It's been a couple years since I went to Eleuthera. Not much has changed which is a good thing. However, we did get a little unlucky with the weather. The first 4 days were raining and storming and the next 10 days were very windy and mostly cloudy. We didn't have power for the first 5 days which would be mildly annoying usually, but since the power also pumps the water from the cistern, we didn't have water for several of the days which is a little more than mildly annoying. Overall it was great seeing family and spending some quality time with my immediate family unit.
Here are some various pics from the area around Old Calypso, which is my father's land.
Thick-billed Vireos are the most commonly heard and seen passerines on the property.
Composia fidelissima the Faithful Beauty or Uncle Sam Moth.
There were a ton of Least Grebes on the ponds this year including many young ones like this one which have white markings on the face.
Bahama Woodstar - my father has planted Firecracker plant all over the property and consequently has attracted what seems like half the Eleuthera population of Woodstars.
I will have to enter this small frog into iNat to see if I can get an ID.
White-crowned Pigeons are easier to see in towns where they have grown more bold, but at my father's place they are usually very shy so I was chuffed to get this photo on the property.
This White-eyed Vireo flagged as rare in eBird.
Yellow-crowned Night-herons love the mangroves around the ponds.
This American Kestrel murdered a little passerine right in front of my father's house. I think it was an Indigo Bunting.
This was the first year where I saw Mangrove Cuckoos on my father's property, and I them frequently.
Common Ground Doves are ... common...
Black-faced Grassquits were also very common this year.
Here is one doing a Kakapo impersonation.
Palm Warblers are the most common warbler in Eleuthera.
Smooth-billed Anis are mostly heard not seen but I did manage to see a few.
Greater Antillean Bullfinches are common but a little more difficult to photograph.
I think this was only the second Zenaida Dove I have seen in Eleuthera.
Northern Waterthrushes are quite common.
The large pond south of my father's place was chock full of Lesser Scaups but they mostly stayed out of range.
A small flock of Red-breasted Mergansers was a new bird for me in Eleuthera and one of only a few previous sightings on the island. They were quite distant so this was the best I could do for a documentation shot.
Here is a White-crowned Pigeon from the settlement which was much more tame.
A male Black-faced Grassquit.
Bananaquits love the many epiphyte flowers which were blooming. We planted these epiphytes on the property over 20 years ago and now they are everywhere.
ID coming after iNat confirms...
Common Yellowthroat - I am still looking for a slam dunk Bahama Yellowthroat to photograph.
American Redstart
Great Lizard Cuckoo - I only saw one this year.
Prairie Warbler
Adult Least Grebe
Bananaquit on an epiphyte.
Young Green Heron
Yellow-billed Sapsuckers are the only type of Woodpecker I see on Eleuthera.
Overall it was a great trip and I can't wait to go back. I would love to go in May and see what kind of birds I can turn up in the spring.
As I write this, it is December 28th and I am getting excited about the prospect of a new year of birding! Next post will probably be packed with some year birds and maybe even a new NC bird for me considering a Harris' Sparrow is still being seen up at Warren Wilson College.
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