OSPREY . ABACO . BAHAMAS
MERLINS: FIERCE LITTLE FALCONS
FIERCE LITTLE FALCONS: MERLINS ON ABACO
Merlins (Falco columbarius) are fierce small falcons that are fast and agile in flight. On Abaco, they are fairly common winter residents – though finding one and managing to photograph it may take a bit of doing. And maybe a dose of luck. The ‘columbarius‘ part of their taxonomy reflects their colloquial name ‘Pigeon Hawk’. Merlins are found throughout much of the northern hemisphere. They are classified as a New World species and an Old World / Eurasian subspecies, F c aesalon. Some argue for two distinct species, the gene pools of the two versions apparently having parted company ten of thousands of years ago. The birds aren’t overly bothered by the debate.
Merlin World Range Map: yellow = summer, blue = winter
HOW DO MERLINS DIFFER FROM AMERICAN KESTRELS (AMKE)?
- Slightly larger and notably heavier (thus having more speed and endurance in flight)
- Different colouring, e.g. lacking the indicative reddish-browns of the AMKE
- Distinctive tail-barring as against black ends to the tail feathers with a white fringe
- Unlike the AMKE they don’t hover, but close in directly on the small birds that are the main prey, often flying very low to surprise the victim.
For comparison: Merlin in South Abaco, American kestrel at Sandy Point
SO JUST HOW FIERCE ARE MERLINS?
Formidable! If you are a small or even medium-sized bird, you need to keep your wits about you. Merlins are largely ‘omni-habitat’ within their range, which includes open country, shrubland, light forest, and grasslands. They are fast, agile and strong. They can fly high, at medium height or at ground level, and are expert in surprise attack and rapid pursuit of prey. If you are a large bird of prey – a red-tailed hawk, perhaps – they may attack you with ferocity. They may not actually be trying to nail you, but to get you out of their territory and their catchment area.
Most of a merlin’s prey is taken in flight, and their speciality is ‘tail-chasing’ terrified birds. Breeding pairs may hunt cooperatively, with one bird flushing prey from cover into the open for its mate to… well, you get the picture – they are clever too. They may even pursue birds that have been flushed out by another bird of prey in the vicinity.
MERLINS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS
This is a slightly fraught relationship, because Merlins do not always pose as one might wish. Sometimes they are hard to see, being fairly well camouflaged unless they choose to ‘go out on a limb’. 
And sometimes they don’t play by the rules relating to light and focus, making a clear shot difficult
FALCONRY AND MEDIEVAL HISTORY
Merlins were popular birds in medieval English falconry, and according to the 1486 Boke of Seynt Albans, the ‘Marlyon’ was considered the appropriate hunting bird for a lady. This book contained an essay on hunting attributed to Dame Juliana Berners, the prioress of a Priory near St Albans, who, game lady that she must have been, also contributed to one of the earliest treatises on fishing, ‘Fysshynge wyth an Angle‘ (hence, angling).
FURTHER HISTORICAL DIGRESSION (feel free to skip to final para)
While reading up further about Dame Juliana, I came across (wiki-tnx) a wonderful ranking for birds of prey matched to status that I hadn’t encountered before. Here’s the list, from Emperor to Knave / Servant. A Tercel was / is a male falcon, especially a Peregrine or Gyrfalcon. A Musket is a sparrowhawk.
The Boke of Seynt Albans also contains list of collective nouns for animals and birds, many familiar today such as “gaggle of geese”. There are also humorous collective nouns for different professions, such as a “diligence of messengers”, a “melody of harpers”, a “blast of hunters”, “a subtlety of sergeants”, and a “superfluity of nuns”…
Merlins are still trained for hunting smaller birds; and because of their speed and agility they are used in falconry displays. Despite changing habitat, and a perceptible dip in population from the use of pesticides now banned (such as DDT), the Merlin seems to be holding its own very well 5 centuries after the Boke was written.
AND FINALLY… AUDUBON’S HANDSOME MERLINS
Credits: Becky Marvil (1 & 7); RH (2); Rhonda Pearce (3); Craig Nash (4 & 5); Gerlinde Taurer (6); Prairie Boy (8) wiki – not taken on Abaco, but I liked it; Dame Juliana Berners (1486); Magpie Pickings
BANANQUITS . ABACO . BAHAMAS
BANANAQUITS: A CURVE OF THE HEAD?
