ABACO’S 38 WARBLER SPECIES: AN ILLUSTRATED ID GUIDE

October 18, 2023 by Rolling Harbour

ABACO’S 38 WARBLERS: AN ILLUSTRATED ID GUIDE

The great winter migration of warblers and their arrival in The Bahamas is underway. Reports are appearing – the latest being the Northern Parula. They will have made long journeys – hundreds of miles – and in the spring they will wing their way home for the summer. On Abaco, 38 warbler species are recorded for the main island and the cays, the latest being the first sighting of a Canada Warbler in 2018. Since Dorian the situation has undoubtedly been different, especially with the transients and rare species. The 5 permanent resident warbler are still resident. Sighting records of the winter visitors have been scarce. Many migrants and transients have not been recorded since Dorian, and the rarest perhaps never will be. The hope must be that at least the most common winter warblers will continue to arrive, and in increasing numbers.

First-ever Canada Warbler for Abaco & the entire Bahamas: Aug 2018 (Chris Johnson)

This guide divides the 38 species into categories, with a code for each bird to show:

Resident status – permanent / breeding, migratory or transient
Frequency – likelihood of seeing each species in its season, rated from 1 (very likely) to 5 (extreme rarities, maybe recorded only once or twice since c1950 when recording began)

Bahama Warbler (endemic), Abaco Bahamas (Alex Hughes)

Numerically, the division breaks down into 3 categories of warbler:

5 permanent residents (PR) that breed on Abaco (B), of which two are ENDEMIC
21 winter residents (WR) ranging from ‘everyday’ species to extreme rarities like the very vulnerable Kirtland’s Warbler that needs a specific winter habitat that Abaco can provide
11 transients, most of which you will be very lucky to encounter

Palm Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (Nina Henry)

The photos that follow show an example of each warbler, where possible both (1) male and (2) taken on Abaco. Where I had no Abaco images – especially with the transients – I have used other mainstream birding resources and Wiki. All due credits at the foot of the post.

Bahama Yellowthroat, Abaco Bahamas (Gerlinde Taurer)

AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO ABACO’S WARBLERS

5 PERMANENT RESIDENTS

BAHAMA YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis rostrata PR B 1 ENDEMIC

BAHAMA WARBLER Setophaga flavescens PR B 1 ENDEMIC

YELLOW WARBLER Setophaga petechia PR B 1

OLIVE-CAPPED WARBLER Setophaga pityophila PR B 1

Olive-capped Warbler, Abaco (Bruce Hallett)

PINE WARBLER Setophaga pinus PR B 1

WINTER RESIDENTS (COMMON)

OVENBIRD Seiurus aurocapilla WR 1

WORM-EATING WARBLER Helmitheros vermivorum WR 2

NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH Parkesia noveboracensis WR 1

BAHAMAS - Northern Waterthrush - Oct 2010 Becky Marvil

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER Mniotilta varia WR 2

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis trichas WR 1

AMERICAN REDSTART Setophaga ruticilla WR 1

CAPE MAY WARBLER Setophaga tigrina WR 1

NORTHERN PARULA Setophaga americana WR 1

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER Setophaga caerulescens WR 2

PALM WARBLER Setophaga palmarum WR 1

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER Setophaga coronata WR 2

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER Setophaga dominica WR 1

PRAIRIE WARBLER Setophaga discolor WR 1

WINTER RESIDENTS (UNCOMMON TO RARE)

LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH Parkesia motacilla WR 3

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER Vermivora cyanoptera WR 3

SWAINSON’S WARBLER Limnothlypis swainsonii WR 4

NASHVILLE WARBLER Oreothlypis ruficapilla WR 4

Nashville Warbler, Abaco - Bruce Hallett

HOODED WARBLER Setophaga citrina WR 3

KIRTLAND’S WARBLER Setophaga kirtlandii WR 4

MAGNOLIA WARBLER Setophaga magnolia WR 3

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER Setophaga virens WR 3

TRANSIENTS

PROTHONOTARY WARBLER Protonotaria citrea TR 3

TENNESSEE WARBLER Oreothlypis peregrina TR 4

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER Oreothlypis celata TR 4

CONNECTICUT WARBLER Oporonis agilis TR 4

KENTUCKY WARBLER Geothlypis formosa TR 4

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER Setophaga castanea TR 4

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER Setophaga fusca TR 4

CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER Setophaga pensylvanica TR 4

