Bird watching on Bahamas - December 2024

OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.

Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.

So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

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E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.

December 2024

Day 2

Thursday 12 ^th of December 2024 and we left the hotel at 8 o'clock and we will drive as far east we can reach today. We will explore the east side of Grand Bahama Island today. And we will drive through the area that was destroyed by the hurricane back in 2019.

We pass the airport 5 minutes after leaving Castaways Resort and Suites and from there it is a straight road towards east.

Blue Green Outdoors are here to pick me up

We are soon driving through a dead pine tree area and this will last until we reach the end of the island. The western part is also covered with dead pine trees. They all died after the hurricane.

The hurricane brought a surge and the eastern part of the island was under 3 meters of water. The pine tree is very sensitive for salt water and they all died.

But it is a good sign, they are coming back and the area is now covered with small Christmas tree like pine trees. And it is a very good sign as the pine tree require clean fresh water.

Heading east

Dead pine tree

We reach East Grand Bahama

Gloom and grey for long as I can see. It started to rain yesterday evening, but we were lucky today, no rain. But gloom and grey with strong winds.

We leave the high way when we reach High Rock, a small settlement and we drive down to the beach 200 meter south of Grand Bahama Highway. East Grand Bahama is still full of abandoned houses that was destroyed by the hurricane.

We reach the beach and we turn east and the road come to an end after a couple of hundred meters. We stop and we get out to see if there are any birds.

And I got to see two “LIFERS” Bananaquit and the endemic Bahama Woodstar

Bananaquita

Bananaquita

Bananaquita

Female Bahama Woodstar

Female Bahama Woodstar

Female Bahama Woodstar

Two “LIFERS” and I was very happy when we got back to the car. We drive back towards west slowly looking for birds on the way.

We have one Turkey Vulture landing next to the road. There are Turkey Vultures all over the island. But this is the first one we see sitting down.

We drive by the old school that was destroyed by the hurricane back in 2019. There were a lot of houses that had not been rebuilt. We can also see that the new houses are made out of concrete instead of wood.

We come as far west we can come on the beach road in High Rock. There is a bar that is popular with the people during the weekends, beach, beer and music. But it was closed this time of the day.

Turkey Vulture

American Kestrel

American Kestrel

Passing the old school in High Rock that was destroyed by the hurricane

Driving along the beach in High Rock

There are two tourist and we stop to ask if they are looking for birds. But they are on a treasure hunt and it seems to be popular on Bahamas.

Our Surveyor on m/t Nord Swift told me that he was out treasure hunting. I was baffled, this issomething I thought ws done in movies with pirates and stuff.

I asked if he ever found anything, I would imagine that all the treasures wouldhave been found many years ago. But he told me that he found a lot of stuff.

He has found a lot of old Spanish coins and he and his friend had found 4 canons and a lot of cannon balls a couple of years ago.

The canons can now be found on the museum. I asked if they got any money for it. He told me that they only got their name at the canon exhibit on the museum.

Prairie Warbler

Prairie Warbler

Prairie Warbler

We leave and we drive back towards the road that will take us back to the highway. We stop and we spot one American Redstart and one Prairie Warbler.

I never got any pictures of the redstart, but I got a few pictures of Prairie Warbler. Overcast and the pictures turned out good. Can be a wee bit of problem to get pictures with sunshine. Birds moving around and you never know how the sun will shine on the bird.

We reach the Grand Bahama Highway and I turn off my eBird app and we turn towards east.

eBird Report

High Rock, East Grand Bahama, BS
Dec 12, 2024 09:01 - 09:53
Protocol: Traveling
3.19 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with my Guide from BLUE GREEN OUTDOORS
7 species

Collared Dove 1
Bahama Woodstar 1
Turkey Vulture 4
American Kestrel 1
American Redstart 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Bananaquit 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S205159653

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at High Rock

Driving towards east and we turn of Grand Bahama Highway after hundred meters or so. We turn left and we go out to have a look at a garbage dump. I ask my Guide what we should call the area in the eBird report.

We call the location for “High Rock Dump” and I program the name in to my eBird app.

We stop and we get out of the car, there are a few Palm Warblers taking off and I tell my Guide that we turn the car so we can see the birds through the open windows.

We get n to the car and it takes two minutes and the bird is coming bavk to forage on the ground next to us. We get a picture and we leave to explore the rest of the area.

High Rock Dump

Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler

High Rock Dump

High Rock Dump

Northern Parula

Thick-billed Vireo

Thick-billed Vireo

Thick-billed Vireo

Northern Parula

Northern Parula

Thick-billed Vireo

Thick-billed Vireo

We continue and the area is full of garbage, and the area smell terrible. I think they are burning plastic and rubber. I ask my Guide how it can be allowed (this is ot the first area) to throw the shit everywhere.

My Guide told me that they had places like this after the hurricane. But they are continue throwing the garbage in the nature.

