WEST INDIES & BERMUDA 
tablished population at Anegada, British Vir- 
gin Islands. Two Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned 
Hawks fledged from a nest in the Maricao S.P 
20 Jun (MJM). Two Red-tailed Hawks contin- 
ued at Morgan’s Pt., Bermuda through the pe- 
riod (AD). A Peregrine Falcon was seen in 
Bermuda over Hamilton 14 Jun (PA) and near 
the Whaler Inn 1 Jul (DBW). 
A pair of Caribbean Coots was seen in Bar- 
bados 11 Jul (EM, RLN). Common Moorhens 
suspected of nesting were noted near 
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 28 Jun (JAS-F). At 
least 3 Southern Lapwings were seen at vari- 
ous locations 10-12 Jul from the sw. to n. por- 
tions of Barbados (EM, RLN). Two Black- 
necked Stilts were noted 18-25 Jun at various 
Bermuda locations (DG), and 3 Semipalmat- 
ed Plovers were seen 11 Jun at Spanish Pt. 
(EA). Migrant shorebirds seen in Jun in the 
Bahamas included 15 Black-bellied Plovers 
and 6 Semipalmated Plovers (TW). At Green 
Turtle Cay, Abaco 5 Jun, there were 40 Black- 
bellied Plovers (EB, BB). At Pineros L, Puerto 
Rico, a Wilson’s and a Semipalmated Plover 
were seen 27 Jun OAS-F, JMW, RLW). At 
Playa Matias, Vieques L, Puerto Rico, Wilson’s 
Plovers with chicks were noted 11 Jul QAS- 
F). Two Piping Plovers were at Discovery 
Beach, Grand Bahama 29 Jul (BP, NB). A sur- 
vey looking for American Oystercatchers in 
the Bahamas 20 Jun through 16 Jul found 
none from Brush Cay to Cross Cay e. of 
Grand Bahama but found probable nesters in 
the Berry Is. on White Cay and Soldier Cay, 
and in the Exuma Cays on Flat Rock Cay, Leaf 
Cay, Bushhill Cay, Zebu Cay, and Whitebay 
Cay KH)- A pair of American Oyster- 
catchers was on Cayo Diablo, Puerto Rico 27 
Jun 0AS-F,JMW, RLW). 
Migrant shorebirds seen in Jun in the Ba- 
hamas included 8 Ruddy Turnstones and 14 
Short-billed Dowitchers at Green Turtle Cay, 
Abaco 5 Jun (EB, BB), and a White-rumped 
Sandpiper, a Semipalmated Sandpiper, and a 
Short-billed Dowitcher at Southwest Ridge, 
Nassau 6 Jun (PD, LL). A Greater Yellowlegs 
was at South Hoffman Cay, Berry Is. 23 Jun 
(JK, KH), and 2 Western Sandpipers were at 
Crossing Rocks, Abaco 26Jun (EB, HP); both 
could have been instances of summering. The 
first Bermuda fall migrant shorebirds noted in 
Jul included a Lesser Yellowlegs at Devon- 
shire Marsh 10 Jul (EA) and a Spotted Sand- 
piper there 15 Jul (EA, DBW). At Grenada, 
PHo noted a Spotted Sandpiper 21 Jul. Other 
southbound shorebirds begin arriving in the 
Bahamas in the 2nd half of Jul were Greater 
Yellowlegs 26 Jul, Lesser Yellowlegs 18 Jul, 
Solitary Sandpiper 25 Jul, Spotted Sandpiper 
25 Jul, Least Sandpiper 18 Jul, Stilt Sandpiper 
28 Jul, and Short-billed Dowitcher 26 Jul (PD, 
BP, TH). A single Lesser Yellowlegs was noted 
at Josiah’s Bay pond, Tortola, British Virgin Is- 
lands 18 Jul (RLN). The Common Green- 
shank that arrived 23 May departed Spittal 
Pond, Bermuda 1 Jun (KR). At Jaluva Beach, 
Vieques L, an early Spotted Sandpiper in 
breeding plumage was seen 11 Jul (JAS-F). A 
Whimbrel in the Cabo Rojo N.W.R. was re- 
ported 18 Jul (MJM). A few Whimbrels sum- 
mered in Salinas, Puerto Rico, especially at Jo- 
bos Bay OAS-F). At Congo Rd. swamp, a 
Least Sandpiper was present 10 Jul (EM, 
RLN). In Bermuda, 2 Semipalmated Sand- 
pipers were at St. Georges Dairy 25 Jun (EA), 
and a Solitary Sandpiper was at Devonshire 
Marsh 30 Jun-2 Jul (DW). A Solitary Sand- 
piper at Packers swamp, Barbados 10 Jul was 
considered early (EM, RLN). 
A hrst-cycle Great Black-backed Gull at Bi- 
mini 9 Jun (BP) was the first summer record 
for this species in the Bahamas. Seventy-five 
ad. Laughing Gulls (with 30 young) were not- 
ed at Southwest Ridge but possibly nested 
elsewhere (PD, TH). An ad. Franklin’s Gull 
was at Dockyard, Bermuda 9-22 Jun (DBW). 