Bananaquits (Coereba flaveola) are small, colourful, and delightful birds of the coppice and garden. Besides their obvious attractiveness, the birds have in recent years enjoyed a status upgrade to being the sole species in the family Coerebidae.
However this singular status has really been a kind of avian parking place due to past, present (and doubtless future) uncertainty of the right category for these birds. Like so many avian species these days, they are subject to the rigours and vagaries of continual reclassification by the ornithological powers-that-be.
Bananaquits are, broadly speaking, passerines – essentially birds that perch. The nominal ‘passer’ was specifically awarded to sparrows by BRISSON, a contemporary of Linnaeus. Recently, bananaquits have suffered mysterious migrations of their classification ranging from the generalised ‘passerine‘ to the vague incertae sedis (= ‘uncertain group‘) to uncomfortable inclusion with tanagers / emberizids.
The debate over the appropriate classification for this pretty little bird (of which there are many subspecies in the broad Caribbean region) – rumbles on. A new way to confuse the issue is the suggestion that the bananaquit should be split into 3 species. In some areas, I believe this has happened at least informally.
Elsewhere there are doubters, sceptics, and champions of other group inclusions. The most obvious beneficiaries of all this will be dedicated birders, who may end up with two extra species to add to their ‘Lifer’ lists. Personally I’d like to think that the birds themselves will stay ahead of the curve in their own category, maintaining the mystery of their precise status while humans argue about what to call them.
CREDITS: Keith Salvesen / Rolling Harbour (1); Gerlinde Taurer (2); Craig Nash (3, 7); Tom Sheley (4, 5); Erik Gauger (6). All birds photographed on Abaco, Bahamas
Bananaquit perched on yellow elder, the National flower of the Bahamas
TRICOLORED HERONS
TRICOLORED HERON: AN ELEGANT & PATIENT FISHER
The Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor is one of 6 heron species found on Abaco, and is a permanent breeding resident. To which can be added 4 sorts of egret to complete a line up of expert fishers, all equally at home hunting in the water or from the shore, or surveying the scene from nearby vantage points like bushes and trees. A long neck, a long bill and long legs make this heron species ideally adapted for wading. Like other herons and egrets, it will stand stock-still waiting for the perfect fish to swim into range. However they are also active hunters, and will stalk prey or chase it by striding quickly through the water in pursuit. They eat fish, crustaceans, reptiles, and insects.
The heron and egret species of Abaco
Breeding plumage: smart blue bill and a fish to put in it
Credits: Phil Lanoue (1, 7); Dan Pancamo (2); Keith Salvesen (3); Woody Bracey (4); Bruce Hallett (5)
BROWN PELICANS
The best location on Abaco for watching brown pelicans is Sandy Point, the home of BMMRO (Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation) and of course the legendary Nancy’s, the restaurant at the end of the road. It is a short step to the docks on which the pelicans gather and use as a launch pad for their fishing expeditions.
I photographed this bird at the end of the SP dock, looking rather bedraggled after a dive
Note the significant plumage differences between the male (above) & this female
The brown pelican is (or has become) quite uncommon in the Bahamas. On Abaco it is a permanent resident breeding species. A drop in numbers equals fewer nests, fewer chicks and… fewer numbers. It’s a classic cycle towards serious population decline and all that is implied.
The pelicans above were all photographed on Abaco. Two were not, but are both by exceptional photographers. One, Phil Lanoue, specialises in dramatic sequences, and his work features elsewhere in this blog. The final image was sportingly uploaded by Alan Schmierer from Flickr into the ‘public domain’.
Credits: Tom Sheley (1); Tony Hepburn (2); Keith Salvesen (3, 4, 6); Woody Bracey (5); Phil Lanoue (7); Alan Schmierer (8); Birdorable (cartoon)
AMERICAN REDSTARTS ON ABACO: MALES IN FOCUS
The American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla is a distinctive bird, males being orange and black, and females yellow and black. The dissimilar colouring between the sexes of these little warblers is due to differing carotin levels in each. These unmistakeable winter residents are common on Abaco and in the Northern Bahamas generally. They are an easy warbler for new birders look out for, being unlike any other small warblerish-looking bird. All the birds here were photographed on Abaco.
