

Cuba September 22

Down to the western mangrove this morning for a short but rewarding session with 3 newcomers to savour, two of which I haven't seen in 11 years. Piping Plover was the first with 3 birds being photographed. Next was single Wilsons Plover which again wasn't camera shy. 2 Black-bellied Plover were next; we know this as Grey Plover. One was distant, t'other was a nervous wreck so no shots possible.
7 Semi-palmated Plover & 4 Semi P Sandpiper were also doing the rounds.

A pr Reddish Egret gave a brief noisy display and I was going dizzy watching 14 Least Tern whizz round close by.
6 Bridled Tern were resting on the deck with another adult tern species which I have yet to determine; thankfully I got good images. I also managed 3 distant shots of one of the Royal Tern pair. Laughing Gulls were plentiful and other players were a few Turkey Vulture & a Gray Kingbird.

I'm hoping the USA migration will drop me off a few morsels in the next 3/4 days particularly the several warbler species that visit here.

Cuba September 21

Today consisted of two sessions am & pm. The morning session was at one stage overwhelming as I found myself unexpectedly surrounded by waders running round my feet down to 4 yards. Needless to say my camera was full to bursting with images but I forgot to bring a key cable with me so they stay on the disk until I can upload to a hard drive.
I got a wader that does not appear listed in Birds Of The West Indies but I fervently pray it's on Ebirds otherwise it's a rarities description job for Green Sandpiper!

Am birds: Semi-palmated Plover 2, Semi-palmated Sandpiper c30, ditto Least Sandpiper, 4 Sanderling, pr Killdeer, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Green Heron, c26 Savannah Sparrow, pr Buzzard types Red-tailed Hawk/Common Black Hawk refer photos. Pr Royal Tern, 3 Laughing Gull. 7 Smooth-billed Ani, check out 6 Cuban Blackbird against Grackle. 1 Great Blue Heron, 4 Snowy Egret, c16 Turkey Vulture. Pr White-winged Dove, 3 Common Ground Dove.

Pm birds: Belted Kingfisher, Great White Egret, Snowy Egret, Clapper Rail intent on shattering my ear drums. A pair of Tricoloured Heron in low flight, 9 Turkey Vulture, Antillean Grackle in Hotel Pestana lobby, Cuban Blackbirds/Grackles c8. 3 Northern Mockingbird, 4 Gray Kingbird but check Loggerhead for 1 of them. 1 Mourning Dove.

Both lists need confirming but I can say the Savannah Sparrow is a lifer and the Belted Kingfisher is only my second belter.

Cuba In September 2018

September 20 Birds.
Hellishly hot by 0810 hrs and similarly quiet too although I did get a distant but unmistakable Magnificent Frigate Bird first thing. 3 Mourning Dove were seen from my balcony window and a large Tern was in flight calling. Fortunately I managed to nail a pair of them later; Royal Tern 😃.

I braved the heat and got stuck into a long walk along the beach which paid dividends as I picked up a couple of lifers albeit one is subject to a stringent verification process. Long-billed Dowitcher is so close to Short-billed that some experts say only the call is the clincher. Well, I heard three or four calls and got some decent photographs too, we shall see... The other bird involved is Bridled Tern, 2 of them and they too lent themselves to some decent shots. A couple of Least Tern were flying around close by and c32 Laughing Gull queued up for photographs as they guffawed at my by now dishevelled and very moist appearance.

A single sandpiper was approachable and I took time out to differentiate twixt Western & Semi-palmated from my shots. Bill length was the decider so it has to be Semi P. 4 Great Blue Heron flew over within 5 minutes of each other and ditto 4 Turkey Vulture were seen during the course of the walk. A couple of yank warbler types didn't stop to say hello whereas a bunch of House Sparrow did. The first bird I saw on leaving the airport yesterday was a Killdeer just as it was when I came to Cuba for the first time 11 years back.

Queensbury Stagnation

Inspired only by the fact I needed to stretch my legs, I decided to walk Queensbury North and South, kicking off at 0850-1015 hrs.
Unlike the good haul had by DS yesterday, Old Guy Rd was appalling but at least my aged presence lent itself to the eponymous labeling of that thoroughfare.
1 Meadow Pipit, c21 Common Gull, c600 Starling.

