MAPPING ABACO, BAHAMAS: ON THE MAP IN 1702

May 20, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

MAPPING ABACO: ON THE MAP IN 1702

In the Old World, 1702 was a turbulent year politically, royally, and militarily. Treaties made were broken; new treaties were made. Queen Anne succeeded to the throne of England after William III died of complications after falling off his horse. Anne went on to have 17 children, any one of whom would have secured the succession, but the extraordinary and sad fact is that none survived beyond childhood. In the New World, English troops were abroad, attacking St Augustine in (then-Spanish) Florida.

Meanwhile in the world of cartography, the development of mapping continued apace with the Dutch retaining their pre-eminence, and the French and British making important contributions. Which brings me to Samuel Thornton, hydrographer, and his mapping ways. He was the son of the more famous cartographer, John Thornton, considered the principal English chart-maker of the late c17. As his father aged, a degree of uncertainty seems to have crept in over the authorship of Thornton maps. It is clear that after John’s death in 1708, Samuel took over the business and reissued maps under his own name, sometimes with little alteration other than the name in the cartouche. However there was possibly a ‘grey area’ for a few years before, when the same practice applied.

Samuel Thornton’s ‘…New Chart of the Bahama Islands and the Windward Pafsage (sic)’ is thought originally to date from c1702, when presumably the enjoyably colourful Cartouche (above) in fact bore his father’s name. The map covers an extensive geographical area besides the Bahamas, with the Florida coastline revealed as remarkably unpopulated. Zeroing in on the northern Bahamas (and as is usual with historic maps), certain features stand out, not least with spelling. Andros was written Androfs (sic). The Bahama Banck (sic) is shown to extend quite a long way north of Abbaco (sic) and Grand Bahama (shown as Bahama I). And as noted in earlier posts relating to Abaco’s history (see links below), ‘Hole in the Rock’ (ie Wall) is the only mainland location marked. This was not because there was any sizeable settlement there, but because for at least a century beforehand, Abaco’s most notable topographic feature was a significant and instantly recognisable navigation marker for shipping at the southern end of the island.

One problem with Samuel Thornton’s reissues of his father’s maps was that flaws an original map from which a reproduction was derived went uncorrected. For example if you look at the header image of the full map, there’s a dark band right down the centre of the map, which persisted in later versions. More importantly, there was probably little or no correction of errors that new expeditions in the area might have revealed. Be that as it may, the Thornton map plays a significant role in the mapping of the Bahama Islands and beyond, and marks the start of an increasing sophistication as the new century progressed.

RELATED POSTS

MAPPING ABACO Bahamas and Florida in the c17

MAPPING ABACO Bellin’s Map 1764

MAPPING ABACO A journey back to c18

A HISTORY OF HOLE-IN-THE-WALL IN MAPS

FAIRY BASSLET (‘MIND YOUR GRAMMA’): BAHAMAS REEF FISH

May 14, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

FAIRY BASSLET (‘MIND YOUR GRAMMA’): BAHAMAS REEF FISH (33)

The Fairy Basslet is a tiny brightly-coloured fish with a pretentious alternative name. It is otherwise known as the Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto). These fish are found in the coral reefs of the (sub)tropical western Atlantic. They are also found in aquariums anywhere you like, being small, bright, placid and generally good-natured.

Conveniently, the basslet is unlikely to be confused with any other species. Its striking two-tone colour scheme of purple and yellow is hard to miss. The purple front half (which is presumably where the ‘royal’ comes from, being a regal or imperial colour) may also be violet or even blue in some fish and / or in some light conditions. Another identification pointer is a black spot on the dorsal fin.

You’ll notice that the basslet above appears to be upside down. Which is because it is – this isn’t an inadvertent photo-flip. These little fish tend to orientate themselves to be parallel with the closest surface. This leads to them happily swimming upside down, or aligning vertically. As one article I read says severely, “this behaviour is not to be mistaken for illness”.

Fairy basslets / royal grammas are also CLEANER FISH. They pick parasites and dead skin off larger fish that visit so-called cleaning stations to be attended to by tiny fish and cleaner shrimps. The basslets also their customer’s gills and even their teeth. The deal is that, in return, the large fish do not eat the cleaners, even the snack-sized ones rootling around inside their mouths.

MUTUALISM

The relationship is a good example of mutualism, a type of symbiotic relationship where both species involved benefit from their interactions. Think also of cattle egrets and cows.

WHAT ABOUT BREEDING?

I really can’t improve on this rather touching description from Wiki:

“The male will build the nest among rocks using pieces of algae. The male will then lead the female to the nest, where she will deposit 20-100 eggs in the nest. During the breeding period, this behaviour is repeated almost every day for a month or longer. The eggs are equipped with small protuberances over the surface with tiny threads extending from them which hold onto the algae of the nest and keep the eggs in place. The eggs will hatch in five to seven days, normally in the evening…”

HOW COME THE NAME ‘GRAMMA LORETO’?

This official name became a brainworm with me after I started this post. I had to check it out. The ‘Gramma’ part simply denotes a member of the genus of fishes in the family Grammatidae.

