WEST INDIES & BERMUDA 
r" ^ Hurricane Ike, a Category 3 storm, passed dirertly over American Flamingo colonies in the Bahamas and Cuba on 7 & 
,.i I ; 8 Sep. The flamingos at Great Inagua, Bahamas had completed breeding, and most left the area before the storm. A 
check after the storm found about 30 birds that had suffered broken legs; these birds were euthanized (TR). In Oct, the for- 
aging areas still had natural food supplies, and flamingos were feeding in these areas. The birds were observed courting two 
weeks earlier than usual, and they are expected to breed on Inagua in 2009 (NC). 
In Cuba's Rio Maximo flamingo refuge, hundreds of fledglings and ads. still sitting on nests were killed. The field center 
was also destroyed along with other infrastructure. A preliminary report stated; "The destruction was so severe that it has 
been impossible to estimate the effects on the breeding colony" (JML, MT). (This report was taken in part from Flamingo, Bul- 
letin of the lUCN Flamingo Specialist Group #16). 
Great Inagua is also home to a large population of endangered Cuban (Bahama) Parrots. The parrots appear to have sur- 
vived the direct impact of the storm and resorted to eating fallen fruits off the ground and later fresh growth among the 
branches. Seven weeks after the storm, most plants had grown new leaves, and flowers and fruits were starting to emerge, 
but there must have beerr a period of food shortage. In Nov, the low density of parrots observed precluded making a popu- 
lation estimate. Another threat to the parrots is the loss of nesting trees. Eight of 21 (38%) nesting trees that were checked 
were damaged so badly they could no longer be used for nesting. The Bahamas National Trust is installing nesting boxes on 
the island, but there is no assurance that the parrots will use them (CS). 
seen on Laguna Puerto Diablo, Vieques 
N.W.R. 13 Sep (DG). 
American Golden-Plovers usually bypass 
the Bahamas on their way to wintering areas. 
They normally are reported about once every 
four years, so it was exceptional to receive re- 
ports of 3 this season. One was at Southwest 
Ridge, New Providence 1 Sep, a different one 
there 10 Sep (PD, TH, WP), and one was at 
the egg farm on Grand Bahama 13-16 Sep 
(BP, ph. EB). Eleven American Golden- 
Plovers were seen 5-15 Sep at Ensenada 
Sombe, Vieques (DG). A Collared Plover 15 
Aug at Pointe des Chateaux furnished the 3rd 
record for Guadeloupe (AL). Two Piping 
Plovers at Treasure Cay, Abaco 1 Aug (TH) 
were the earliest reported; the high count in 
the Bahamas was 74 Piping Plovers found 
along the beaches between Stafford and 
Cargill Creeks, North Andros 24-25 Nov 
(CW, PM). There were also 5 at Green Turtle 
Cay, Abaco 8 Oct, 10 there 18 Oct (both EB), 
and 8 at South Beach, New Providence 28 
Nov (TH). Single Piping Plovers in Bermuda 
were seen at Horseshoe Bay 3 Oct QM) and 
Cooper’s I. 13 Oct (AD). A Willet was seen at 
North Pond, Bermuda 14 Aug (EA), and 2 
were at Boca Quebrada, Vieques 9 Sep (DG). 
An Upland Sandpiper was at the Treasure Cay 
dump, Abaco 2 Aug (TH), one was noted in 
Botanical Gardens, Bermuda 3 Aug (K&RL), 
and 2 at Pole-Caraibes Airport 25 Aug pro- 
vided the earliest date for Guadeloupe (AL). 
A radio-tagged Whimbrel left Virginia 17 Aug 
and arrived on Mayaguana L, Bahamas 3 Sep. 
It stayed until 26 Sep, surviving Hurricanes 
Hanna and Ike there, and reached Guyana 30 
Sep (B. D. Watt, Center for Conservation Bi- 
ology, College of William 61 Mary, Virginia). 
A Ruddy Turnstone nicknamed “Luc” re- 
turned to Petit- Terre N.R., Guadeloupe for its 
174 
8th winter 16 Sep (AS). Five Red Knots were 
seen 18 km off Bermuda 27 Oct (PW), and 
over 15 were at Green Turtle Cay, Abaco 29 
Sep (EB). Two Sanderlings were at Cayo de 
Tierra, Vieques 7 Sep (DG). Thirty White- 
rumped Sandpipers were at Southwest Ridge, 
New Providence 1 Sep (PD, TH), and over 
500 Pectoral Sandpipers were at Reef G.C., 
Grand Bahama 22 Aug (BP), On Guadeloupe, 
a record 185 Pectoral Sandpipers were at St. 
