At the conclusion of Episode 1 of The Hummingbird Diaries 2026, I left you with one chick (nestling) in the nest. In most cases, hummingbird chicks fledge on the same day. If they don’t make it out the same day, the next day is pretty much guaranteed.

Mom was darting between the nestling and the fledgling sitting in a nearby Loblolly tree. She was doing double duty as only a female hummingbird can do.

Despite convention, I soon discovered that the nestling was working on its own timeline, and not even a persistent mom was going to make it move out before it was ready!

I personally think the chick was taking advantage of the nest without the sibling pushing it around. It was looking pretty comfortable alone, enjoying the locally sourced, one-hundred percent cotton bedding courtesy of my cotton plants.

Mom’s every four- to six-minute (give or take 29 seconds) feedings were an extra perk. Who could leave this luxury?

This little one was going nowhere fast, having spent the entire day after the first chick fledged being pampered.

By the second day, early rain hit the nest pretty hard. There is nothing sadder than a wet hummingbird chick in a soggy nest.

Once the weather cleared, mom spent the day between feedings, aggressively encouraging her little one to fly the coop. Despite exercising its wings from time to time, the nestling looked totally uninterested in departing the scene.

By late afternoon, the chick was brave enough to balance on the lip of the nest. Unfortunately, Mom came along with a bit of a nudge, I presume intending to get it to fly, that ended up with the chick hanging on to the side of the nest for dear life. This was a truly awkward moment for the chick as it took a bit of time to pull itself back into the safety of the nest cup.

Mom was clearly not happy, but resumed feeding before a very stressed chick tucked itself in for the night.

When I checked on the birds at 5 AM on the third day, I half expected the nestling to be gone. But alas, I was wrong.

Mom was perched on her roost branch, no doubt plotting how to uproot her chick from its comfy digs.

Twenty feet away, our little chick was perched on the edge of the nest. It was surveying the nearby branches as though looking for a safe spot to land. Mom provided two more feedings, and it took a leap of faith into the air!

Meanwhile, Mom was off gathering nectar when the fledging occurred. She returned to an empty nest and was clearly perplexed for about half a second. She located the chick quickly, but I imagine there was an internal sigh of relief. First, her offspring was safe. Second, her kid had finally left the house.

What started as a pair of Green-throated Caribs ready to fledge the nest turned into a 3-day drama. You can watch it all unfold in this week’s companion video.

For the next three to four weeks, the female will teach the chicks how to feed from flowers and to survive on their own. They will eventually disperse to find their own territory.

It is a gift to experience such special moments with Anguilla’s birds. Let’s wish these two cuties a full and happy life in paradise!

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Citation

Farnsworth, A. (2020).Green-throated Carib(Eulampis holosericeus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.grtcar1.01

Just when I thought I wouldn't have a hummingbird nest for the 2026 breeding season, I noticed these two cuties spilling out of one in my yard. How I missed the entire event is beyond me, but there you have it.

This is the first time I have actually seen a Green-throated Carib nest in the yard, despite regularly having between six and eight individuals on the property. I wrote about this species in a 2023 post.

As a quick reminder, the Green-throated Carib is one of Anguilla’s 5 Lesser Antilles Restricted Range Species. Their presence is an important indicator of the ecological health of our wild spaces.

When I noticed the nest activity, it was clear that the chicks were very close to fledging. Mom, who, as you may recall, is the sole caretaker of the nest and chicks, was busily feeding and encouraging them to take their first flight away from the nest.

I followed the family for about three hours. I thought that at least one chick was ready to go, but it stayed on the rim of the nest for the duration. As you might guess, the minute I stepped away, the bird left. 🙄

I hope you enjoy the special moments between these two siblings as they prepare to begin independent lives.

What happened with the remaining chick? Will I have better luck catching the moment it fledges?

I look forward to seeing you next week as I attempt to answer these burning questions!

In the meantime, take a Walk on the Wild Side!

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Citation

Farnsworth, A. (2020).Green-throated Carib(Eulampis holosericeus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.grtcar1.01

August is a time of transition in Anguilla. After a busy summer breeding season, adult shore and seabirds are giving their fledglings last-minute survival instructions.

Meanwhile, north of Anguilla, a variety of birds are completing their nesting season and beginning to migrate south for the winter.

Anguilla’s salt ponds are critical stopover sites for migratory birds. In particular, shorebirds use our wetlands to refuel before moving further south. Large flocks also overwinter here, making their preservation crucial.

I’ve shared these facts here previously, but the words of BirdsCaribbean bear repeating:

“Our migratory shorebirds are more vulnerable than ever—they are threatened by human activities such as destruction of their habitats, pollution, disturbance, and climate change. Shorebirds in North America are declining more than any other group of birds; in fact, more than half of 28 species studied were estimated to have lost more than 50% of their abundance in the last 30 years.”

As Anguilla prioritizes tourism development over conservation, our critical shorebird stopover sites are under attack—case in point: the destruction of Gull Pond to build a yacht marina.

It goes without saying that Anguilla is in the bullseye of climate change. Each year, the hurricanes that swirl around us become more powerful and deadly. Hurricane season in the Caribbean coincides with bird migration, literally putting birds in the eye of the storm!