TEN REDSTARTLING FACTS (& a comment)
- The Latin name means moth-eating red-tail (‘start’ is an archaic word for tail)
- AMRE are among the most common New World warblers
- Occasionally they are found as far afield as Europe
- They are almost entirely insect-eaters, with occasional berries or seeds for variety
- Males are late developers, tending to skew the sex ratio: too many of them
- They are inclined to monogamy, but only to an extent. Two-or-more-timing goes on
- The most aggressive males get the pick of the habitats
- This all begins to sound like human behaviour (not strictly a fact, so it doesn’t count)
- Their fanned tails are for display, and maybe to surprise insects into breaking cover
- Redstarts suffer badly from predators, especially in the breeding season
- They are popular with coffee farmers for keeping insect numbers down
The American Redstart (f & m) as depicted by JJ Audubon
WHAT DO I LISTEN OUT FOR?
Jeff Dyck / Xeno Canto
AMRE by Mark Catesby, precursor of Audubon
Credits: Craig Nash (1); Gerlinde Taurer (2, 3, 4); Tom Sheley (5); Audubon Soc (6); Becky Marvil (7); ‘Scott’ wiki (8); Pinterest (9); Xeno-Canto / Jeff Dyck audio file; Birdorable (cute cartoon)
WORLD SHOREBIRDS DAY . COMPLETE CHECKLIST FOR ABACO, BAHAMAS
WORLD SHOREBIRDS DAY: ABACO’S COMPLETE CHECKLIST
Abaco’s birding records compiled for over 20 years include 33 shorebird species. For a few, the islands and cays are a permanent residence; for many others they are winter quarters; some species are visitors transient in their migrations; a few are rare vagrants. The complete checklist of Abaco’s shorebirds is below, along with 3 links to specific posts.
I have divided the species into 3 categories: sandpipers & kin; plovers; and a catch-all ‘large shorebird’ group that includes one or two sandpipers. Of the 26 birds featured and shown in the main checklist below, 23 are ones you might reasonably hope or expect to encounter on Abaco, though some only if you are lucky or your field-craft is excellent. The others are the long-billed dowitcher, American avocet and Wilson’s phalarope (of which only one has ever been seen on Abaco, with a photo to prove it). Many of these are showcased in my book The Birds of Abaco.
CLICK A LINK TO INVESTIGATE
THE COMPLETE CHECKLIST
The codes tell you, for any particular bird, when you may see it (P = permanent, WR = winter resident, TR = transient, V = vagrant); whether it breeds (B) on Abaco; and your chance of seeing it, graded from easy (1) to vanishingly unlikely (5).
- Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus PR B 3
- American Avocet Recurvirostra americana WR 4
- American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus PR B 2
- Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola WR 1
- American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica TR 4
- Wilson’s Plover Ochthodromus wilsonia PR B 2
- Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus WR 2
- Piping Plover Charadrius melodus WR 3
- Killdeer Charadrius vociferus WR 2
- Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius WR 1
- Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria WR 2
- Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca WR 2
- Willet Tringa semipalmata PR B 2
- Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes WR 3
- Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres PR 2
- Red Knot Calidris canutus WR 3
- Sanderling Calidris alba WR 1
- Dunlin Calidris alpina WR 2
- Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla WR 2
- White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis TR 3
- Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla TR 2
- Western Sandpiper Calidris Mauri TR 2
- Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus WR 1
- Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus WR 4
- Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata WR 3
- Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor V 4
For the sake of completeness, the other 7 species of shorebird recorded for Abaco – all transients or vagrants – are:
- Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda TR 4
- Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus TR 4
- Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica V5
- Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa V5
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis V5
- Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos TR 3
- Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus TR 3
Photo Credits: Tom Sheley, Bruce Hallett, Keith Salvesen
SEXING THE HUMMER’: A GENDER GUIDE TO ABACO’S HUMMINGBIRDS
‘SEXING THE HUMMER’
A GENDER GUIDE TO ABACO’S HUMMINGBIRDS
The drastic effects of Hurricane Dorian on Abaco’s birdlife continue, with recent reports suggesting that all species remain affected, and some severely so. However there are signs of a slow improvement, and this good news includes the two hummingbird species, the endemic Bahama Woodstar and the Cuban Emerald. A couple of recent posts on FB indicate that sightings of both these species have been a very welcome surprise. So, a good time to write about them and to show their beauty.
