COLLARED DOVE . Streptopelia decaocto
Tag Archives: Keith Salvesen Photography
WEST INDIAN WOODPECKER . ABACO . BAHAMAS
WEST INDIAN WOODPECKER Melanerpes superciliaris
The WEST INDIAN WOODPECKER Melanerpes superciliaris is one of Abaco’s specialist birds. Islanders and regular visitors will be familiar with the sight – and indeed the raucous sound – of these beautiful birds. They are commonly found throughout Abaco and the cays. Possibly their rarity across the wider Bahamas is underestimated. The only other island where these birds are found is San Salvador. Formerly resident on Grand Bahama, they are believed to be extirpated there. Abaco is very fortunate to enjoy their noisy company.
CHRISTMAS BUNTING . ABACO . BAHAMAS
AMERICAN COOT . ABACO . BAHAMAS
Coots and gallinules (moorhens) tend to get overlooked as birds of interest, being familiar to all and far from unusual in many locations. However, it is hard to imagine a more dramatic waterfowl image than this coot on the point of lift-off. Gerlinde Taurer, a significant contributor to BIRDS OF ABACO, captured this moment – a split second with the bird’s wings raised and the frantic paddle as the bird takes off.
ABACO PARROTS
LAUGHING GULLS ON ABACO, BAHAMAS
LAUGHING GULLS ON ABACO, BAHAMAS
Leucophaeus atricilla
A humorous conversation
A rather wind-blown gull in non-breeding plumage
WHAT DO LAUGHING GULLS SOUND LIKE? ARE YOU OVERSENSITIVE?
I made a couple of short recordings of the gulls in full humour mode; also a short video of the breeding pair above. If you have never heard them before, you might want to listen to the full 30 seconds. For anyone else there’s a convenient lull at around 15 secs before they kick off again.
Breeding adult (Birdorable)
All photos, audio clip, video: Keith Salvesen / Rolling Harbour
LOGGERHEAD KINGBIRD: LORD OF THE FLIES
LOGGERHEAD KINGBIRD: LORD OF THE FLIES
Four principal so-called ‘tyrant flycatchers’ (Tyrannidae) are found on Abaco: the loggerhead kingbird, the gray kingbird, the La Sagra’s flycatcher and the Cuban pewee. These are common permanent residents, except for the gray kingbird which is a summer resident only. Several other flycatcher species are found on Abaco, but they are very uncommon winter residents, rare transients, or vagrants.
Loggerheads seem to have two methods of observing humans and their mysteries. One is by perching on a branch or in a shrub, watching intently. They stay quite still… until suddenly launching into the air to intercept some passing insect with their hooked beaks (so-called ‘hawking’), before returning to their perch. And staring at you again. The other method is to follow you round, either flying slightly ahead as you progress; or fluttering in the coppice alongside you; or playing catch-up from behind.
A typical quizzical loggerhead sideways look… all flycatchers do this
The collective names for a group of kingbirds are: a Court, a Coronation, or a Tyranny
Photo Credits: Keith Salvesen at Sandy Point, Abaco Bahamas
CHRISTMAS BUNTING(S) . ABACO . BAHAMAS
BUNTING(S) FOR AN ABACO CHRISTMAS
BUNTING /ˈbʌntɪŋ/ (Noun)
- A small New World songbird of the cardinal subfamily
- Flags and other colourful festive decorations
PAINTED BUNTING
Few birds radiate Yuletide vibes better than Painted Buntings, with their perfect festive colours. Here is a seasonal flock of them to enjoy. A very happy Christmas to those who kindly continue to visit Rolling Harbour.
SMOOTH-BILLED ANIS . ABACO . BAHAMAS
The Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) – aka Cemetery Bird – is the third member of the cuckoo family found on Abaco, the others being the MANGROVE CUCKOO and the YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. You can (it’s voluntary) find out more about them in an earlier article HERE.
I have returned to these engagingly gregarious birds and their raucous ways because Paul Harding has recently captured a sequence of a small group of anis behaving so endearingly that they are irresistible. Not for them the oddly incompetent fluttering flight, nor the disorganised, unbalanced landing technique. It’s simply a matter of getting settled on a branch, and then making room for one more in the middle (or perhaps resisting it…).
There were 4 on the branch…
Hey – make room for another one…
Budge up, guys, I mean C’mon…
Yay, I’m in… a bit squished but…
Um… guys, I can’t breathe…
That’s better… all settled now….
Let the racket begin!
Credits: all terrific pics, Paul Harding; sound files, Xeno Canto
THE BIRDS OF ABACO 