No luck with the Pewee!

April 17, 2016

By: Michael Ryan

I have not gone birding for some time so I decided load up my binos and camera, and look specifically for a very rare bird in St. Kitts, and last sighted in the 1980’s, the Lesser Antillean Pewee. I chose the area in the woods well to the South of the Christophe Harbour’s Pavilion restaurant. It is a lovely and peaceful area, almost an image of what an ideal birding trail should look like!

I went for about 2 hours Saturday afternoon, April 16 and another couple of hours the following morning. Regretfully, no Pewee’s were sighted, but dozens of Black-Whiskered Vireos, were spotted, which was surprising as they can often be difficult to sight. Of course, many of the “normal” and common birds were seen, including Caribbean Elaenias, several Lesser Antillean Flycatchers, Yellow Warblers, Bullfinches, Grassquits, White-winged and Zenaida doves, Bananaquits , Antillean Crested Hummingbirds and once on each day, a Norther Parula. The Parula was sighted late in the afternoon, and was in brilliant plumage in the setting sun, but unfortunately it flew off before I could snap a picture. Still, I managed to take a few good photographs overall. One very notable observation was that not one Grey Kingbird was spotted over the two days. This was really surprising as they are normally very common in that area! Still, while it not very productive from a birding prospective, it was extremely relaxing!

When I finished birding just before midday, I decided to go for a quick swim at Friar’s Bay, and while passing the Friar’s Bay pond, noticed it was full of birds! Lots of Blacked-necked Stilts, Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs, White-cheeked Pintails, etc., and of course, lots of Grey Kingbirds!