The Loreto part is more mysterious. It is an an ancient town in Italy; and the name of several British schools, including – almost too good to be true – a school called Loreto Grammar. But it was also the name of Señorita Loreto Martínez, who caught the ‘type specimen’ while fishing in the bay at Matanzas, Cuba.

MISC

I failed to be able to resist finding out whether any country of the world has a purple and yellow flag. The answer is, no. However I am delighted to be able to report that the flag of the Independent Party of Uruguay is basslet-coloured.

Credits: all fantastic photos by Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba; magpie pickings of an unacademic sort for facts and speculation

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER . ABACO . BAHAMAS

April 23, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER

Abaco has two permanently resident woodpecker species, the WEST INDIAN WOODPECKER and the HAIRY WOODPECKER. There is a third, migratory woodpecker species that is a fairly common winter resident, the yellow-bellied sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius.

Like its woodpecker cousins, the sapsucker drills holes in trees (see below). The dual purpose is to release the sap, which it eats, and to attract insects that it also eats. A two-course meal, if you like. They’ll also eat insects on an undrilled tree, and even ‘hawk’ for them in flight. They balance their diet with fruit and berries.

The distinctive patterns of sapsucker holes may completely encircle the trunk of a tree with almost mathematical precision. This is sometimes described as ‘girdling’ and may have a damaging effect on a tree, sometimes even killing it if the bark is severely harmed. This may require preventive measures in orchards for example, though note that in the US Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are listed and protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act so radical action is prohibited.

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER SOUNDS

DRUMMING (Xeno-Canto / Richard Hoyer)

CALL (Xeno-Canto / Jonathon Jogsma)

On Abaco, palms are the favourite trees for sapsuckers. There are several palms along the 3/4-mile long curved beach at Delphi. Below is a coconut palm that has seen plenty of sapsucker action, with the drill holes girdling the entire trunk from top to bottom.

In their breeding grounds yellow-bellied sapsuckers excavate a large cavity in a softwood tree as a nest. They mate for life, and often return to the same nest every year, with the pair sharing nesting duties. I have no idea whether the pair migrate south for the winter together, or whether they agree to take a break from each other. I’d like to think it’s the former…

Credits: Photos Gerlinde Taurer, Tom Sheley, RH; Cornell Lab (Range Map) & Xeno-Canto (YBS recordings as credited above)

Featured in ‘Guide to the Birds of Abaco’ by Keith Salvesen, pp 242-3

‘TELLIN TIME’ – RISE AND SHINE: ABACO SEASHELLS

April 16, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

‘TELLIN TIME’ – RISE AND SHINE: ABACO SEASHELLS

SUNRISE TELLINS Tellina Radiata

These very pretty shells, with their striking pink radials, are sometimes known as ‘rose-petal shells’. They are always tempting to pick up from the sand. The ‘hinges’ (muscles) are very delicate, however, and with many of these shells that wash up on the beach the two halves have separated naturally.

Sunrise tellins are not uncommon, and make good beachcombing trophies They can grow up to about 7 cms / 2.75 inches, and the colouring is very varied, both outside and inside.

TELLIN: THE TRUTH

The occupant of these nice shells is a type of very small clam. They live on the sea-floor, often buried in the sand and with the lid (mostly) shut. When they die (or their shells are bored into by a predator and they are eaten) the shells eventually wash up empty on the beach. There’s not much more to say about them – they perform no tricks and are believed to have vanilla sex lives. Other small clams are quite inventive, doing backflips and copulating with enthusiasm.

Inside Story… not much to tell except (a) very pretty & (b) possible predator bore-hole top right

WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO KNOW ABOUT THEM?

These clamlets have 5 tiny teeth to chew up their staple diet, mainly plant material
These include one ‘strong’ tooth and one ‘weak’ one, though it isn’t clear why. How someone found this fact out remains a mystery
Tellins are native to the Caribbean and north as far as Florida
They live mainly in quite shallow water, but have been found as deep as 60 foot
They have no particular rarity value, and are used for marine-based crafting.

TELLIN LAW

You know those lovely tellins you collected during your holiday and took back home to your loved ones? You did take them, didn’t you? You may have committed a crime! In the Bahamas there is no specific prohibition on the removal of tellin shells, certainly not for personal use… but the general rule – law, even – seems to be “in most countries it is illegal to bring back these shells from holidays”.

Linnaean Examples

As ever, the very excellent Bahamas Philatelic Bureau has covered seashells along with all the other wildlife / natural history stamp sets they have produced regularly over the years. The sunrise tellin was featured in 1995. You can find more – much more – on my PHILATELY page.

All photos Keith Salvesen / Rolling Harbour; Rhonda Pearce, O/S Linnean Poster, O/S BPB stamp

TERN TERN TERN: THE 12 SPECIES RECORDED FOR ABACO, BAHAMAS

April 1, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

There are twelve species of tern – ‘swallows of the sea’ – that to a greater or lesser extent may be found on Abaco. Whether they will actually be visible at any given time is less certain, though. For a start, the only resident species is the lovely Royal Tern, available at many locations on Abaco and the cays throughout the year. Others are migratory, transitory or – rarest of all – vagrant birds blown off-course by wind or storm.