A strong El Niño this year has brought drought to our shores. Fellow Substacker, Birding University, in a recent post described this event as follows:

“El Niño—a warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific that occurs roughly every 2 to 7 years. During an event, normally westward-flowing warm water spreads east toward the coast of South America as trade winds weaken, triggering shifts in winds, currents, and rainfall patterns. These changes ripple through the marine food web, shifting where fish and other prey are available—and in turn, where seabirds and other ocean-dependent species feed.”

Caribbean impacts include: coral bleaching, declining fish stocks, and everybody’s favorite, increased Sargassum! Marine damage will likely have the greatest impact on seabird populations. However, this event is likely to impact migration patterns for many bird species and the sites they depend on for survival along those migratory routes.

With all that being said, this is the time of year when my bird counts ramp up. The first week of September gives us the Global Shorebird Count and World Shorebirds Day on September 6th.

Using my eBird App, I record all birds seen across the island’s wetlands and shores. Those counts are included in the Caribbean Waterbird Census eBird Project. New eBird protocols allow me to collect data for the International Shorebird Survey simultaneously. BirdsCaribbean is urging us to count for both projects this year to help conservation efforts.

BirdsCaribbean describes the Manomet ISS as follows:

“The ISS is a volunteer survey effort that has been run by Manomet Conservation since 1974! It collects shorebird count data from 100s of sites across the Americas, including the Caribbean. These counts help inform where conservation action is need and are used to estimate trend in shorebird populations.”

The ability to count for both projects at the same time “kills two birds with one stone.” Pardon the pun. It is also an excellent time to keep an eye out for banded/flagged birds that will further contribute to conservation.

This is just one more effort on my part to help protect what remains of Anguilla’s important bird habitats.

Stay tuned for the latest updates on the Fall Migration in Anguilla!

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Manomet International Shorebird Survey

eBird International Shorebird Survey

Shorebird Season 2026: It’s as Easy as 1,2,3!

Stopping vs. staging: the difference between a hop and a jump

Birds & Nature: El Niño 2026

Birds Are Dying. Clues Point to El Niño. (Requires NYT Subscription)

In this fourth and final episode, I grapple with the fact that things don’t always go the way I hope they will. While the first two chicks were thriving, repeated visits to the site showed no action from the remaining egg.

The adults continued to incubate, but it was clear that the intervals between incubation were growing longer.

Meanwhile, the two chicks ventured farther from the nest, making the adults scramble to keep them out of trouble.

There are several reasons that nests or eggs may fail. Chief among them is predation or flooding. Extreme heat may also contribute to failure.

Between 5 and 10 percent of Black-necked Stilt eggs are infertile. One can speculate that this is what happened in this case.

The overall implications for the stilt population in the 2026 breeding season are dire. As I noted in the first post, egg production this year appears to be lower, with many nests containing three rather than four eggs. The loss of any egg or chick is a problem for the species.

While Black-necked Stilts are listed as a species of “Least Concern” by the IUCN, shorebird populations overall are plummeting worldwide. Let’s hope that this is a one-off year for Anguilla’s Black-necked Stilt population. It is definitely something to monitor as I record future nesting seasons.

I hope you enjoy a few last looks at our happy family of four in this week’s companion reel. Let’s wish these chicks a happy life on our wetlands.

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Citation

Robinson, J. A., J. M. Reed, J. P. Skorupa, and L. W. Oring (2020).Black-necked Stilt(Himantopus mexicanus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bknsti.01

With the first chick living its best life out of the shell, I knew the next one would arrive shortly thereafter. I ran to the site at first light the next morning and was not disappointed. Chick number two was already making its way into the world.

Weather conditions had changed significantly overnight with high winds and small whitecaps visible. Water was starting to encroach on the nest.

The first chick was brooding underneath mom. When it popped out for a morning forage, I was able to see the second chick’s body half out of the shell. My timing on this one had been right on target.

The early morning action happens in this video. You can see the chick trying to break out of its shell. Eventually, the wet chick (seen in the photograph at the top of the post) sits quietly gathering strength after the hard work of hatching. What a great way to start the day!

I returned several hours later to see how the first two chicks were doing, and if the third egg had hatched.

While there was no movement from the egg, the first hatchling was gaining the courage to wander farther. It managed to encourage its sibling to take big risks away from the nest.

I also noted the first chick lost the egg tooth right on schedule, making it easy to tell the two apart.

Parents were forced to split supervision and incubation duties to protect the adventurous chicks from predators.

Enjoy a few moments with our growing family in the second companion reel.

Stay tuned for the next episode to learn the fate of the third egg.

If you missed the previous episodes in this series, you can catch up by clicking on the links below:

Teamwork on the Nest: Black-necked Stilt Incubation in Anguilla

Teamwork Pays Off: First Black-Necked Stilt Chick Hatches in Anguilla

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Citation

Robinson, J. A., J. M. Reed, J. P. Skorupa, and L. W. Oring (2020).Black-necked Stilt(Himantopus mexicanus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bknsti.01

After almost a month of dedicated care of the nest highlighted in my previous post, the first Black-necked Stilt chick hatched!

I was lucky to arrive just a few hours after this little cutie found its way out of the shell. Isn’t it the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen? 🤔😍

The truth about summer in Anguilla is that every chick, no matter the species, is just too cute.

If you are wondering how the chick finds its way out of the egg, there is a simple explanation. Chicks develop an egg tooth that helps them break out.

All About Birds explains the egg tooth and how it works as follows:

“A short, pointed, calcareous structure on the tip of the upper beak (and sometimes the lower beak as well) that develops in bird embryos shortly before hatching; the embryo rubs and pounds the egg tooth against the inner wall of the eggshell to break it open and hatch. The egg tooth sloughs off or is resorbed by the growing chick within a few days after hatching.”

