The 7^th annual Christmas Bird Count took place on Grand Bahama Island on Friday, December 15^th. Weather conditions on that day were less than ideal and windy weather caused many small bird species to hide in dense underbrush and retreat far into the pine forest. However, the teams were able to observe and record an amazing number of birds from sunrise to sunset within a 7 mile radius – 93 different species in total!

There were two sightings that caused much excitement among the birders – a Ross’s Goose on the Reef Golf Course and a Bufflehead duck on the Ruby Golf Course.(click PHOTOS below) The Ross’s Goose that migrated here from the Arctic Circle is a first record for the Caribbean region as their migratory pass usually takes them much further west into Texas, New Mexico and California. The Bufflehead duck breeds from Alaska throughout Canada and migrates south as far as northern Florida, Texas, Mexico and Baja California. The only sighting of a Bufflehead was in Eleuthera many years ago.

This year’s Christmas Bird Count welcomed many visiting birders and experts to Grand Bahama. Some spent almost a week her because of the abundant variety of birdlife that has rebounded after three devastating hurricanes. Visiting birders also enjoy sharing their expertise with members from the local birding community and lasting bonds of common interest are created.

One of the most respected visiting birders is Bruce Hallett from Atlanta, Georgia, whose interest and preoccupation with birds have taken him to some of the most remote regions of the world. For the past several years, however, he has concentrated his travels to the islands of the Bahamas, photographing and writing about our bird life.

His wonderful photos can be found in the 1998 American Birding Association’s “A Birder’s Guide to the Bahama Islands”. Just this year Bruce produced the first comprehensive book for the region, entitled “Birds of the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos Island”. His book introduces both visitors and residents to the bird life of the islands. Through his outstanding color photography and informative text, emphasis is placed on how to recognize and identify each species. Bruce devotes his book entirely to the birds of this region and I would like to congratulate and thank him on behalf of the birding community of Grand Bahama for his contribution. The book is a “Must” for every birder or those that want to learn about birds in the Bahamas. (www.macmillan-carribbean.com)

Again, as for the past seven years, Grand Bahama has contributed valuable information to the longest running database in ornithology by participating in this year’s Christmas Bird Count. More than 50,000 observers in many countries participated and the primary objective is to monitor the status and distribution of bird populations. When counts are entered into the database, we begin to gain a clearer picture of how bird populations have changed over the past 100 years. The information is also vital for conservation as local trends in bird populations can indicate environmental threats, such as ground water contamination or habitat degradation.   

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