ROYAL TERNS Thalasseus maximus PR1

Royal Tern, Abaco Bahamas (Keith Salvesen)

In the slightly less commonly-found category are the summer migrant terns that, by definition, are only in residence for around half the year. Four of these are fairly common in certain areas, and actually breed on Abaco; these include arguably the prettiest of all, the bridled tern. The other two tern species (gull-billed and sandwich) are more rare and do not generally breed locally.

LEAST TERN Sternula antillarum SR B 1

BRIDLED TERN Onychoprion anaethetus SR B 2

BridledTern, Abaco Bahamas (Bruce Hallett)

ROSEATE TERN Sterna Dougallii SR B 2

Roseate Tern, Abaco Bahamas (Woody Bracey)

SOOTY TERN Onychoprion anaethetus SR B 2

GULL-BILLED TERN Gelochelidon nilotica SR 3

Gull-billed Tern, Abaco Bahamas (Alex Hughes)

SANDWICH TERN Thalasseus sandvicensis SR 4

Sandwich Tern, Abaco Bahamas (Bruce Hallett)

Sandwich Tern, Abaco Bahamas (Woody Bracey)

There is one rare winter resident migratory tern species. I had to check when the last one was recorded for Abaco. It was of course only in January this year, when ace birder-photographer Sally Chisholm saw one at Treasure Cay and managed to photograph it for posterity.

FORSTER’S TERN Sterna forsteri WR 4

Forster's Tern, Abaco Bahamas (Sally Chisholm)

The final four ‘Abaco’ terns are very much the occasional visitors. Three of them pass over the Bahamas on their longer migration, but may make a pit-stop around Abaco to take on fuel. Likelihood of sighting one? Slender but not impossible… The fourth, the Arctic Tern, is a very rare vagrant, a bird well away from its usual home or migration route as the result of storms or faulty satnav or sheer happenstance. Don’t travel to the Bahamas intent on seeing one.

CASPIAN TERN Hydroprogne caspia TR 4

Caspian Tern Abaco Bahamas (Woody Bracey)

As for the remaining three species, they are the transient black tern and common tern; and the vanishingly rare vagrant Arctic tern (the clue is in the name). No photos of any of these I’m afraid, so here’s a handy checklist instead.

ELECTIVE MUSICAL DIGRESSION

Written by Peter Seeger a few years earlier, Turn x 3 was released in 1965, the title track on the second album from the Byrds. At a rather febrile time in US history (Vietnam, draft riots, black civil rightists v cops and so on), this unusually palliative and thoughtful song with its religious connotations to some extent stood for peace and hope in a time of turmoil.

Photo credits: Keith Salvesen (1, 2, 3, 5, 18); Tony Hepburn (4); Alex Hughes (10, 11); Bruce Hallett (6, 7, 12); Woody Bracey (8, 13, 16); Duncan Wright (9); Dick Daniels (14); Sally Chisholm (15); Keith Kemp (17)

WTF? (WHAT’S THAT FISH?): ARROW CRABS

March 23, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

WTF? (WHAT’S THAT FISH?): ARROW CRABS

The WTF? series is dedicated to the wilder, less conventionally fish-shaped side of reef life – those creatures that you may come across, blink into your face-mask, and silently mouth the words ‘What’s That Fish?’ (that’s what it looks like you are saying, anyway).

Let’s meet some Arrow Crabs Stenorhynchus seticornis, one of the very few creatures surely to have a triangular body plus a huge pointy nose (rostrum), supported on long skinny legs. To which add, they wear tiny blue gloves on their two front claws.

These crabs are coral reef dwellers and mostly stay concealed during the day. Their body is protected by a carapace, and the rostrum has serrated edges like a tiny rasp or file. I haven’t found a definitive reason for this gadget, but I suspect it is more for probing than for piercing or fighting.

There’s a considerable colour variation among these crabs, as these images show. The body may even have blue iridescent lines (#2, above). And those claws may be any of 50 shades of blue…

Arrow crabs are most active at night. They eat feather-duster worms (illus.) and similar invertebrates such as bristle worms.

Like certain types of shrimp, they also have a symbiotic relationship with anemones, whereby they make use of an anemone to benefit from the food it captures – and possibly for cover too. They are protected from anemone stings, whereas some of their predators are not.

This was the place where I was going to tell you about the arrow crab’s private life, but, well… “it’s complicated”. Briefly it is: male passes sperm-filled capsule to female; she uses it in some way whereby it fertilises her eggs; she then ‘broods’ the eggs in one of her ‘swimming legs’; the eggs hatch into larvae and swim off to eat plankton; each one then grows & moults, repeating the process until it has reached adult form. On balance, humans have arguably perfected a preferable method.