Chestnut-sided Warbler talainsphotographyblog - Version 2

BLACKPOLL WARBLER Setophaga striata TR 3

WILSON’S WARBLER Cardellina pusilla TR 4

YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT Icteria virens TR 4

PHOTO CREDITS (1 – 37) Bruce Hallett (Header, 3, 9, 12, 14, 17, 21, 22); Tom Reed (1, 4); Cornell Lab (2); Tom Sheley (7, 10); Alex Hughes (5); Gerlinde Taurer (6, 11, 18); Becky Marvil (8, 20a); Woody Bracey (13, 24); Peter Mantle (15); Keith Salvesen (16); William H. Majoros wiki (19); talainsphotographyblog (20b, 26, 34); Charmaine Albury (23); Craig Nash (25); Ann Capling (27); Jerry Oldenettel wiki (28); Dominic Sherony wiki (29); 10000birds (30); Steve Maslowski wiki (31); MDF wiki (32, 33); Avibirds (35); Michael Woodruff wiki (36); Emily Willoughby wiki (37)

CHECKLIST based on the complete checklist and codes for Abaco devised by Tony White with Woody Bracey for “THE DELPHI CLUB GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF ABACO” by Keith Salvesen

ABACO’S 38 WARBLERS: AN ILLUSTRATED ID GUIDE

September 14, 2021 by Rolling Harbour

Olive-capped Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (©Tom Sheley)

Olive-capped Warbler (resident species), Abaco Bahamas (©Tom Sheley)

ABACO’S 38 WARBLERS: AN ILLUSTRATED ID GUIDE

IT’S STARTED The great winter migration of warblers and their imminent arrival in The Bahamas is underway. Any day now – if not already – the ‘winter’ (in fact autumn & early spring as well) warblers will be arriving on Abaco. There are 38 warbler species recorded for the main island and the cays. For years, it was just 37. Then in 2018 a CANADA WARBLER was seen and photographed by well-known Bahamas birder Chris Johnson. It was a first for Abaco – and the first-ever report for the Bahamas as well. You’ll find the story HERE.

This article is updated from an earlier one written pre-Dorian and the situation will undoubtedly be different now, especially with the transients and rare species. Consider it as a historical record of the prolific warbler species recorded for Abaco and more generally the northern Bahamas before the hurricane struck. The 5 permanent resident warbler are still resident. Many migrants and possibly all transients have sadly not been recorded since, and the rarest perhaps never will be. The hope must be that at least the most common winter warblers will continue to arrive, and in increasing numbers.

First-ever Canada Warbler for Abaco & the entire Bahamas: Aug 2018 (Chris Johnson)

Hooded Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (Chris Johnson)

The guide divides the original 37 species (excluding the Canada warbler) into categories, with a code for each bird to show:

Resident status – permanent / breeding, migratory or transient
Frequency – likelihood of seeing each species in its season, rated from 1 (very likely) to 5 (extreme rarities, maybe recorded only once or twice since c1950 when recording began)

Bahama Warbler (endemic), Abaco Bahamas (Alex Hughes)

Numerically, the division breaks down into 3 categories of warbler:

5 permanent residents (PR) that breed on Abaco (B), of which two are ENDEMIC
21 winter residents (WR) ranging from ‘everyday’ species to extreme rarities like the very vulnerable Kirtland’s Warbler that needs a specific winter habitat that Abaco can provide
11 transients, most of which you will be very lucky to encounter

Palm Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (Nina Henry)

Bahama Yellowthroat, Abaco Bahamas (Gerlinde Taurer)

AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO ABACO’S WARBLERS

5 PERMANENT RESIDENTS

BAHAMA YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis rostrata PR B 1 ENDEMIC