Black-necked Stilt chicks have an egg tooth on the upper bill and a smaller one on the lower bill. Resembling a small grain of rice, they disappear within the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours after hatching.

Birds of the World describes the Black-necked Stilt hatching process as follows:

“Chicks begin to vocalize and small fractures appear at large end of egg approximately 1–3 d before hatching. Three vocalizations described for prehatch and young chicks: Peep Call, clicking sounds at 1–7 kHz, and “Whine Call” (sonograms in Sordahl 1980). Distinct hole (4–15 mm) appears in broad end of egg 1–2 d before hatching.”

Precocial chicks can leave the nest within 1 to 2 hours of hatching, but will remain close to the nest for the first twenty-four hours. As a reminder, precocial means the chicks are mobile and able to feed on their own at birth. The parents do not feed them.

Like many shorebirds, Black-necked Stilt chicks are not able to fully regulate their body temperature at hatching. For the first couple of weeks, they will seek shelter under a parent for both warmth and shade. This process is known as brooding.

They may also shiver to generate warmth or dip in the pond water to cool down during intense heat.

As you watch the companion reel for this post, keep an eye out for the egg tooth on the chick and the interaction between the chick and the parents. There are definitely some indelicate moments.

I’m looking at you, Dad! Watch where you put those feet.

I hope you enjoy experiencing the first few hours of a Black-necked Stilt chick’s life on Anguilla’s salt ponds.

Stay tuned for my next installment, when the saga of this growing family continues.

In case you missed the previous post, you can catch up here:

Teamwork on the Nest: Black-necked Stilt Incubation in Anguilla

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Citation

Robinson, J. A., J. M. Reed, J. P. Skorupa, and L. W. Oring (2020).Black-necked Stilt(Himantopus mexicanus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bknsti.01

All About Birds

My next series of posts will center around Anguilla’s nesting Black-necked Stilts. This breeding resident is one of my favorite birds. Its striking tuxedo plumage, bubblegum-colored legs, and swashbuckling bill make it a real eye-catcher on our salt ponds.

To this day, the fact that they fold their joints backwards gives me pause. The joint that bends backwards is the ankle on the stilt, not the knee as many might think. It’s still a bit cringeworthy if I am honest.

Black-necked Stilts are semicolonial nesters that occur in large numbers across Anguilla’s salt ponds. I had the opportunity to observe one particular family at West End Pond Important Bird Area. Their nest was among a few families in various states of development, including those with eggs, young chicks, and juveniles.

This edition and the accompanying reel will focus on the incubation phase.

Once the nest has been constructed and the eggs are laid, both parents’ entire focus is on the safety and viability of the eggs.

Female birds are notable for the brown tinge to their back feathers, while the males’ are all black.

There are three important things to keep in mind while watching the reel.

First, nesting birds develop a brood patch. How does the brood patch form, and what is its purpose?

“Shortly before egg laying, hormones such as oestrogen, prolactin, and progesterone cause a bird’s belly feathers to loosen and fall out, thus forming a patch of bare skin.^[7] In most species, the feathers in the region shed automatically, but ducks and geese may pluck and use their feathers to line the nest. Feathers regrow sooner after hatching in precocial birds than for those that have altricial young.^[3]”

This patch of bare skin is filled with blood vessels that act as a natural heating pad for the eggs.

Both Black-necked Stilt parents incubate the eggs throughout the day. Therefore, they both have brood patches. Stilts have one on either side of their belly to cover all the eggs in the nest.

With daytime air temperatures in the high eighties at this time of year, you can imagine the temperature inside the nest is much higher. At peak temperatures, adults may dip in the water before sitting on the nest to help cool the eggs. It’s a balancing act throughout the day.

As a rule, Black-necked Stilt nests in Anguilla contain four eggs. This year, I am seeing mostly three-egg nests.

Second, the parents periodically roll the eggs. Why do they do this?

“Black-necked stilts roll their eggs for two main reasons: to keep them warm and to help them hatch safely.

1. Even Heating
Parents shift and roll the eggs so all sides get equal warmth. This helps the baby birds grow evenly.

2. Stopping the Shell from Sticking
The inside of an egg has a watery fluid called albumen. Rolling the eggs keeps this fluid moving so the baby bird doesn’t get stuck to the inside of the shell. [1, 2, 3]

3. Perfect Nest Fit
Stilts have a specific egg rolling habit. They place their eggs with the pointy ends facing the center of the nest. This makes the clutch fit perfectly together under the parent’s warm belly. ”

They accomplish this by using their body and legs, as you see in the photograph above.

Or, by moving the eggs with their long, pointy bill (see photograph above). Care must be taken not to damage the egg. It is a delicate, well-practiced process.

Finally, there is constant rearrangement of nest contents. What is the purpose of this action?

“Black-necked stilts constantly rearrange sticks and stones around their nests to protect their eggs. They primarily do this to manage the nest’s temperature, hide their eggs from predators, and repair damage caused by changing water levels.”

The birds are also aware of any substances in the nest that could harm the eggs or the chicks once hatched. At a certain point in the video, you will notice the female carrying away a piece of shell that she has moved numerous times. I suspect she felt it was a risk that needed to be eliminated. If only they could talk to give us the real scoop.