Arrow Crabs are apparently popular aquarium creatures, although they sound to me rather a disagreeable challenge. They can move quickly on those long legs, and it seems as if they inclined to be aggressive to other inhabitants of the tank. As far as I can make out, it’s best not to put 2 of them together: they certainly won’t be doing the sperm capsule thing described earlier…

Master of Disguise

Photo credits: Melinda Riger / G B Scuba (1, 3, 4, 5, 6); Adam Rees / Scuba Works (2, 8, 9); Nick Hopgood,Wiki (7); Chuck Elliot – video

HERMIT CRABS: SHELL-DWELLERS WITH MOBILE HOMES

March 11, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

Keith Salvesen / Rolling Harbour

HERMIT CRABS: SHELL-DWELLERS WITH MOBILE HOMES

As everyone knows, Hermit Crabs get their name from the fact that from an early age they borrow empty seashells to live in. As they grow they trade up to a bigger one, leaving their previous home for a smaller crab to move into. It’s a benign* chain of recycling that the original gastropod occupant would no doubt approve of, were it still alive… The crabs are able to adapt their flexible bodies to their chosen shell. Mostly they are to be found in weathered (‘heritage’) shells rather than newly-empty shells. [*except for fighting over shells]

HERMIT CRAB FACTS TO ENLIVEN YOUR CONVERSATION

The crabs are mainly terrestrial, and make their homes in empty gastropod shells
Their bodies are soft, making them vulnerable to predation and heat.
They are basically naked – the shells protect their bodies & conceal them from predators
In that way they differ from other crab species that have hard ‘calcified’ shells / carapaces
Ideally the shell should be the right size to retract into completely, with no bits on display

As they grow larger, they have to move into larger and larger shells to hide in
As the video below shows wonderfully, they may form queues and upsize in turns
Occasionally they make a housing mistake and chose a different home, eg a small tin

Keith Salvesen / Rolling Harbour

The crabs may congregate in large groups which scatter rapidly when they sense danger
The demand for suitable shells can be competitive and the cause of inter-crab battles
Sometimes two or more will gang up on a rival to prevent its move to a particular shell

HERMIT CRABS CAN EVEN CLIMB TREES – WITH THEIR SHELLS ON TOO

Tom Sheley

HERMIT CRABS EXCHANGING HOMES with DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

This is a short (c 4 mins) extract from BBC Earth, with David Attenborough explaining about the lives and habits of these little crabs with his usual authoritative care and precision . If you have the time I highly recommend taking a look.

Credits: All photos taken on Abaco by Keith Salvesen except for the tree-climber crab photographed by Tom Sheley; video from BBC Earth

SEAHORSES: PREHENSILE TALES FROM THE REEF

February 23, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

SEAHORSES: PREHENSILE TALES FROM THE REEF

It’s been quite a while since I wrote about these astonishing little creatures. Adam Rees of SCUBA WORKS is a diver who combines great underwater experience with wonderful photographic skills. Here is a showcase for some of Adam’s seahorse photography and the amazing detail he captures. If these images don’t make you want to get your head underwater and explore the reefs, I can’t think what will…

Seahorse (Adam Rees / Scuba Works)

RANGE MAP by NAT GEO

Seahorse (Adam Rees / Scuba Works)

shlifecycle-e1313548153493

Seahorse (Adam Rees / Scuba Works)

Seahorse by Alex Konahin

All fantastic photos: Adam Rees / Scuba Works; Range Map, Nat Geo; Lifecycle diagram, Seahorserun; Seahorse GIF, Alex Konahin

WORLD WHALE DAY . LEARNING FOR THE FUTURE

February 13, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

WWD FEBRUARY 16th 2025

Adult sperm whale with neonate calf [BMMRO Bahamas]

LEARNING FOR THE FUTURE

One way to celebrate the world’s whale populations is to learn about them from one of the many organisations that research and protect these fine animals. A good start is to become familiar with the types of whales, and see how they compare with each other. The simplest way to begin is to examine a Field Guide. This, hopefully, will catch your imagination and lead to further investigation.

What is a beaked whale – and can they really dive deeper than any other whale species? Do false and pygmy killer whales live up to the fearsome reputation of their orca cousins? Why are false and dwarf sperm whales so small in comparison to the enormous ‘real’ creature. Which whales are baleen and which are toothed? Why are humpback whales so different from other baleen whales? Finally the big question: is a killer whale a dolphin?

FIELD GUIDE TO THE MARINE MAMMALS OF THE BAHAMAS

To answer exactly these sorts of question and to inspire further study, BMMRO has produced a comprehensive Field Guide. Contained on four double-sided panels, there is a wealth of information about every species of cetacean found in Bahamian waters, including the dolphin species. And you can learn much more about BMMRO and its wide range of research and conservation projects HERE.

Meanwhile, below is the complete Guide in two versions, visual and downloadable. One click on the Guide’s images will enlarge them; 2 clicks will enlarge them further. The contents will remain legible. For those who want to dig deeper or who want to pass round the information, there is a download of the complete Guide.

The Guide has a significant educational value, and for example all students who attend the Summer Whale Camps are given one to study. You may use the guide images and / or the download as you wish.