BAHAMA WARBLER Setophaga flavescens PR B 1 ENDEMIC

YELLOW WARBLER Setophaga petechia PR B 1

OLIVE-CAPPED WARBLER Setophaga pityophila PR B 1

Olive-capped Warbler, Abaco (Bruce Hallett)

PINE WARBLER Setophaga pinus PR B 1

WINTER RESIDENTS (COMMON)

OVENBIRD Seiurus aurocapilla WR 1

WORM-EATING WARBLER Helmitheros vermivorum WR 2

NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH Parkesia noveboracensis WR 1

BAHAMAS - Northern Waterthrush - Oct 2010 Becky Marvil

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER Mniotilta varia WR 2

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis trichas WR 1

AMERICAN REDSTART Setophaga ruticilla WR 1

CAPE MAY WARBLER Setophaga tigrina WR 1

NORTHERN PARULA Setophaga americana WR 1

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER Setophaga caerulescens WR 2

PALM WARBLER Setophaga palmarum WR 1

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER Setophaga coronata WR 2

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER Setophaga dominica WR 1

PRAIRIE WARBLER Setophaga discolor WR 1

WINTER RESIDENTS (UNCOMMON TO RARE)

LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH Parkesia motacilla WR 3

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER Vermivora cyanoptera WR 3

SWAINSON’S WARBLER Limnothlypis swainsonii WR 4

NASHVILLE WARBLER Oreothlypis ruficapilla WR 4

Nashville Warbler, Abaco - Bruce Hallett

HOODED WARBLER Setophaga citrina WR 3

KIRTLAND’S WARBLER Setophaga kirtlandii WR 4

MAGNOLIA WARBLER Setophaga magnolia WR 3

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER Setophaga virens WR 3

TRANSIENTS

PROTHONOTARY WARBLER Protonotaria citrea TR 3

TENNESSEE WARBLER Oreothlypis peregrina TR 4

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER Oreothlypis celata TR 4

CONNECTICUT WARBLER Oporonis agilis TR 4

KENTUCKY WARBLER Geothlypis formosa TR 4

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER Setophaga castanea TR 4

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER Setophaga fusca TR 4

CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER Setophaga pensylvanica TR 4

Chestnut-sided Warbler talainsphotographyblog - Version 2

BLACKPOLL WARBLER Setophaga striata TR 3

WILSON’S WARBLER Cardellina pusilla TR 4

YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT Icteria virens TR 4

CHECKLIST based on the complete checklist and codes for Abaco devised by Tony White with Woody Bracey for “THE DELPHI CLUB GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF ABACO” by Keith Salvesen

ABACO’S 38 WARBLERS: AN ILLUSTRATED ID GUIDE (Pt 1)

August 27, 2019 by Rolling Harbour

Olive-capped Warbler (resident species), Abaco Bahamas (©Tom Sheley)

ABACO’S 38 WARBLERS: AN ILLUSTRATED ID GUIDE (Pt 1)

IT’S STARTED The great winter migration of warblers and their imminent arrival in The Bahamas is underway. Any day now – if not already – the ‘winter’ / ‘Fall’ (late summer & early spring as well) warblers will be arriving on Abaco. There are 38 warbler species recorded for the main island and the cays. For years, it was just 37. Exactly a year ago, a CANADA WARBLER was seen and photographed by well-known birder Chris Johnson. It was a first for Abaco – and the first-ever report for the Bahamas as well. You’ll find the story HERE.

First-ever Canada Warbler for Abaco & the entire Bahamas: Aug 2018 (Chris Johnson)

Canada Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (1st record) (Chris Johnson)

This post is the first of 3 warbler posts for the Fall. A while back I compiled a basic (in retrospect) guide to Abaco’s warbler species. I’ll give a link and pdf in due course once I have rechecked (improved? rewritten?) it. [Note: of no value on eBay, @m@z@n or anywhere else]. Many of the warblers are far from easy to distinguish from each other. For example, many males have yellow or yellow-and-black plumage. The females are invariably less colourful – often brownish or olive – than the males (as are juveniles), and that can lead to confusion – and not only by me, I think.