This companion reel is a small window into the incubation phase of this species. While it seems repetitive, every action has a purpose. These two parents will repeat this cycle every day for approximately 26 days.

Do you see Black-necked Stilts where you live? Please share your experiences in the comments below.

Stay tuned for the next installment, where we meet the cuties inside those eggs!

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Citation

Robinson, J. A., J. M. Reed, J. P. Skorupa, and L. W. Oring (2020).Black-necked Stilt(Himantopus mexicanus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bknsti.01

All About Birds

Incubating Bird Eggs Is More Complex Than You Think (Audubon)

Today, I am excited to share some new images from our Roving Sea Reporter Patrick Webster of activity he’s seen on the stacks near Dog Island.

You may recall my recent post about our nesting Red-billed Tropicbirds that included great images and videos from Patrick’s time fishing there. There are new developments since that post that I think you will enjoy.

For starters, the Brown Noddy nesting just outside the Red-billed Tropicbird cave has a new chick. Can I say - Adorable!

The Red-billed Tropicbird chick next to the Noddy is growing stronger every day.

Even more exciting is a new Red-billed Tropicbird nest site.

Exciting things are happening on our offshore cays, and we are so lucky to have Patrick capture and share them with us!

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Returning to our regularly scheduled programming, I share with you some special moments with a family of Snowy Plovers.

At hatching, Snowy Plover chicks weigh between 4.6 and 7.6 grams (0.16 to 0.27 ounces), and resemble cotton balls on toothpicks. Birds will reach just over 1 ounce at the time of their first flight.

Chicks are precocial and leave the nest to feed between one and three hours after hatching.

I was lucky to see this family from hatch day onward and to spend a bit of time with the chicks at the Long Pond Important Bird Area. In the companion reel, watchful parents remain alert to potential predators as the adorable six-day-old chicks feed on a variety of pond delights.

Do enjoy yet another “aww, isn’t that adorable” moment during Anguilla’s summer breeding season!

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Citation

Page, G. W., L. E. Stenzel, J. S. Warriner, J. C. Warriner, and P. W. Paton (2023).Snowy Plover(Anarhynchus nivosus), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.snoplo5.01.1

This week, I’m veering away from Anguilla’s wetlands and heading under the sea to snorkel Crocus Bay and the famous “pipe.”

Crocus Bay is known for its rocky cliffline and darker sand scattered with pebbles that come and go with the tide.

The underwater pipe that carries seawater to Anguilla’s desalination plant attracts a variety of fish. A good part of the pipe is in shallow water, making it a great spot for kids and inexperienced snorkelers, allowing them to get their sea legs before venturing into deeper water.

More adventurous snorkelers will make their way to Garfield’s Reef at the entrance to the bay. Terns, Gulls, and Pelicans often perch on the rocks at this site. It’s always fun to pop your head up and see the rocks covered with birds.

Others may continue to Little Bay. Calvin is also available at Crocus to take you directly to Little Bay if you so desire. Whichever path you choose, there is much to see.

I spent about two and a half hours snorkeling out to Garfield’s Reef with my friends. We experienced a variety of underwater life. Sea turtles, including Hawksbill and Green, were abundant.

With the breeding season for sea turtles underway, it is important to note that Anguilla participates in a variety of conservation treaties through its relationship with the United Kingdom. That, along with local legislation, has meant the sea turtle population is growing strong on our Atlantic side.

You might find this recent article How Sea Turtles Made One of the Greatest Comebacks in Conservation History enlightening. While Caribbean Leatherbacks continue to struggle, other species are showing improvement. This is due in part to the steps outlined above. It is a bit of good news in a world where so many bird species are declining.

Below, I share the educational graphics on the Crocus Bay regulars.

Today’s companion reel recaps some of my favorite moments. Enjoy, and don’t forget to “Walk or Swim, on the Wild Side!”

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From the rocky outcroppings of Pickly Pear and Dog Islands to the steep coastline of mainland Anguilla, Tropicbirds cut through the air like kamikaze fighter pilots. They perform an aerial ballet rivaled by no other species.

Anguilla is home to two species of tropicbirds: the White-tailed and the Red-billed. The White-tailed breeds in small numbers on the cliffs of Little Bay and is distinguished by its smaller size, distinctive black stripe on the upper wing coverts, and yellowish-orange bill. (See photograph below.)

Its more widespread counterpart and breeding resident, the Red-billed Tropicbird, is the focus of this edition.

Tropicbirds have a few nicknames, including “bosun bird.” “This term originated from sailors who thought its loud, shrill, and piercing whistle resembled the high-pitched whistle of a boatswain used on old sailing ships.” “Longtail” is another commonly used name in Bermuda. In my opinion, a totally appropriate name for these birds.

In Anguilla, tropicbirds are known, especially by fisherfolk, as “Trophy Birds.” In fact, they have their own location on Scrub Island, known as “Trophy Bird Hill.” You can often see tropicbirds taking off and landing at this site. No doubt, nesting takes place here as well.

The Red-billed Tropicbird has a 44-inch wingspan and a 40-inch body length. Half of the body length is taken up by its two long, stiff (almost bamboo-like) streamer tails. Adult birds have a striking red bill (thus the name), black primaries, and barring on the back and wings. A black mask extends from the eye to the nape.

Juveniles have a yellowish bill, a black collar, and lack streamers.

The streamer tails develop during the first two years of life as the bird reaches sexual maturity. Some studies show that the tails in an adult male can be up to 4 inches longer than the female’s. Adult Red-billed Tropicbirds molt their streamer tails one at a time.