We stop and we are soon having one Thick-billed Vireo and one Northern Parula. And the Thick-billed Vireo was a new “LIFER” for me, the third for today.

High Rock Dump

High Rock Dump

High Rock Dump

We park the car and we walk out to the wilderness. There is a wetland next to the dump and we spot a whole lot of American Coots on the lake. But they are very far away.

There was another group of birds taking off and they were flying around like a black ball on the sky for 30 seconds before they landed at the same spot again. Most likely flushed by us, but not possible to ID the birds.

We walk back to the car and we make one last stop to look for birds using the car as a hide. One Palm Warbler and we continue to the Grand Bahama Highway.

Palm Warbler

eBird Report

High Rock Dump, East Grand Bahama, BS
Dec 12, 2024 10:00 - 10:35
Protocol: Traveling
0.82 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with my Guide from BLUE GREEN OUTDOORS
6 species

American Coot 40
Great White Egret 1
Thick-billed Vireo 1
Grey Catbird 1 Heard only
Northern Parula 1
Palm Warbler 4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S205162701

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at High Rock Dump

We continue towards east and we leave the Grand Bahama Highway going south toward the wetlands. It is a small narrow road going down to the Riding Point at the beach.

We drive through the wetland and we have mangrove on both sides of the road. No birds, except for egrets and herons that we could see flying over the mangrove. We approached the beach.
- STOP! Go back! I said to my Guide.

He put the van in to reverse and we went back 20 meters or so. There was a small opening in the vegetation and we could see a lake through the hole in the vegetation.

There were around 20 Short-billed Dowitcher in the lake. We spotted three Little Blue Herons fighting with each other. Four Snowy Egrets but not possible to get any pictures as there was high vegetation between the road and the lake.

Short-billed Dowitcher

Short-billed Dowitcher

Arriving to the Riding Point

Continuing and it is just 50 meters or so before we park the car. No access to the lake and this was a little disappointing as I would like to have some pictures of the Short-billed Dowitcher.

We are discovering three Ruddy Turnstones on the beach. I try to take pictures when I discover one white plover, a new bird for me. Almost impossible to see on the white sand.

Not sure what bird it was so we really needed pictures so we could ID the bird coming back to the car where we keep our field guide.

Piping Plover

Piping Plover

Piping Plover

Piping Plover

Piping Plover

Grey Plover

Grey Plover

Grey Plover

Semipalmated Plover

I am soon discovering a second Piping Plover and when I get closer to try to get a recording the birds takes off and now, I see that it is three birds.

We are seeing on Grey Plover and after a while we discover one Semipalmated Plover. It is really not easy to see the birds, very good camouflage and they are disappearing in the back ground.

We walk to a small pond, but no birds in the pond and we walk back to the car. And I was in a hurry to get back as I was eager to ID the white plover.

Walking back to the car

Yes, I was excited over the white plover, there is the option, Snow Plover in eBird, but that is a high alert bird. And we ripped our field guide open as soon as we were back in the car.

Turned out to be a Piping Plover, not so very exciting, but still a “LIFER” for me, and it is my fifth “LIFER” for today.
• Bananaquit
• Bahama Woodstar
• Thick-billed Vireo
• Short-billed Dowitcher
• Piping Plover

Driving back to Grand Bahama Highway

Driving back to the Grand Bahama Highway and there are no more birds to report and I turn off my eBird app when we reach Grand Bahama Highway.

Happy with the vist to the Riding Point. Two “LIFER” and my Guide had come up with plan to build birding platforms. He will ask the government as this would be good for the tourism.

We had been at several places and we have not been able to see anything. So, a platform would have been nice.

eBird Report

Riding Point Road, East Grand Bahama, BS
Dec 12, 2024 10:41 - 11:13
Protocol: Traveling
1.22 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with my Guide from BLUE GREEN OUTDOORS
10 species

Grey Plover 1
Semipalmated Plover 1
Piping Plover 3
Short-billed Dowitcher 20
Ruddy Turnstone 3
Little Blue Heron 3
Tricoloured Heron 5
Snowy Egret 6 In one of the ponds, four of them + 2 in the mangroves
Great White Egret 3
Turkey Vulture 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S205166071

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at the riding Point

Getting hungry and my Guide had called the restaurant in McLean's Town. It was only 11 o'clock but we were getting hungry. I ordered spareribs and I had also asked for a small plate of Conch, the Bahamian national dish.

Conch

is a common name of a number of different medium-to-large-sized sea snails. Conch shells typically have a high spire and a noticeable siphonal canal (in other words, the shell comes to a noticeable point on both ends).

Conches that are sometimes referred to as "true conches" are marine gastropods in the family Strombidae, specifically in the genus Strombus and other closely related genera. For example, Lobatus gigas, the queen conch, is a true conch. True conch are identified by their long spire.