Hooded Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (Chris Johnson)

The guide divides the original 37 species into categories, with a code for each bird to show. You’ll see below the codes relating to each of the 5 resident species:

Resident status – permanent / breeding, migratory or transient
Frequency – likelihood of seeing each species in its season, rated from 1 (very likely) to 5 (extreme rarities, maybe recorded once or twice since c1950

Bahama Warbler (endemic), Abaco Bahamas (Alex Hughes)

Numerically, the division of the 38 breaks down into 3 categories:

5 permanent residents (PR) that breed on Abaco (B), of which two are ENDEMIC
21 winter residents (WR) ranging from ‘everyday’ species to rarities like the rare, vulnerable Kirtland’s Warbler (now under threat from proposed development)
12 transients, most of which you will be very lucky to encounter

Palm Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (Nina Henry)

The photos used in this series were almost all taken on Abaco / the Cays. There’ll be examples of the male of each warbler species, with some females for contrast. Where I have no Abaco / Baha images – especially with the transients – I have used other mainstream birding resources and Wiki. All due credits will be given at the foot of each post.

Bahama Yellowthroat, Abaco Bahamas (Gerlinde Taurer)

The warblers shown above are a mix of warbler species on Abaco: resident / endemic, winter migrants, and transient / vagrant. Time to take a look at the first category, the Bahamas-loving resident species that live and breed on Abaco

5 PERMANENT RESIDENTS

BAHAMA YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis rostrata PR B 1 ENDEMIC

Bahama Yellowthroat (endemic), Abaco Bahamas (Gerlinde Taurer)

BAHAMA WARBLER Setophaga flavescens PR B 1 ENDEMIC

Bahama Warbler (endemic), Abaco Bahamas (Bruce Hallett)

YELLOW WARBLER Setophaga petechia PR B 1

Yellow Warbler, sunrise, Abaco Bahamas (Tom Sheley)

OLIVE-CAPPED WARBLER Setophaga pityophila PR B 1

Olive-capped Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (Bruce Hallett)

PINE WARBLER Setophaga pinus PR B 1

Pine Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (Tom Sheley)

In Part 2: Winter migrants from common to rare

PHOTO CREDITS Tom Sheley (1, 9, 11); Chris Johnson (2, 3); Alex Hughes (4); Nina Henry (5); Gerlinde Taurer (6, 7); Bruce Hallett (8, 10); Photos mainly from the archive collected for“THE DELPHI CLUB GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF ABACO” by Keith Salvesen

ABACO WARBLERS: THE FAMOUS 5 (PERMANENT RESIDENTS)

April 8, 2019 by Rolling Harbour

Bahama Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (Bruce Hallett)

ABACO WARBLERS: THE FAMOUS 5 (PERMANENT RESIDENTS)

There are 37 warbler species recorded for Abaco. They fall into three distinct categories. Surprisingly perhaps, only 5 species are permanently resident on Abaco, ie non-migratory. Then there are warblers that commute from the breeding grounds of North America to warmer climes in the Fall, returning in the Spring to breed. Some will be familiar – PALM WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, BLACK-AND -WHITE WARBLER. Others, like the HOODED WARBLER, are less common. One or two are very rare indeed, such as the KIRTLAND’S WARBLERS that choose Abaco as a winter destination. Finally there are the so-called transients, warbler species that use the northern Bahamas as a stopover during their longer migratory flights, such as the BLACKPOLL WARBLER.

The 5 permanent residents obviously don’t migrate, so there is a chance to find them throughout the year. The pine forests would generally be the best place to start the quest. Importantly, 2 of the 5 species are endemic birds to the Bahamas and can be found nowhere else: BAHAMA YELLOWTHROAT and BAHAMA WARBLER. The latter and the OLIVE-CAPPED WARBLER, are very range-restricted, and only found on Abaco and Grand Bahama.