Down South was not quite as mind bending but I was still overjoyed when the trauma ended. Corporal Lane was really the only provider: c25 Lapwing, 2 LBBG, c11 Woodpigeon & several small gull sp. Elsewhere 2 Mipit, ditto Pied Wagtail, few Starling.

Thankfully circumstances prevent me from posting anything about dire local birding for a while 😊👍

Old Guy Rd Movement

3 Wheatears and a Whinchat there first thing this morning . At least 150 Meadow Pipits over and lots dropping into the fields when the drizzle was at its heaviest.

Denise

Thanks Denise, good to have you back on the scene. NK

Coley Church To Park Dam

Courtesy of DM. A very pleasant  hike via Norwood Green, Judy Woods and back. Sporadic but interesting sightings with a couple of autumnal indicators i.e 6/7 Mistle Thrush in a party & c8 Jay individually throughout.
1 Buzzard, 5 LTT, few Goldfinch ditto Swallow, Grey Wagtail & a Grey Heron also seen.

Park Dam was fairly busy with the platoons of Coot and smidgins of Moorhen. There was a female Wigeon always just too far out for photographs and a pr f Tufted Duck. Another duck sp. had me puzzled for a while until it swam close up and allowed photographs; I concluded it was Heinz 57 encapsulated.

Also 6 GCG & at least 2 Little Grebe, 3/4 Meadow Pipit, Swallow, couple distant small gull sp.

Queensbury Loses Another Legend

Clarissa Eloise Snert passed away yesterday in New Hampshire USA. Heading up a team to research the Blue-headed Vireo, she apparently fell from a tightrope constructed across a ravine where the species breed. She would have celebrated her 101st birthday next month.

Police say that it took over two hours to gain entry into the hotel suite she was staying in as her lifelong companion. Slasher, a 15ft male Alligator only responded to her commands and had to be sedated. Upon reawakening to see his mistresses belongings being removed, Slasher was unconsolable and burst into a flood of Crocodile tears.

Queensbury to Mixenden Misery

A truly putrid session with nothing worth reprting at both Old Guy Road and Soil Hill except a few Swallow.

Ogden Res: 2 Jay, 1 Kestrel ditto Little Grebe. 2 f Tufted Duck ditto Cormorant. Gull numbers were low but included 2 Herring. 1 Grey Wagtail.

Hunter Hill bottom 2 Jay, few Swallow, c16 Goldfinch, 3 House Martin.

Mixenden Res: 3 Moorhen, 1 each Canada and Grey Wagtail. The Nuthatch was vocal but the f Goldeneye did not show after a prolonged search.

Queensbury to Mixenden

Nuthin doing in Old Guy Rd, 5 Linnet at Mountain & c12 Swallow.
Soil Hill poor just a few Mipit & Goldfinch.

Ogden Res: 1 Herring Gull among the others.
3 Cormorant, Little Grebe & Tufted Duck which  didn't hang about.
Blackbird & Chaffinch numbers building and a Chiffchaff sang briefly. More Swallows.

Hunter Hill was interesting; more Goldfinch, Swallow, Mipit & a Kestrel. What really made it tick were eight (8) Jay in a flock and a female Stonechat. The latter is my first sighting locally for around 3 months.

It rained so I didn't bother searching Mixenden Res which looked rather bleak

Queensbury Black Redstart

Old Guy Rd: Whinchat, Wheatear and a cracking Black Redstart on the cricket pitch. Sadly the bird was seen only for a minute and when DW arrived it failed to reemerge from the blue cover sheets it had dived under.
Also c240 Starling including one with white outer tail feathers.

I couldn't concentrate on anything else for around 25 mins so Soil Hill was passage only - Kestrel, couple Swallow.
My mind returned at Ogden Res: 4 Teal, 3 Cormorant, Little Grebe and the Gulls. The light rain seemed to walk up the Tits and Chaffinches, also a Nuthatch.
There were plenty of Swallow and a Chiffchaff sang briefly.

The stretch along the golf course and Hunter Hill is not worth a mention. Mixenden Res held the  Goldeneye, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Moorhen ditto Grey Wagtail.

Hope its not another 11 years before my next local Black Redstart!