According to the literature, the streamer tail is purely ornamental and is used primarily in their complex courtship displays. Local knowledge refutes this claim, and I will refer to it later in this post.

So let’s talk breeding. The pair lays a single brown, speckled egg under a rock ledge or a rock crevice. There is no actual nest bowl or adornment.

This species breeds in a semicolonial manner. In Anguilla, birds nest in the same location with a significant distance between individual sites.

Both parents share incubation duties over a 42-to 44-day period. While one adult is incubating the egg, the other goes out to sea to forage. During incubation, shifts range from 1 to 12 days. The egg is not left unattended.

Returning adults arrive at the nest site at top speed, often with what appears to be a crash into the cavity. Thus, my kamakazi descriptor. Honestly, it is hard to explain. You have to see it to believe it. I often wonder why more birds are not injured.

But I digress!

Chicks are covered in gray down at hatch and are entirely dependent on both parents for food and protection. This is known as semi-altricial.1

The mother may consume the egg shell after hatching rather than carry it away from the nest. The shell provides a much-needed calcium boost after a long incubation period.

Once the chick hatches, feeding and foraging schedules change. Both parents share feeding duties.

“Red-billed tropicbirds feed their chicks partially digested and regurgitated fish and squid rather than whole, fresh prey. Adults carry the catch in their stomachs to the nest, then gently pass the nutrient-dense, semi-digested meals directly into the chick's bill.”

My research shows a complex feeding schedule. In the first two weeks, foraging shifts last from 1 to 3 days. While one parent is foraging, the other is brooding the helpless chick.

Peak feeding occurs in weeks two to four. At this point, the chick is old enough to be left alone for short periods, and both parents forage nearby for three to four hours at a time. They deliver consistent meals under 50 grams per feeding.

Beginning in week five and continuing until fledging, the parents forage farther from the nest site, leaving the chick alone for extended periods. The chick is fed only once a day. Meals are generally larger, around 127 grams, and consist of high-lipid prey such as Squid, Flying Fish, and Jacks.

Red-billed Tropicbirds usually fledge between 80 and 90 days. Once they leave the nest site, they do not return and are not fed by their parents.

Now that I have covered the breeding logistics for the Red-billed Tropicbird, I have a real treat to share with you.

Our “Roving Sea Reporter,” Patrick Webster, has taken me on his boat to show me “Trophy Bird Hill.” We have had extensive conversations about this species because Red-billed Tropicbirds are part of his daily fishing routine.

Despite the literature saying the opposite, Patrick assures me that he has frequently seen tropicbirds use their long streamer tails to attract fish in the water. He describes the bird floating on the sea, dipping its long tail in the water like bait. He says when the fish are attracted, the tropicbird brings its tail to the front of its body and grabs the fish. He describes it as similar to using a fishing rod.

I know fisherfolk are known for tales of the one that got away, but I am going to trust Patrick on this one!

Patrick also has some favorite fishing spots on the offshore cays. The Red-billed Tropicbirds are happy to share their nest sites with him several times a week. This week, he captured the photographs shown above of several nests on one of the stacks near Dog Island. Because he spends so much time in this spot, the birds are quite comfortable with him.

This week’s companion reel brings you inside the nest sites of these stunning birds. Patrick gives us some lovely views of the stack and the iron shore, where several other species are flying about.

Keep an eye out for those amazing streamer tails, birds on nests, and chicks at various stages of development. Be sure to watch all the way to the end for a moment you will never forget!

Many thanks to Patrick for sharing these intimate moments with Anguilla’s “Trophy Birds.”

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Citation

Orta, J., F. Jutglar, E. Garcia, and G. M. Kirwan (2020).Red-billed Tropicbird(Phaethon aethereus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.rebtro.01

(Note: this record needs to be updated)

Breeding Ecology of the Red-billed Tropicbird...

If you know me, you know my camera goes everywhere that I go. My theory is that you never know when a “Wild Side” moment will happen.

This practice came in handy this week as I was leaving J.W. Proctor’s grocery store. A pair of American Kestrels routinely hang out in the parking lot and the trees around it. I think they nest in part of the store itself.

While putting my loot in the car, I hear the familiar call of the species behind me. Kestrels are very vocal birds and are hard to miss. I located two birds in the tree behind me. It appeared they did a bit of their own grocery shopping in the form of a small chicken that was wandering around the parking lot.

This is bad news for the chicken, but good news for the photographer!

The two birds were perched on a branch, happily eating the carcass. The leaves camouflaged the birds, but the bird on the right appeared to be a juvenile. The individual on the left, an adult, was constantly alarm-calling and protecting the meal.

It’s quite possible I was interrupting a training moment for this young bird.

The moral of the story: be sure to have your camera ready for an unexpected moment in nature!

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The Wilson’s Plover is a breeding resident of Anguilla, and we are currently at the peak of their breeding season.

All About Birds shares this historical fact about the Wilson’s Plover:

“Ornithologist George Ord named Wilson's Plover for his friend, Alexander Wilson, often called “the father of American ornithology.” Wilson collected the type specimen in May 1813 at Cape May, New Jersey, where this species is only a rare visitor.”

Like many birds named after people, the Wilson’s Plover was set to be renamed in 2024. Thus far, the change has not happened. There is some speculation that it may revert to its historic nickname - the Thick-billed Plover. This name “references the bird's noticeably heavy, stout black bill used for cracking open fiddler crabs.” Time will tell if that actually happens.