THE 5 PERMANENT RESIDENTS

BAHAMA YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis rostrata PR B 1 ENDEMIC

YELLOW WARBLER Setophaga petechia PR B 1

OLIVE-CAPPED WARBLER Setophaga pityophila PR B 1

PINE WARBLER Setophaga pinus PR B 1

BAHAMA WARBLER Setophaga flavescens PR B 1 ENDEMIC

PHOTO CREDITS Bruce Hallett (1, 3, 5, 8, 11); Gerlinde Taurer (2); Tom Sheley (4, 6, 7); Tom Reed (9); Alex Hughes (10, 11)

CHECKLIST CODES based on the complete checklist and codes for Abaco devised by Tony White with Woody Bracey for “THE DELPHI CLUB GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF ABACO” by Keith Salvesen

“GOOD (GOOD GOOD GOOD) MIGRATIONS…”

October 2, 2018 by Rolling Harbour

Prairie Warbler, Abaco

“GOOD (GOOD GOOD GOOD) MIGRATIONS…”

Just like the Beach Boys who like to ‘Get Around…’, so do birds. It gives them excitations. Me too. We have ended up in France, not so much migratory as ‘occasional rare visitors’ and anyway not as vagrants. The habitat is wonderful, the foraging is excellent, but the wi-fi is a crockful of merde.

PALM WARBLER Palm Warbler, Abaco Bahamas (Nina Henry)

Images take an age to upload so I am taking emergency measures. Today, it’s going to be a quick look at 4 common winter warblers you can easily find on Abaco. Then I’m back to the vin.

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER

If you’d like to know more about Abaco’s 37 warbler species (not including the very recent discovery of a Canada Warbler) click on this PDF and all shall be revealed.

AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO ABACO’S WARBLERS

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER

Au revoir for the time being…

Photo credits: Gerlinde Taurer, Nina Henry, Bruce Hallet, Becky Marvil; Warbler Guide PDF © Rolling Harbour Megacorp Int.

ABACO’S 37 WARBLER SPECIES: AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE

August 10, 2016 by Rolling Harbour

Bahama Warbler, Abaco (Bruce Hallett) z2

ABACO’S 37 WARBLER SPECIES: AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE

Any day now – if not already – winter warblers will be arriving on Abaco. There are 37 warbler species recorded for the main island and the cays. They fall into 3 categories: 5 permanent residents (PR) that breed on Abaco (B), of which two are endemics; 21 winter residents (WR) ranging from ‘everyday’ species to rarities such as the Kirtland’s Warbler; and 11 transients, most of which you will be lucky to encounter. The codes given for each bird show the residence status and also the likelihood of seeing each species in its season, rated from 1 (very likely) to 5 (extreme rarities, maybe only recorded once or twice).

The photos that follow show an example of each warbler, where possible (1) male and (2) taken on Abaco. Where I had no Abaco images – especially with the transients – I have used other mainstream birding resources and Wiki. All due credits at the foot of the post.

This is a slightly revised version of a guide I posted a couple of years ago. Afterwards, I compressed the guide into a pdf which, in theory at least, is downloadable. You could even send it to your phone and add it to your home screen, so that you will never be without a basic guide to the warblers around you. But it’s not as enthralling as Pokemon Go!, I do quite understand…

AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO ABACO’S WARBLERS

PERMANENT RESIDENTS

BAHAMA YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis rostrata PR B 1 ENDEMIC

YELLOW WARBLER Setophaga petechia PR B 1

YELLOW WARBLER ©Cornell Lab

OLIVE-CAPPED WARBLER Setophaga pityophila PR B 1

Olive-capped Warbler, Abaco (Bruce Hallett)

PINE WARBLER Setophaga pinus PR B 1

BAHAMA WARBLER Setophaga flavescens PR B 1 ENDEMIC

WINTER RESIDENTS (COMMON)

OVENBIRD Seiurus aurocapilla WR 1

WORM-EATING WARBLER Helmitheros vermivorum WR 2

NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH Parkesia noveboracensis WR 1