DOWNLOADABLE GUIDE

BMMRO_Marine Mammal Guide – 96061 (1) copy 3 Download

*Neonate Sperm Whale Calf – Bahamas – BMMRO*

BUTTERFLIES ON ABACO (8): WHITE PEACOCK

January 29, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

BUTTERFLIES ON ABACO (8): WHITE PEACOCK

The white peacock (Anartia jatrophae) is not a rare butterfly in the northern Bahamas. However, until recently I had never – or never consciously – seen one before. Then we came across a few, all very frisky and mostly refusing to settle for more than 1/100 second. By the time I have remembered to remove my lens cap, they are 50 yards away.

White Peacock Butterfly, Abaco (Keith Salvesen) 2

I checked out these pretty but unassuming butterflies online because they seemed rather pale and anaemic. As far as I can make out this is because they were still in winter colouring; in summer they are more brightly marked. Here’s a photo of a dishevelled white peacock taken in June at Delphi by Charlie Skinner, which shows stronger colours.

White Peacock, Abaco DSC_4786 (Charlie Skinner)

ARE THEY EVER FOUND LOOKING BRIGHT AND NOT FALLING APART?

Yes, of course, but interestingly, never ever in the field. The one below, non-anaemic and intact, was thoughtfully uploaded to Wiki by Greg Hume. He took it at a butterfly show, where presumably tatty butterflies are excluded…

WhitePeacock (Greg Hume)

Photos: Keith Salvesen 1 – 4; Charlie Skinner 5; Greg Hume 6

MAKE FRIENDS WITH ANEMONE (2): SPECTACULAR REEF LIFE

January 15, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

Corkscrew Anenome = Peterson Cleaner Shrimps ©Melinda Riger @G B Scuba copy

Corkscrew Anemone with Peterson Cleaner Shrimps

MAKE FRIENDS WITH ANEMONE

Going snorkelling? Planning a scuba day on the reef? You’ll see wonderful fish and amazing coral for sure. But sometimes the beauty of other life on the reef can be overlooked. Check out the anemone in the header image, with the camouflaged cleaner shrimps playing around it. You wouldn’t want to miss a sight like that. The many and varied forms and colours of anemone on the reefs of the Bahamas make up a vital component of a spectacular underwater world and its astonishing variety.

Giant Anenome ©Melinda Riger @ G B Scuba copy

Anemones are living animals of the invertebrate type. Basically living corals without skeletons. All have stinging cells of several varieties to sting or entangle their prey such as small fish, or other invertebrate species.

Anemone on Rope ©Melinda Riger @ G B Scuba

Most anemones host varieties of cleaner shrimps. They also provide a base for the snapping shrimps that can stun their own prey. Some of these can (painfully) penetrate human skin.

Anemone ©Melinda Riger @ Grand Bahama Scuba

Some crabs pull particular species of anemone off the reef and attach them to their carapace. This is thought to have a double purpose of providing both camouflage and protection.

Anemone (Giant) ©Melinda Riger @GBS copy

All great archive photos: Melinda Riger of Grand Bahama Scuba, with thanks; also Rick Guest for info

Anemone ©Melinda Riger @ GB Scuba

LIKE THE CLAPPERS: LEARN THE RAILS ON ABACO

January 9, 2025 by Rolling Harbour

LIKE THE CLAPPERS: LEARN THE RAILS ON ABACO

Note: You may find ads in this post. This is because WordPress / AI has now decided that you (dear reader) and I (angry author) are presumed to be up for car insurance deals, slimming advice, and incontinence apparatus. I’m probably going to have to buy my way into a new contract, as they presumably intend.

CLAPPER RAILS Rallus crepitans are elusive birds of mangrove swamp and marsh, more frequently heard than seen. They tend to lurk around in foliage and are easy to overlook – creatures of the margins rather than of open ground. If lucky, you may come across one foraging secretively, beak-deep in the mud.

Tom Sheley’s wonderful photos featured here of a preening clapper rail were taken during backcountry explorations to locate and photograph species for BIRDS OF ABACO. By being an early riser and a patient cameraman, Tom managed to capture this fine bird engaging in some quality grooming. The one below is also ‘vocalising’ – also known in rails as ‘rousing’.

CALL

AGGRESSIVE CALL

Clapper rails are capable of swimming and even of flying if they choose to (which isn’t often). However the most likely activity you will observe is skulking, picking their way quite delicately through marginal vegetation, or (if you are lucky) doing some serious beak-deep foraging in the mud. Their foraging is made easier by the fact that they are omniverous.

Clapper Rail (Audubon)

Occasionally they run, a process that looks endearingly comical and which possibly gives rise to their name (see below).

It almost goes without saying nowadays, but the biggest threat to these rather charming inoffensive birds is habitat loss. Which is to say, mankind either directly or indirectly. Drive bulldozers through the mangroves and marshland of sub-tropical coastal areas, chuck down a few acres of concrete and tarmac… and the clappers will very soon be clapped out. As they will if the climate we have unarguably changed irrevocably ruins their unobtrusive lives.