Birds of the World provides a bit of background on this species:

“The Wilson's Plover is a medium-sized shorebird that is closely associated with coastal areas. It breeds along the Atlantic Coast from Virginia south, throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, to northwestern Brazil, and on the Pacific Coast from southern Baja California south to northern Peru. It has a single breast band and is easily distinguished from similar plovers by its heavy black bill and larger size.”

“The Wilson's Plover nests on sparsely to densely vegetated saline areas, including beaches above high tide, dune areas, and edges of lagoons. Breeding pairs are territorial during the nesting season, and may engage in group defense of their nesting areas. During the nonbreeding season, individuals congregate for roosting and foraging in groups ranging from a few birds to several hundred, primarily with other species of small plovers. Wilson's Plover feeds primarily on crustaceans, particularly fiddler crabs (Uca spp.), but it also feeds on insects, worms, and other invertebrates.”

Identification is as follows:

“In all plumages, the bill is all black, large, and heavy; the upperparts are generally grayish to grayish-brown; underparts white, with black to brownish breast band; and legs and feet pinkish-gray to pinkish. In breeding adults (Definitive Alternate Plumage), a gray-brown mantle is intermediate in color between the paler mantle of the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) and the darker mantle of the Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus). The breast band, lores, and forecrown are black in males, but gray-brown with a rufous tinge in females. Plumage varies geographically: West Indian and South American breeders show more rufous on the head and breast band; breeders on the Pacific Coast show darker upperparts, less white on the forehead and supercilium, a narrower breast band, and more rufous on the head and on the breast band in females.”

“Nonbreeding adults (Definitive Basic Plumage) resemble breeding females, but upperparts are on average grayer, with feathers margined paler, and the breast band may be incomplete. Juveniles and first year birds (Formative Plumage) are similar, but the breast band is less distinct or less complete, and pale margins on feathers of the upperparts create a more strongly scalloped pattern. First-spring (First Alternate) birds vary in appearance between Formative and Definitive Basic plumages. Newly fledged young appear to have a shorter tail and wing feathers, and also appear slightly smaller than adults (8).”

As far as breeding is concerned, the male makes multiple small scrapes in the sand. The female makes the final decision about which one is suitable to lay her eggs. Shells or other materials may be added to the scrape.

The nest clutch is generally fixed at 3 eggs. Around 2% of clutches contain four eggs. I have recorded at least two separate instances in which 4 eggs were present.

The eggs are cream or buff-colored with heavy spots and speckles.

Parents incubate the eggs for 25 to 30 days. Incubation is used to both keep warm and cool the eggs. When temperatures are high, like in Anguilla, they may wet their feathers to cool the eggs.

Chicks are born wet and are up and about within 1 to 2 hours of hatching. They are precocial and feed on their own.

Parents are very protective of their chicks and will vocalize when danger is present. During the first four weeks of life, chicks will flatten to the ground to blend into their surroundings when predators or other dangers are nearby.

If the nest is in a highly trafficked area, the female may lead the chicks into the bushes to protect them. They may move them as much as a mile from the nest site to provide a safe spot for them to mature.

Chicks are capable of flight at 31 to 35 days and fully fledge at 40 days. It is not uncommon for offspring to remain with the parents and become part of the large flock of the same species. Anguilla is a perfect example of that behavior, with large flocks gathering after the breeding season.

In this week’s companion reel, I share a few moments I captured in 2020 of a mating pair and a family with newly hatched chicks. My apologies for the camera shake. It was windy, and I wasn’t prepared with my tripod.

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Citation

Zdravkovic, M. G., C. A. Corbat, and P. W. Bergstrom (2023).Wilson’s Plover(Anarhynchus wilsonia), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.wilplo.01.1

All About Birds - Wilson's Plover

This week, I spent a few hours with our nesting Least Terns on Long Pond Important Bird Area.

I witnessed everything from pairs performing their mating rituals to families feeding young chicks. It’s still early in the breeding season, but there was a lot of activity.

Prepare yourself for some “Awe, isn’t that adorable” moments in this week’s Wild Side “Pond Cast.”

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Patrick Webster, our Roving Sea Reporter, captured a few close-up moments with a pod of Humpback Whales as they made their way through Anguilla’s waters.

Rough seas made it impossible for me to get out and see the whales myself this year. Luckily, Patrick captured a few minutes of footage while out fishing.

It’s a real challenge capturing footage from a moving boat. However, he got some close views of this group feeding along our northeast coast.

Until next year, safe travels.

Many thanks to Patrick Webster for capturing these “Wild Side” moments for us!

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Thousands of birds descend on our salt ponds and offshore cays annually to find a mate and raise their young. With the breeding season in full swing, my thoughts turn to how we can minimize human impact.

Seabirds like the tern shown in the photograph above leave life at sea only to breed. Resident species, including plovers and sandpipers, choose nesting sites, often at the same locations as the seabirds.

These birds do not stay within the confines of our wetlands. Beaches and parking lots are very much part of the mix for many species. In the early part of the season, eggs are laid in small scrapes in the sand. Once hatched, chicks unable to fly or defend themselves are vulnerable to predators, both natural and man-made.

With both sea and shorebirds suffering critical population declines, here are a few things we can all do to help these important species have a productive nesting season.