Many other species are also often called "conch", but are not at all closely related to the family Strombidae, including Melongena species (family Melongenidae) and the horse conch Triplofusus papillosus (family Fasciolariidae). Species commonly referred to as conches also include the sacred chank or shankha shell (Turbinella pyrum) and other Turbinella species in the family Turbinellidae.

The Triton's trumpet (family Charoniidae) may also be fashioned into a horn and referred to as a conch.

Culinary use
The meat of conches are often eaten raw in salads or cooked in burgers, chowders, fritters, and gumbos.

Conch is indigenous to the Caribbean and West Indies. Conch is particularly popular in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and Jamaica.

In Bahamas, conch is often cooked into fritters. In Jamaica conch is eaten in stews and curries. In the Dominican Republic, Grenada, and Haiti, conch is commonly eaten in curries or in a spicy soup. It is locally referred to as lambi.

In Puerto Rico, conch is served as a ceviche, often called ensalada de carrucho (conch salad), consisting of raw conch marinated in lime juice, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, green peppers, and onions. It is also used to fill empanadas.

I will at least have tried it before leaving Bahamas. We spotted one Belted Kingfisher passing a dead mangrove. We could see where th ebird landed and we stopped to see if we could get any pictures.

The bird took off and no pictures. Reaching McLean's Town and we left the Grand Bahama Highway turning down on the Rev Davis Way. Driving along the beach until we reached EJ’s Bayside Cafe.

Empty Conch shells

Passing one of the Conch piles and we stop. We count to around 20 Ruddy Turnstones foraging at the shells, there are always some of the Conch remaining so there are plenty food for them.

I had my spareribs and I tried the Conch, but this is nothing I am ever going to order again. But I have tried it, even though it was just a very small piece. So now I have done the touristy things as well. Yeah, why not?

Conch

Reaching a dead end

Lunch was a disappointment, but I am not hungry anymore. We are almost as far east we can come and we continue after the lunch. Reaching the water in the east after about 5 minutes and the only thing to report are herons and egrets.

There is one road north of us and this is going further east, but the drivable road ends after a few hundred meters. Looking for birds before turning around and we spotted one Northern Parula.

Turning around and we start to drive back towards Freeport and we make a tour through the forest when we reach Crabbing Bay and this is also an eBird hotspot.

This area is known to have the Bahama Woodstar and we will see if we have any luck to see a male. The bird we spotted this morning was a female.

There was not much to report and we made several stops to look for the Bahama Woodstar, I saw one at the distance, but I suspect that it was a butterfly.

eBird hotspot: Crabbing Bay

Great Blue Heron

eBird Report

Crabbing Bay, East Grand Bahama, BS
Dec 12, 2024 13:06 - 13:46
Protocol: Traveling
2.05 kilometer(s)
Checklist Comments: Bird watching with my Guide from BLUE GREEN OUTDOORS
4 species

Great White Egret 1
Great Blue Heron 1
American Redstart 1
Prairie Warbler 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S205178295

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at eBird hotspot: Crabbing Bay

Back on the Grand Bahama Highway and we continue towards Freeport in the west. We make one more stop when we reach Pelican Bay. I see one bird landing on the side of a car. I ask my Guide to stop but the bird take off.

My Guide discover Royal Terns sitting on a dead tree in the water. We drive down to the beach to try to get pictures.

Driving across the road to park the car and we walk up a gravel road to see if we can spot the Bahama Woodstar. Well, we only see two Palm Warblers and we return to the car.

Royal Tern

Royal Tern

Grey Plover

Looking for the Bahama Woodstar

This was the last stop, now I am satisfied with my two days of birding on Grand Bahama Island. Next stop at Castaways Resort and Suites in Freeport, well, we will make a stop to look for diet drinks and an ATM.

We enjoy the ride back through the landscape with all the dead pine trees. We also cross the bridge over the man-made Canal dividing the island in to two. The land was sold back in the 50's to millionaires from all over the world.

The company building the Canal and that sold the land made a fortune. The buyers of the land, they lost their money. Nothing has been built and today, with the hurricane, no one want to buy the land.

Heading west on Grand Bahama Highway

Heading west on Grand Bahama Highway

We stopped at a gas stop, they had an ATM and normal Pepsi, we made a second stop, nothing and I gave up. we drove back to Castaways Resort and Suites.

My birding adventure on Grand Bahama Island have come to an end. It have been very nice and I can recommend Blue Green Outdoors

A very nice Guide, the owner of the Blue Green Outdoors and we have had a blast looking for birds. If I ever come back again, I will contact him again.

The rest of the afternoon/ evening was spent in my room and they will come to pick me up 6 o'clock tomorrow morning. My flight to Nassau departs at 07:45 and this promise to be exciting.

One birding tour is booked for Saturday and I look forward to it. Just click HERE to find out if I make it to Nassau.

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