ADVISORY LINGUISTIC STUDY

When I first wrote about this species, its binomial name was Rallus longirostris ie simply ‘long-beaked rail‘. Which it is. Then came an annual official AOU shuffling of species and revision of names. The clapper rail was re-designated Rallus crepitans or ‘rattling / rustling rail‘. Which it does, but it also has other vocalisations (try the sound-files above). So maybe less clear-cut for ID purposes (there were other rail name innovations that, reading about them, made me crack open a beer instead of wanting to tell you about them. I’m old-school.

OPTIONAL LINGUISTIC DIVERSION

“TO RUN LIKE THE CLAPPERS“. This phrase seems to be fairly recent, most likely originating as military (?Air Force) slang early in WW2 or possibly from earlier conflicts. Some suggest it is a rhyming slang bowdlerisation of ‘run like hell’ with ‘clapper(s)’ standing for ‘bell’, along the lines of the Cockney “I’ve bought a new whistle” (whistle and flute = suit). Almost all plausible explanations relate to bells: the speed of the clapper of a vigorously rung handbell. One stand-out meaning relates to the historical era of City prostitution and the high risk of syphilis (‘pox’) or gonnorrhea (‘clap’). You can probably make the link.

Photo credits:Tom Sheley, Sandy Walker, Erik Gauger, University of Amsterdam (print), OS / CC

PAINTING BUNTING (Passerina ciris) . Christmas Bird

December 25, 2024 by Rolling Harbour

Season’s Greetings to all followers, commenters and everyone who since 2010 has stuck by / put up with / enjoyed visiting Rolling Harbour – 1.25m, in fact (or a single person with way too much time on their hands).

I am coming out to Abaco soon for a BMMRO retreat at Sandy Point. Hoping to catch up with the vibe (for various reasons I haven’t been able to come over since just pre Dorian).

GRAY CATBIRD . Dumetella carolinensis . Abaco . Bahamas

December 13, 2024 by Rolling Harbour

WEST INDIAN WOODPECKER (Melanerpes supercilliaris)

December 2, 2024 by Rolling Harbour

TREE HUGGER

West Indian Woodpecker Melanerpes supercilliaris

Delphi . Abaco . Bahamas – *Keith Salvesen*

In January I will be returning to Abaco for a few happy days, for the BMMRO biennial Retreat. I haven’t been back since before Dorian and Covid. I am pretty excited by the prospect, having really missed the island, the friendships, the birdlife, and a whole lot more. During the long interval I have kept in close touch – most days, it seems – and continued with this blog.

Birds and marine mammals have always been the main theme, but there’s a great deal more to investigate in the MENUS. Between now and my visit, I plan to post some wonderful bird photos from my book BIRDS OF ABACO. Mostly they will by contributors; a few may by me.

BIRDS OF ABACO: THE DOWNLOAD

The whole edition was sold out ages ago, so unfortunately I wasn’t even able to replace lost / damaged copies. However I recently compressed the entire book into an 18mb file. Do pass it round; please don’t monetize it!

BIRDS OF ABACO COMPLETE BOOK SS 18mb . Keith Salvesen Download

SAWMILL SINK, ABACO: INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY IN A POST-APOCALYPTIC LANDSCAPE

November 24, 2024 by Rolling Harbour

SAWMILL SINK, ABACO

INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY IN A POST-APOCALYPTIC LANDSCAPE

This article was written quite some time ago but I reckoned that, several years on, it might still be of interest. I haven’t changed much because it is what it was, so please ignore the time-slip. This was by chance a fire-fuelled opportunity to uncover a relic of Abaco’s industrial past.

The Blue Holes of Abaco are geological wonders about which much has been written. Sawmill Sink is one of the best-known inland ones. These are deep chasms in the limestone rock, some leading to extensive and complex cave systems under the island. Divers exploring Sawmill Sink have found many prehistoric fossils, including those of an extinct giant tortoise, and land crocodiles. The sink area was also a location for such finds.

AERIAL VIEW OF SAWMILL SINK DEEP IN THE PINE FOREST

Screenshot 2024-11-16 at 17.15.58

LOGGING TRACK TO SAWMILL SINK BLUE HOLE

Screenshot 2024-11-16 at 17.15.30

LOGGING HISTORY

South Abaco – defined loosely as the area south of Marsh Harbour – is dominated by pine forest. There are a few settlements and individual residences, all by the coast. The forested swathes are criss-crossed by an extensive system of logging tracks, many now all but impassable. They are reminders of Abaco’s historic importance as a source of wood deriving from the ubiquitous tall, slim pines. One use to which they were put was as mine pit props in the collieries of Wales.

TRACKING RAILS

During a walk to Sawmill Sink, we noticed a rusty rail sticking up from the undergrowth. This was a remnant of the light railway tracks that had been laid through the forest to carry felled timber to the highway. From there it was transported to the coast to be loaded onto ships.

Later, we went back to Sawmill Sink at a time when the south part of the island was enduring the annual outbreak of forest fires, some natural and some set to clear undergrowth. While the occasional natural fire is actually good for regeneration of a forest (cf burning moorland), a fire out of control and fuelled by wind can very quickly damage a vast area. Thick palls of smoke drift across the island and out to sea. Even while we were fishing far out on the Marls, flames were visible as tall pines burned, with the acrid smell of the blaze was carried on the wind.