1. Keep Pets on a leash and away from nest sites.

   As a pet owner, I understand the importance of exercise. The opportunity to run free on what appears to be an empty beach can be appealing.

   The truth is, the beach is probably not empty. Hidden in the grasses and dunes are families in various stages of development.

   The island’s salt ponds may seem like smelly places devoid of life. In reality, they are active breeding colonies for a variety of species. 99% of those birds nest on the ground and are vulnerable to dogs running at will. Tragedies like the one in the photograph above are avoidable.

   Your dog thinks it is a fun game to chase birds. It’s like having hundreds of battery-operated toys all in one spot just for them. As they run through the colony, terrified adults are forced to abandon nests, leaving eggs to cook in the sun. Chicks unable to fly for several weeks after hatching are left with no escape route. (I will spare you the photographs of these outcomes. They are frequent, and they are not pretty.)

   Further, free-roaming cats account for billions of bird deaths each year. It is a classic predator/prey situation. Cats are programmed to eat birds. In Anguilla, many owned cats are allowed to run free.

   You can help nesting birds by keeping your cats inside and walking your dogs on a leash, and away from the birds.

   

2. Respect the warning signs from birds.

   Adult birds have one goal: to reproduce and fledge their young safely. To that end, they react when a predator, human or natural, gets too close.

   If a bird is vocalizing repeatedly, flies at your head, and/or pretends to have a broken wing (see photograph above), YOU ARE TOO CLOSE! They are sending the most direct message they have to back away and get out of their space.

   If you don’t back away, the next step may be a well-placed poop on your head! It’s all downhill from there, trust me!

   

3. Do not force birds to fly.

   After travelling long distances to reach our shores for breeding, birds are hungry and exhausted. They have a limited amount of time to accomplish the breeding cycle. Depending on the species, they may only have one chance to reproduce per season.

   Forcing them to fly makes them expend more energy and causes the same problems that occur in tip number 1. If they are flying around, they are not keeping their eggs and chicks safe. This leads me to the next tip.

   

4. Observe from a distance.

   Photographers want that “National Geographic” photo moment, and avid birders want the opportunity to get a close-up view of the colony. Getting too close to nesting birds disrupts the natural breeding process, making both photographers and birders unhappy. It also leads to all the problems I mentioned in the previous tips.

   Investing in a good pair of binoculars will give you great views without interrupting birds from their task at hand. Similarly, purchasing a good camera and a suitably long lens allows you to capture those precious parenting moments. They won’t even know you are there.

   If you don’t have an unlimited equipment budget, check out the more modern bridge cameras. I use Canon products, but other manufacturers have similar models. With practice and a tripod, you can get good results at a much lower price point.

   Using your car as a bird blind is another useful tool to view birds at a distance. An inexpensive car window camera mount is a must-have.

   

5. Pick up your trash

   While this seems like an intuitive point that we should be using year-round, some people have missed the memo. It is unseemly and unhealthy for our birds to live and breed in the debris fields we often see in our wetlands and on our beaches. I won’t belabour the point. IF YOU BROUGHT IT IN, CARRY IT OUT. Use a proper receptacle for your trash. Anguilla has public trash bins across the island just for this purpose. If you see trash that someone else left behind, please pick it up. (P.S. Even though a food container or bag is biodegradable, it still belongs in the trash!)

While these are not new concepts, I present them through the lens of Anguilla and its critical nesting sites. Every bird that reproduces safely in Anguilla helps to slow species decline.

Be a Bird Embassador:

My reach for this newsletter is limited. Sharing this post with others will help our birds thrive.

If you see someone engaging in the activities above, please let them know their actions may have consequences for our birds. They may not be aware that what they are doing is harmful to wildlife.

A successful breeding season for Anguilla’s resident and migratory birds depends on all of us. Thank you for giving them a fighting chance.

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https://www.birdscaribbean.org/2021/06/tips-for-sharing-the-shore-with-shorebirds/

(Dearest Wild Side Reader: This is a long post. If your email host truncates it, please click "View entire message” to see the full post. You can also download the Substack App for free.)

Spring Global Big Day/Migratory Bird Day in Anguilla is always about the seabirds that come to our wetlands and offshore cays to breed. 2026 was no exception as our Important Bird Areas were bustling with tern activity.

My first bird of the count came with the call of Sargasso Shearwaters, Pearly-eyed Thrashers, and a Yellow-crowned Night Heron on my waterfront before sunrise. The shearwaters have been active throughout the night and early morning hours for the last three weeks. I was lucky that they made their presence known when it literally counted! The way my luck runs, they might have taken the day off.

I headed out on the road to catch first light on Long Pond Bay and Long Pond Important Bird Area.

While most of our migratory land, water, and shorebirds have moved north for the summer, a few stragglers remain. Here they are dining among one of the many waves of Sargassum that have recently piled up on Anguilla’s shores.

Spotted Sandpipers are wearing their signature spots across our wetlands as they make plans to depart northward. Sandpipers like the ones seen above are also showing off their Spring plumage. Gone are the drab grays and soft browns. These intense colors are sure to help them find a mate.

Meanwhile, on Long Pond IBA, plovers and terns were out in large numbers.

Resident Royal Terns were forming pairs and performing their ritual mating dances.

The usual contingent of Snowy Plovers was busily trying to maneuver the annual tern invasion. I did manage to see one chick with an adult. I believe this is the same family I reported in eBird in April. The chick appears to be the correct age. I did not see the other two chicks. Hopefully, they were hiding.

