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| St Lucian Birds, late October, early November 2005 http://lbcarchive.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1996 |
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| Author: | Chris Grimshaw [ Wed Dec 28, 2005 12:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | St Lucian Birds, late October, early November 2005 |
Birdwatching in St Lucia October 23rd to November 6th 2005[/b] I stayed at the Sandals Halcyon Beach Hotel in the northern suburbs of Castries on the the above dates. This is an excellent smallish hotel with beautiful grounds situated in Choc Bay. Its sister hotels the Regency and the Grand are also worth looking at if you are thinking of St Lucia for a holiday My birdwatching took place generally from 06:00 (which was dawn) to about 08:15 each morning and occassionally in the late afternoon. The area I covered was the half mile between the Halcyon Beach and the St James Club Hotel . A deep narrow inlet below the St James Club (this hotel is being renovated) stopped me gettineg any further. There are also some sandpits surrounded by trees at the St James end of the walk. These are between the palms at the beachside and the busy main road that runs from Castries to Rodney Bay The weather was generally hot and humid with some some torrential (and I do mean torrential) showers on all but one day. Luckily these tended to last only a few minutes 37 species were identifed with only Cattle Egret, Osprey, Turnstone, Moorhen and Rock Dove not being lifers It was strange to arrive home to hear of a Magnificent Frigatebird being found in Shropshire, Green Herons in various places and a big influx of Laughing Gulls (something I couldn't find) blown over to this country by Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma. BROWN BOOBY These birds could been seen fairly regularly off the beach in small numbers with the aid of a telescope or binnoculars or on a boat trip MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD 7 or 8 could be spotted most days well off-shore by my accomodation. Also seen closely at the Grand which is just below Pigeon Point and at the beautiful Pitons on a catamaran trip ROYAL TERN Upto 38 seen on 28 October and 5 November sat on posts close to Sandals Grand Hotel. Amazingly confiding ROSEATE TERN Every day fishing in Choc Bay in small numbers LITTLE BLUE HERON 1 or 2 could be seen most days in the inlet by the St James Club Hotel. Very confiding SNOWY EGRET Small numbers seen generally around the sandpits CATTLE EGRET Everywhere on the island and very confiding. I was amazed to have one take bits of a burger out of my hand in the hotel grounds early in my holiday GREEN HERON Seen every day in small numbers (1 to 4) either at the St James Club inlet or in the sandpits YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON 1 disturbed roosting in the beach side palms occaisionally by me or a dog that befriended me SEMIPALMATED PLOVER Seen each day on the beach in small numbers (5 was the maximum count) and on odd occasion around the sand pits SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER One seen at the sandpits on the 24th of October and another on 4th of November SPOTTED SANDPIPER Small numbers seen every day by the inlet below the St James Club or at the sandpits GREATER YELLOWLEGS One seen on three or four occasions RUDDY TURNSTONE Occasionally seen in small numbers foraging in the beach debris. Six were seen one afternoon MOORHEN One was seen in the inlet on several occasions OSPREY Still gives a thrill to see one. One seen on the 24th, 26th in the same tree and one flying in front of the hotel on the 31st of October. I then saw two fly over the sandpits on the 4th of November. One of these eventually landed giving stunning views. One of my travelling companions told me that she had seen two the day before this sighting but I had been somewhat sceptical! BROAD-WINGED HAWK 2 seen in the hills on a jeep safari into the rainforest on the 29th ROCK DOVE Large numbers in the grass at the side of the runway at Castries airport PLAIN PIGEON Other reports say that this bird is supposed to be common in the area but I only saw them on one occasion. This is by the side of the Grand Hotel. This area which seemed good for birds if only I had a little more to explore seems destined for development COMMON GROUND-DOVE 4 seen on the 1st of November at the sandpits ZENAIDA DOVE Common and confiding around hotel grounds MANGROVE CUCKOO Seen reasonably regularly around the sandpits but was somewhat secretive ANTILLEAN CRESTED CARIB Common in the hotel grounds PURPLE-THROATED CARIB The least common of the three caribs seen around plants GREEN-THROATED CARIB Common in the hotel grounds BELTED KINGFISHER Some nice views of this bird perched on branches in the inlet and the sandpits GRAY KINGBIRD Common around the island TROPICAL MOCKINGBIRD Seen reasonably regularly BLACKPOLL WARBLER Only seen once in the trees between the beach and the saltpits YELLOW WARBLER A pair seen twice in trees below the St James Club Hotel BANANAQUIT Everywhere and beautiful with it ST LUCIAN ORIEL One only seen in the rainforest where I answered a call of nature. A stunning bird SHINY COWBIRD Several seen just once at Pigeon Point the day before we returned home CARIB GRACKLE Abundant and extremely noisy with it. Fairly confiding BLACK-FACED GRASSQUIT Small numbers seen in the grassy areas of the sandpits LESSER ANTILLEAN SALTATOR Only seen once and briefly at the sandpits on the 31st of October LESSER ANTILLEAN BULLFINCH Common around the hotel grounds which would accept food out of the hand. Very pretty |
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| Author: | obp [ Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Chris Spent the last 10 days of November at the Regency and saw many of the birds you mentioned. Even saw over the site an American Kestrel pestering a Broad Winged Hawk (locally known as the Chicken Hawk,) which I'm assuming is the same bird I saw at least twice soaring over the golf course. Also on the golf course, numerous cattle egret and 2 purple heron. Shared breakfast every morning with the Zenaida doves and the numerous local blackbirds, which kept on pinching the sugar sachets for some reason! A pair of Frigate Birds glided over on most days. Bryn |
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