REMEMBERED EMBERS

The photos that follow show the area round Sawmill Sink immediately after a fire had swept through the area, revealing the past. Trees were still smouldering and in places the ground was still hot to the touch. The evidence of the former usage had been laid bare. Some images below show the paved path that leads from the logging track to the Sink. I never found out if these were the first detailed images of so many visible remains of the logging trade revealed by the burnt-off undergrowth.

PREHISTORY

We found this rock close to the Sink. Are those plant fossils? Bearing in mind that in prehistory the ocean covered this area entirely (the highest point on Abaco is a mere 134 feet ASL), might these be anemones or sponge fossils of some sort? As I said then, ‘comments from fossilologists welcome’, and a kind follower FOSSIL LADY (aka Kathi) reponded: Those don’t look like plant fossils to me, they remind me of stromatolites, a sponge like creature that first dominated the earth billions of years ago. Some varieties still survive today. It would be worth it to have a geologist have a look see. ps the sinkhole is awesome!

Photo credits: all RH except pit props (Scottish Mining Museum); aerial view (Gmaps)

CLEANING UP IN THE BAHAMAS: PEDERSON SHRIMPS

November 16, 2024 by Rolling Harbour

CLEANING UP IN THE BAHAMAS: PEDERSON SHRIMPS

Pederson’s Shrimps Ancylomenes pedersoni (also known locally as Peterson’s shrimps), are one of several species of cleaner shrimp found in The Bahamas, and more generally in the Caribbean seas. The species was named in 1958 by a multifaceted medico-oceanologist-zoologist Fenner A. Chace. He seems to have specialised in shrimps, finding distinct and differing species and naming them (not unreasonably) after himself (chacei); or colleagues and people he knew / admired; and in one case his wife. Mr Pederson was among the lucky ones.

This tiny transparent creature with its vivid blue / purple markings and straggling pale antennae is unmistakeable, and helpfully cannot be confused with any other locally found shrimp species. Here’s an idea of its size, compared with a human finger and a blue parrotfish (on its flank).

WHERE DO THESE SHRIMPS LIVE?

Their preferred home is… and it’s certainly a left field choice among sea creatures… in amongst the stinging tentacles of certain sea anemones. Not only do they not get stung, but of course they are well-protected by the defensive pain that their hosts can inflict on intruders. They are usually found singly or in pairs, but sometimes a whole colony may inhabit the same anemone.

SO EXPLAIN HOW THEY DON’T GET STUNG

Ok. The shrimps gradually build up a kind of resistance by pressing their bodies and antennae against the tentacles of the host anemone for increasing lengths of time, until they become immune. It’s like one of those kids’ electric buzzer / rheostat machines. Or a TENS machine (for those who know about backache).

IS THERE A DOWNSIDE TO ALL THIS?

Yes indeed. If a shrimp moves away from its host for a few days, it has to start the process of immunisation all over again. So presumably they tend to stay home-lovin’.

Home sweet home for the Pederson shrimps Pederson's Cleaning Shrimp, Bahamas (Melinda Riger, GB Scuba)

SOMETHING ABOUT THE CLEANING, PLEASE

These shrimps offer ‘cleaning services’ to passing fish. When on duty, as it were, they wave their antennae vigorously to attract attention. A fish being cleaned will remain stationary and passive while external parasites and dead skin are removed. Many fish will open their mouths and gill covers for internal cleaning, with the tacit agreement that the cleaner will not become a snack. Shrimps often work in conjunction with small cleaner fish such as some species of goby and wrasse – see the links below for more on this topic, with copious images…

CLEANING STATIONS

CLEANER FISH

Credits: all photos by Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba

DOVE & PIGEON SPECIES OF ABACO

November 9, 2024 by Rolling Harbour

COLUMBIDAE OF ABACO

ALL ARE PERMANANT BREEDING SPECIES*

White-crowned Pigeon White-crowned Pigeon, Abaco, Bahamas (Gerlinde Taurer) White-crowned Pigeon, Abaco (Alex Hughes)

White-winged dove White-winged Dove, Abaco - Tony Hepburn

Eurasian Collared Dove Collared Dove, Abaco - Keith Salvesen / Rolling Harbour

Eurasian Collared Dove, Abaco (Bruce Hallett)

Common Ground Dove (Tobacco Dove) Common Ground Dove, Abaco 1 (Tom Sheley) Common Ground Dove, Abaco (Keith Salvesen)

Zenaida Dove Zenaida Dove, Abaco (Bruce Hallett)

Key West Quail-Dove Key West Quail-Dove, Elbow Cay, Abaco (Milton Harris) 1a

Rock Pigeon Rock Pigeon, Sandy Point, Abaco Bahamas.Tom Sheley 2b Rock Pigeon NYC (keith Salvesen)

Mourning Dove Mourning Dove, Abaco (Charles Skinner)

The birds shown above represent the 8 species found on Abaco. However, in New Providence, there is a beautiful pigeon that, as of a few years ago, had not made its way over to Abaco and had yet to be introduced there. Possibly the situation is different nowadays. Info would be welcome.