Although their numbers are traditionally smaller than Snowy’s at this site, Wilson’s Plovers were present. I will keep an eye out for nest sites that are sure to appear soon.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a large number of Roseate Terns at the Long Pond site. Fifty-six individuals were recorded on Global Big Day, compared to the usual handful.

Many Roseate pairs were actively mating at this location.

You may recall I discussed the unsuccessful nesting attempt by Roseate Terns at the Gull Pond construction site last year. With nearby Scrub Island being the primary nesting site for this species, perhaps they will use Long Pond as a staging area this season.

The familiar call of Laughing Gulls was present across the island and most definitely strong on Long Pond and Long Pond Bay. This predatory bird is no friend to the terns or the plovers with eggs and chicks on the menu.

Least Terns remain an important species on Anguilla, as their presence contributes to the “Important Bird Area” designation given to many salt ponds here.

Large numbers were recorded on Long Pond. Both breeding pairs and young birds were present.

Road Salt Pond was another hot spot for Least Terns, where they have established nesting colonies in three distinct areas. The raft project has expanded this year, providing a safe location for birds to nest. The other two sites are sandy spits at opposite sides of the north end of the pond.

Couples were in various states of the breeding season. Some were mating and building scrapes. Others were already sitting on eggs.

I failed to mention that resident species, such as Black-necked Stilts, are nesting during this period as well. Road Salt Pond IBA is a common nest site for this species.

The adult female Stilt above had to run the gauntlet of attacking Least Terns to reach her eggs.

Despite looking a bit worse for wear and covered in tern poop, she eventually made it to her eggs. I expect it’s going to be a long month for this Momma!

Overall, it was a great Global Big Day/Migratory Bird Day on Anguilla. I recorded 51 species at 13 sites across the island. That landed Anguilla at number 16 for species in the West Indies.

At the time of writing this article, 8,023 species were recorded worldwide. In the West Indies region, 387 species were recorded.

I am happy to share my data with great partners like Wader Quest and Global Birding in the U.K. This is my second year contributing to the Swarovski Optik Women’s Team.

From the Global Birding results table above, you can see that the Swarovski Optic Women’s Team came in first, and the Wader Quest Team is third. Congratulations to everyone on their hard work!

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Today is the day!

I will be counting birds across Anguilla today, along with thousands of birders around the world, in celebration of Global Big Day and Migratory Bird Day!

So if you see a crazy woman with a camera and binoculars driving from pond to pond, don’t be alarmed. 😊

Stay tuned for the results.

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An interesting vocalization has been present in my yard for some time. Despite doing its best to be elusive, I finally caught it on my camera. It turns out that the voice belongs to the Black-whiskered Vireo.

Birds of the World provides the following highlights:

“This vocal yet sometimes elusive vireo, which breeds throughout the Caribbean Basin, is limited in the United States to coastal mangroves and hardwood forests of southern Florida. It resembles the closely related Red-eyed (Vireo olivaceus) and Yellow-green (V. flavoviridis) vireos in plumage, but can be distinguished from these by its black lateral throat stripe (so-called "whiskers") and browner back. Usually heard before the bird is seen, the song of this species is similar to that of the Red-eyed Vireo, but is sharper, with more abrupt pitch changes. A deliberate forager, the Black-whiskered Vireo gleans fruits and insects from the distal branches of trees and bushes, and occasionally hovers to obtain fruits. Its drab, greenish plumage and deliberate movement make it a difficult bird to observe in dense foliage.”

NAILED IT!

Identification is described as follows:

“Large vireo (15-16.5 cm), with olive brownish upperparts, whitish underparts, pale supercilium contrasting with grayish (U.S. populations) or brownish (s. West Indian populations) cap and broad, dusky eye-stripe, pale olive sides and flanks, lemon-yellow undertail coverts, and distinctive narrow dark lateral throat stripe just below malar region (Howell and Webb 1995). Sexes similar and plumages similar throughout year, but immatures average duller than adults, with buffier underparts, and also may show faint wing-bar (Ridgely and Gwynne 1989, Raffaele et al. 1998). Presence of black lateral throat stripe distinguishes this species from all other vireos within its range. During breeding season, also distinguished from all other sympatrically breeding vireos by its song-a series of short, melodious 2-3 syllabled phrases, each separated by a distinct pause (Raffaele et al. 1998).”

Two birds were present in the late afternoon, and keeping company with Gray Kingbirds and Caribbean Elaenias.

It was lovely to put a face and an identification with this common sound in my yard. These busy birds were tough to photograph. My apologies for the poor quality.

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Citation

Chace, J. F., B. L. Woodworth, and A. Cruz (2020).Black-whiskered Vireo(Vireo altiloquus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bkwvir.01

The Spring Migration is on and getting more exciting!

More than 750 MILLION birds are predicted to be on the move this weekend.

For those of you in the USA, BirdCast is a great way to monitor what is happening. From Live Maps to Forecast Maps, you will be fully informed. You can even find out what is happening in your neck of the woods by entering your US state or county.

We’ve taken care of them here in Anguilla over the Fall and Winter. Now it’s up to you. Let’s wish these intrepid travelers a safe and productive breeding season in the USA and Canada!

Can’t get to see the migrants in person? Check out the birds arriving in Delaware Bay. I highlighted this site in a previous post titled "How a Ruddy Turnstone’s Epic Journey Connects Delaware and Anguilla."

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