Francois G.C. 16 Sep, and 2 were seen at 
Gaschet Res. 27 Nov (AL). A Pectoral Sand- 
piper was at Ensenada Sombe, Vieques 5 Sep 
(DG). A Stilt Sandpiper 28 Nov at Harrold 
First found 19 October 2008 (here) at Bright Hall, St. Lucy 
Parish, Barbados, this White-winged Tern marked the fifth 
record of this Old World species for Barbados. Photograph 
by Eddie Massiah. 
and Wilson Ponds N.P., New Providence was 
late (PD, AW). A Buff-breasted Sandpiper on 
Port Royal G.C., Bermuda 11 Sep was joined 
by another 13 Sep (AD). Single birds were 
was also at Pole-Caraibes Airport, Guade- 
loupe 13 Sep (AL) and near North Pt., Barba- 
dos 21 Sep (EBM). A Ruff was reported at the 
egg farm. Grand Bahama 12 Sep (p.a., BP), 
but as yet, no documentation has been re- 
ceived. Two Short-billed Dowitchers were on 
Port Royal G.C. ponds, Bermuda 18 Nov+ 
(AD). 
Four Pomarine Jaegers were seen from the 
St. Georges Ferry off Bermuda’s North Shore 6 
Oct (WS). A Black-headed Gull 23-24 Sep 
provided the earliest Bermuda fall record by 
about one month (PW). Another was at St. 
Lucy, Barbados 18 Nov (MF et al.). A Lesser 
Black-backed Gull was at Pointe des 
Chateaux 30 Sep (ED) and at Saint Francois 
17 Oct (AL), both Guadeloupe, while anoth- 
er was at St. Lucy, Barbados 18 Nov (MF et 
al.). Up to 40 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were 
at the Freeport Dump, Grand Bahama 22 Nov 
(BP). An imm. Sabine’s Gull was found dead 
in Sargassum at Flatts Inlet, Bermuda 21 Nov 
(CF). A Gull-billed Tern at Ensenada Sombe 
Sep 5 made a first record for Vieques (DG). 
Five Sandwich Terns were in Laguna Sombe, 
Vieques 5 Sep (DG). Purdy visited remote 
Northwest Cay, Hogsty Reef between Acklins 
1. and Great Inagua, Bahamas 5 Aug and 
found 1000+ pairs of Sooty Terns, 150+ pairs 
of Brown Noddies, and 10+ pairs of Brown 
Boobies. A few pairs of Roseate and Sandwich 
Terns were flying overhead. At Bird I. off the 
nw. tip of Crooked I. 6 Aug, he found 75+ 
pairs of Sooty Terns, 10+ pairs of Royal Terns, 
and five pairs of Least Terns. A Caspian Tern 
first seen 24 Aug remained on New Provi- 
dence through the fall (ph. TH, m.ob.). An 
Arctic Tern, a first for Barbados, was seen and 
photographed at Golden Grove, St. Philip 22 
Oct (EBM). A White-winged Black Tern, fur- 
nishing a 5th record for Barbados, and a Black 
Tern were at Bright Hall, St. Lucy 19 Oct 
(EBM). A Black Tern was also present on Spit- 
tal Pond, Bermuda 2-7 Oct (KR), and there 
were 4 at L. Killarney, New Providence 6 Sep 
(PD, TH). A Black Skimmer was at West End, 
Grand Bahama 2 Nov (BP), 
DOVES THROUGH ORIOLES 
A Eurasian Collared-Dove was present at 
Pointe des Chateaux, Guadeloupe 15 Aug-25 
Oct (AL). CW found single Zenaida Doves at 
Coral Harbour, New Providence 16 Sep and 
Paradise I. 26 Nov. An Eared Dove was at 
Pointe des Chateaux, Guadeloupe 10 Sep 
(AL). At least 5 Cuban (Bahama) Parrots per- 
sist in Nassau; they appear to be from the 
Abaco population and may be wild birds that 
flew to New Providence (CS, LG). Single Yel- 
low-billed Cuckoos were noted on Grand Ba- 
hama 12 & 18 Oct and 1 & 6 Nov (all BP), 
and on Abaco 27 Oct and 8 Nov (EB). Sever- 
al Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were noted 
in Bermuda: one was in a St. George’s garden 
16 Oct (PW), 2 were seen at Tee Street 3 Oct 
(WS), and one was present 2-20 Nov in a 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