A second-cycle Franklin’s Gull was at Spittal 
Pond, Bermuda 26-31 Jul and later (DBW). A 
Gray-hooded Gull, the West Indies’ first 
record (and second for the Americas), was 
photographed at Barbados 31 May-5 Jun 
(EM). A Ring-billed Gull stayed until 13 Jun 
at Dockyard, Bermuda (DBW); a Forster’s 
Tern was there 21 Jun (PH), and a Roseate 
Tern there 24-26 Jun (AD). Four Roseates 
were seen off Oistings Beach, Barbados 11 Jul 
(EM, RLN). In their slow recovery' from Hur- 
ricane Fabian (Bermuda 2003), five pairs of 
Common Terns raised 12 young (DBW). 
Least Terns nested on New Providence at 
Southwest Ridge (15+ nests) and Blue Water 
Cay (a few nests). Three pairs of Least Terns 
were probably nesting on dried Diablo La- 
goon, Puerto Rico 11 Jul QSA-F). A Least 
Tern was seen near Oistings, Barbados 1 1 Jul 
(RLN, EM). Bridled Terns nested on Don’t 
Rock and Least Terns on Spoil 1. off Guana 
Cay in Abaco Sound (EB). A 19 Jun survey of 
Great Isaac n. of Bimini found 568 Bridled 
Tern nests, 1380 Sooty Tern nests, 64 Brown 
Noddy nests, six Roseate Tern nests, eight 
Least Tern nests, and 83 Laughing Gull nests. 
The results were similar to last year’s survey 
except that Least Tern was not seen last year. 
The Bridled Tern colony is one of the largest 
in the Bahamas and argues for Great Isaac to 
be designated a National Park KH). 
Breeding at Cayo Diablo and Cayo Lobos near 
Pineros L, Puerto Rico, there were 10 Bridled 
Terns, 30 Sooty Terns, 100 Brown Noddies, 
and 100 Laughing Gulls in La Cordillera Na- 
ture Reserve 27 Jun OAS-F, JMW, RLW). 
PIGEONS THROUGH 
WEAVER FINCHES 
A small but growing population of Pied Im- 
perial-Pigeons (Ducula bicolor) now exists on 
e. New Providence L, Bahamas. Three pigeons 
(a female and 2 males) were released in 1996 
in the East Bay section of Nassau. By 2007, 
the flock numbered 28 birds; in 2009, it was 
estimated at 40-50. The flock roosts near the 
point of release but feeds throughout e. New 
Providence. A resident of northern Australia 
and New Guinea, the species lays a single egg 
and is a fruit-eater, characteristics that will 
keep it from increasing as rapidly as has the 
seed-eating, two-egg-laying Eurasian Col- 
lared-Dove (DK, TH, PD, TW). A pair of Rock 
Pigeons was near Greenville, Grenada 27 Jul 
(PHo). On 27 Jun, at Pineros L, Puerto Rico, 
2 Key West Quail-Doves were heard QAS-F, 
JMW, RLW). Two White-winged Doves were 
seen at Josiah’s Bay pond, Tortola, British Vir- 
gin Islands 18 Jul (RLN, KD). A Yellow-billed 
Cuckoo was at Big Pond, Nassau 14 Jul (PD). 
Two Mangrove Cuckoos were seen at 
Greenville, Grenada 27 Jul (PHo). 
Second-hand reports and posted signs indi- 
cate that there are active Burrowing Owl 
colonies on North and South Bimini, Ba- 
hamas (fide BP). Antillean Nighthawks were 
found nesting on Zebu Cay (also called North 
Adderly Cay), Noddy Cay, and Whitebay Cay 
in the Exumas and on Fowl Cay in the Berry 
Is. KH)- Reports from the Biminis are 
rare, so a report of 30+ Antillean Nighthawks 
15 Jul was noteworthy (BP). Chuck-will’s- 
widows were reported singing in summer on 
Grand Bahama (JK, KH), Abaco (EB), and 
New Providence (CW, TH, PD), indicating 
nesting on these islands. A Belted Kingfisher 
at Clifton Cay, New Providence 23 Jul (TH) 
was early. Black Swifts were noted at Barbados 
11 Jul (EM, RLN). 
More than 8 Thick-billed and 10 Black- 
whiskered Vireos were noted 15 Jul at South 
Bimini (BP). Early swallows included 6 Tree 
Swallows and 2 Cliff Swallows at St. Georges 
Dairy, Bermuda 29 Jul (PW). Moving through 
the Bahamas a bit late was a Tree Swallow not- 
ed at the Treasure Cay dump, Abaco 10 Jun 
(EB), and 2 Barn Swallows were noted at 
Crossing Rocks, Abaco 15 Jun (EB, S&SG). 
Early arrivals in the Bahamas included 2 Barn 
Swallows at the cattle farm. Grand Bahama 26 
Jul (BP). A single Bare-eyed Robin was seen 
near Greenville, Grenada 27 Jul (PHo). Late- 
departing migrants included a Blackpoll War- 
bler at Adelaide, New Providence 1 Jun (PD, 
TH) and a Common Yellowthroat at Double- 
blocked L., Abaco 3 Jun (EB). Early arrivals 
included a Black-throated Blue Warbler at 
Flat Rock Reef Cay, Exumas 16 Jul (JK, KH) 
664 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