BAHAMAS - Northern Waterthrush - Oct 2010 Becky Marvil

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER Mniotilta varia WR 2

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis trichas WR 1

AMERICAN REDSTART Setophaga ruticilla WR 1

CAPE MAY WARBLER Setophaga tigrina WR 1

NORTHERN PARULA Setophaga americana WR 1

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER Setophaga caerulescens WR 2

PALM WARBLER Setophaga palmarum WR 1

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER Setophaga coronata WR 2

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER Setophaga dominica WR 1

PRAIRIE WARBLER Setophaga discolor WR 1

WINTER RESIDENTS (UNCOMMON TO RARE)

LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH Parkesia motacilla WR 3

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER Vermivora cyanoptera WR 3

SWAINSON’S WARBLER Limnothlypis swainsonii WR 4

NASHVILLE WARBLER Oreothlypis ruficapilla WR 4

Nashville Warbler, Abaco - Bruce Hallett

HOODED WARBLER Setophaga citrina WR 3

KIRTLAND’S WARBLER Setophaga kirtlandii WR 4

MAGNOLIA WARBLER Setophaga magnolia WR 3

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER Setophaga virens WR 3

TRANSIENTS

PROTHONOTARY WARBLER Protonotaria citrea TR 3

TENNESSEE WARBLER Oreothlypis peregrina TR 4

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER Oreothlypis celata TR 4

CONNECTICUT WARBLER Oporonis agilis TR 4

KENTUCKY WARBLER Geothlypis formosa TR 4

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER Setophaga castanea TR 4

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER Setophaga fusca TR 4

CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER Setophaga pensylvanica TR 4

Chestnut-sided Warbler talainsphotographyblog - Version 2

BLACKPOLL WARBLER Setophaga striata TR 3

WILSON’S WARBLER Cardellina pusilla TR 4

YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT Icteria virens TR 4

PHOTO CREDITS (1 – 37) Bruce Hallett (Header, 3, 9, 12, 14, 17, 21, 22); Tom Reed (1, 4); Cornell Lab (2); Tom Sheley (7, 10); Alex Hughes (5); Gerlinde Taurer (6, 11, 18); Becky Marvil (8, 20a); Woody Bracey (13, 24); Peter Mantle (15); RH (16); William H. Majoros wiki (19); talainsphotographyblog (20b, 26, 34); Charmaine Albury (23); Craig Nash (25); Ann Capling (27); Jerry Oldenettel wiki (28); Dominic Sherony wiki (29); 10000birds (30); Steve Maslowski wiki (31); MDF wiki (32, 33); Avibirds (35); Michael Woodruff wiki (36); Emily Willoughby wiki (37)

CHECKLIST based on the complete checklist and codes for Abaco devised by Tony White with Woody Bracey for “THE DELPHI CLUB GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF ABACO” by Keith Salvesen

A GALLERY OF GORGEOUS: ABACO BIRDS ON DISPLAY

May 12, 2016 by Rolling Harbour

A GALLERY OF GORGEOUS: ABACO BIRDS ON DISPLAY

Occasionally I feature birds photographed elsewhere than on Abaco – GRAND BAHAMA, for example. Almost always they are birds that are recorded for Abaco but are rarely encountered there (and even more rarely photographed). The ROSEATE SPOONBILL, for one. Or they may be birds that have come very close to Abaco but not quite reached the island… the WOOD STORK for example.

Today, I am showcasing some birds photographed on Abaco by Duncan Mullis during a trip from Grand Bahama. My selections from his trip are chosen to showcase colourful birds, endemic birds, and favourite birds of mine. Yours too, I hope.

ABACO (CUBAN) PARROTS Abaco Parrot (Duncan Mullis)

Two of the species were new to Duncan. One was the Bahama Mockingbird.

BAHAMA MOCKINGBIRD Bahama Mockingbird, Abaco (Duncan Mullis)

The other new species for Duncan was the PEARLY-EYED THRASHER. Until last March, this species had never been recorded on Abaco. Then one turned up in Treasure Cay and has stayed there ever since. It is the latest of several ‘new species’ found on Abaco in the last couple of years. To read about the discovery by Woody Bracey click on the link above or below.