The subject matter of this post is not as indelicate as the title might imply; nor is it a ‘hands-on’ practical guide for intimate examinations of tiny birds. In particular it does not publicise some recently discovered louche activity involving unfeasibly large motor vehicles. It’s all about plumage and recognition. And there are only two species – and two genders for each one – to wrestle with. So here are the adult male and female Bahama Woodstars and Cuban Emeralds in all their glory…
BAHAMA WOODSTAR (Calliphlox evelynae)
CUBAN EMERALD (Chlorostilbon ricordii)
And finally, a brilliant Woodstar photo taken by Tom Sheley, birdman and generous fishing partner, that I spans the boundary between wildlife photography and art.
Header Image: Keith Salvesen
ABACO PARROTS Amazona lecocephala bahamensis
Credits: Gerlinde Taurer & Nina Henry: photographed on Abaco, Bahamas for “The Birds of Abaco”
‘TERN, TERN, TERN’: THE UN-NOTORIOUS BYRD COUSINS
‘TERN, TERN, TERN’: THE UN-NOTORIOUS BYRD COUSINS
There are twelve species of tern – ‘swallows of the sea’ – that to a greater or lesser extent may be found on Abaco. Whether they will actually be visible at any given time is less certain, though. For a start, the only resident species is the lovely Royal Tern, available at many locations on Abaco and the cays throughout the year. The rest are migratory or just passing through.
PERMANENT RESIDENTS
ROYAL TERNS Thalasseus maximus PR1
MIGRATORY TERNS: SUMMER
In the slightly less commonly-found category are the summer migrant terns that, by definition, are only in residence for around half the year. Four of these are fairly common in certain areas, and actually breed on Abaco; these include arguably the prettiest of all, the bridled tern. The other two tern species (gull-billed and sandwich) are more rare and as far as I can make out do not breed locally; or perhaps only rarely.
LEAST TERN Sternula antillarum SR B 1
BRIDLED TERN Onychoprion anaethetus SR B 2
ROSEATE TERN Sterna Dougallii SR B 2
SOOTY TERN Onychoprion anaethetus SR B 2
GULL-BILLED TERN Gelochelidon nilotica SR 3
SANDWICH TERN Thalasseus sandvicensis SR 4
MIGRATORY TERNS: WINTER
There is one very rare winter resident migratory tern species, with few records of sightings for Bahamas and until early 2019, no photographic record for Abaco until Sally Chisholm saw one at Treasure Cay and managed to capture it for posterity.
FORSTER’S TERN Sterna forsteri WR 4
OCCASIONAL & RARE VISITORS
A further four tern species are very much occasionals that drop by. Three of them pass over the Bahamas on their longer migration, but may make a pit-stop around Abaco to take on fuel. Likelihood of sighting one? Slender but not impossible… the Caspian tern below was photographed on Abaco. The fourth, the Arctic Tern, is a very rare vagrant, a bird well away from its usual home or migration route as the result of storms or faulty satnav or sheer happenstance. Don’t travel to the Bahamas intent on seeing one.
CASPIAN TERN Hydroprogne caspia TR 4
The remaining species are the transient black tern and common tern; and the vanishingly rare vagrant Arctic tern. No photos of any of these I’m afraid. Here’s a handy checklist of all the tern species.
ELECTIVE MUSICAL DIGRESSION
Written by Pete Seeger, Turn x 3 was released in 1965, the title track on the second album by The Byrds. At a rather febrile time in US history (Vietnam, draft riots, civil rightists v cops and so on), this unusually palliative and thoughtful song with its religious connotations to some extent stood for peace and hope in a time of turmoil.
PS the somewhat laboured title of this post shoehorns in the name of another Byrds album, ‘The Notorious Byrd Brothers’
Photo credits: Keith Salvesen (1, 2, 3, 5, 18); Tony Hepburn (4); Alex Hughes (10, 11); Bruce Hallett (6, 7, 12); Woody Bracey (8, 13, 16); Duncan Wright (9); Dick Daniels (14); Sally Chisholm (15); Keith Kemp (17)
THE BIRDS OF ABACO 
