SECOND NEW BIRD FOR ST.KITTS IN 2018

By Michael Ryan

Steve Mlodinow visited St. Kitts in March 2018, as is a checker for E-bird. Not only did he see 72 birds in one day, an unofficial local record for St.Kitts, he also saw 2 Bonaparte Gulls, which was reported on earlier.

However, while birding during his stay in St.Kitts, he heard what was thought to be a Kentucky Warbler, but was not 100% certain. So being a determined birder, Steve revisited the same area a day or two later, and again he heard the call of what he was sure was a Kentucky Warbler, so he recorded the sounds. He then sent the recording to both Michael O’Brien and Andrew Spencer, two of North America’s foremost bird sound experts. The recorded ID was supported and confirmed by them, and so the presence of the Kentucky Warbler has now been confirmed.

Bird watching practice allows for a bird to be identified either by a visual sighting, or by hearing its call or song. And while the Kentucky Warbler was not actually seen, its call has been identified and confirmed by experts!

The displayed picture was a generic image taken from the Web.

The Kentucky Warbler has already been spotted in Nevis, but there is no record that I have found, for it having been recorded in St. Kitts, until now. Chalk up another new bird for St. Kitts!