Pied Imperial Pigeon (Nassau)

Pied Imperial Pigeon 1, Nassau (Woody Bracey)

Species checklist taken from the complete checklist in ‘Birds of Abaco by Keith Salvesen’ (aka Rolling Harbour

*For some, there is a shooting season

Photo credits: Gerlinde Taurer (1); Alex Hughes (2); Tom Sheley (3, 7, 13); Tony Hepburn (4); Keith Salvesen (5, 8, 14); Bruce Hallett (6, 9, 10); Woody Bracey (11, 16, 17); Milton Harris (12); Charles Skinner (15)

IS THIS THE REAL LIFE? IS THIS JUST FANS AT SEA?

November 4, 2024 by Rolling Harbour

IS THIS THE REAL LIFE? IS THIS JUST FANS AT SEA?

A GALLERY OF GORGEOUS GORGONIANS

The waters of Abaco teem with myriads of fish that depend on the coral reefs for shelter and safety, for breeding, for growing up in, and for nourishment. Sea fans (or gorgonians, to use the technical name) are animals too. They may look like plants and stay rooted to the spot, but like anemones these ‘soft corals’ are creatures of the reef and essential indicators of its health.

The purple sea fan Gorgonia ventalina (classified by Linnaeus in 1785) is one of the most common species of sea fan, and a spectacular one at that. The main branches are linked by a lattice of smaller branches. Below the ‘skin’ is a skeleton made of calcite compounded with a form of collagen.

Sea fans are filter-feeders, and have polyps with eight tiny tentacles that catch plankton as it drifts past. They develop so that their orientation is across the prevailing current. This maximises the water passing by and consequently the supply of food as the fans gently wave in the flow.

Gorgonians have a chemical defence mechanism that protects against potential troublemakers. The main effect is to make themselves unpleasant to nibble or uproot.

One species impervious to this deterrent is the fascinating FLAMINGO TONGUE SNAIL. Other ‘safe’ species include the fireworm and BUTTERFLYFISHES.

One benefit of sea fans to mankind is that their defensive chemicals have been discovered to provide the basis for drug research and development, specifically in the field of anti-inflammatories. Another benefit, of course, is that they are very beautiful to look at. Thank you, Fans

Credits: these wonderful photos were taken by Melinda & Keith Rodgers / Dive Abaco, Marsh Harbour; and Melinda & Fred Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba. Huge thanks to them all for allowing me to freely use their skilful underwater photography in this blog for the best part of a decade.

A SPECIAL FAN FOR A HAPPY AND HOPEFUL TURN OF THE YEAR

CURLY-TAILED LIZARDS ON ABACO, BAHAMAS

October 22, 2024 by Rolling Harbour

CURLY-TAILED LIZARDS ON ABACO, BAHAMAS

WORLD REPTILE AWARENESS DAY Oct 21

These days few creatures go without an Annual Day: Awareness / Appreciation / Protection / Support / and so on. These are obviously important and to be encouraged. In human terms the creatures tend to have a positive image. There’s little call for a Fire Ant Welfare Day. I am slightly concerned about World Earthworm day, also on Oct 21. Aren’t they food for some of the reptiles that share the day?

The northern curly-tailed lizard Leiocephalus carinatus, to give it its full name, resembles a tiny dragon with a twist in the tail. These little critters bask in the sun, or scuttle away into holes and crevices as you approach them. I suspect that even a confirmed herpophobic would find some charm in them. They are, of course, completely harmless to humans.

Surprisingly, the Bahamas is home not just to one but five different curly-tail species, and nine sub-species. Broadly-speaking, the variants are found on different and specific islands and have discrete local markings. Mostly they are brownish, but they may also be grey or with a greenish tinge like this one I recently photographed.

Curly-tail males, being territorial, turn somewhat aggressive around breeding time, which is basically most the the year, from February to October. Behaviours indicative of their territorial claims include tail curling / uncurling (of course), head-bobbing, strutting about in an agitated way and inflating the sides of their necks in a threatening kind of way. The tiny-tails, 2″ long when born, are known as ‘hatchlings’.

An impressive poolside ‘double curly’

THREATS TO CURLY TAILS

According to the Bahamas National Trust BNT, the main dangers to the curly-tails of the Bahamas are:

Dogs, cats, rats and introduced predators such as raccoons
Collection for the pet trade – curly tails are unprotected by CITES listing (also cute)
Collection of the rarer endemics by reptile enthusiasts seeking ‘exotics’
Development and habitat destruction (though it is noted that curly tails seem to adjust quite well in developed areas)

A curly tails sloughs its skin as it grows, as with snakes and other reptiles

WHY THE CURLY TAIL?

As mentioned above, for use in territorial posturing
In courtship displays by males to attract females (luckily a method not available to humans)
As a response to predators, confusing an attacker with movement at both ends
As a last resort, to detach to aid escape (the tail re-grows)
For fun and just because they can grow one and you cannot