PEARLY-EYED THRASHER Pearly-eyed Thrasher, Treasure Cay, Abaco (Duncan Mullis)

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER Yellow-throated Warbler, Abaco (Duncan Mullis)

BAHAMA SWALLOW (ENDEMIC) Bahama Swallow, Abaco (endemic) (Duncan Mullis

SMOOTH-BILLED ANI Smooth-billed Ani, Treasure Cay, Abaco (Duncan Mullis)

YELLOW WARBLER Yellow Warbler, Abaco (Duncan Mullis)

Credits: all photos by Duncan Mullis, with many thanks for use permission

SMALL ABACO BIRDS TO MAKE THINGS BETTER

February 1, 2016 by Rolling Harbour

SMALL ABACO BIRDS TO MAKE THINGS BETTER

Bad day. I know about random outage outrage and so on, but really… The router died, unmourned. Bought another. Wasted 2 hours trying to make it work. Turns out to be ‘defective’, which is to say broken. Or another B word. Bought another. Almost lost the will to live. I have the briefest window in which to check emails etc before it, too, checks out of the Mac Hotel. The ONLY SOLUTION (apart from Kalik in copious quantities, sadly not available where I am right now), is to look at some pretty birds taken in the gardens round the Delphi Club. Mmmmm. Feeling better now. Deep breaths… and… relax…

Bananaquit, Abaco 1 (Keith Salvesen) La Sagra flycatcher, Abaco 1 (RH) Cuban Emerald, Abaco (Keith Salvesen) Yellow-throated Warbler, Abaco (RH)

All pics by a rather stroppy RH

STOP PRESS Exactly 24 hours after excitedly unwrapping the (second) new router, after a convoluted and Kafkaesque series of phone calls to various techie centres, headily mixed with wine, beer, tears and tantrums, I combined some of the info from each and miraculously the recalcitrant beast sprang to life. For how long, though? Router advice given: $100 ph + exes

IT’S A WARBLER. WITH A YELLOW THROAT. ON ABACO. SIMPLE?

April 17, 2015 by Rolling Harbour

IT’S A WARBLER. WITH A YELLOW THROAT. ON ABACO. SIMPLE?

The Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) is a most helpful warbler, in that what you see is what you get. You needn’t go to embarrassing lengths to determine whether it has a Yellow Rump. It doesn’t make extravagant geographical claims like the Cape May, Kentucky, Tennessee, Nashville or Connecticut warblers. It doesn’t disguise its warblerdom with a confusing name like ‘American Redstart’ or ‘Ovenbird’. Nor with a weird warbler name that is completely obscure like the Prothonotary. It’s a winter resident only, so it won’t try to puzzle you in the summer. The males and females are roughly similar in appearance, unlike so many species. All-in-all, a most agreeable and obliging little bird. Here are a few to enjoy, before I spoil the magic slightly…

YTWs are quite pose-y birds, and tend to strike attitudes. One is the ‘head-in-the-air’, as below and further above. There’s the ‘butt-in-the-air’ too, immediately above (one of my favourite photos)

This shape is both characteristic and characterful. You might call it the ‘sag-in-the-middle’

This year I saw my first YTW in the Delphi Gardens, skulking around in a Gumbo Limbo tree. Having taken a number of rather poor shots – partly due to the intervention of branches, twigs, leaves, berries, shaky hands and so forth – I got some clearer shots at it, the two above and below being the best of an indifferent bunch.

I said earlier that the magic of the apparently simple ID of a warbler that lives up to its name would have to be spoiled. I’m afraid this little gallery rather undoes the certainties I’d promised… two more species common to Abaco, also named for their yellow throats (yet it’s more extensive than just the throat, anyway) .

BAHAMA YELLOWTHROAT

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT

You’d really think that someone at Audubon Towers or Cornell Castle might have thought of calling these two species ‘Bahama’ and ‘Common’ Masked Warblers, wouldn’t you – after all there’s a Hooded Warbler, which indeed has a hood. No other warbler has a mask like these 2. Then any confusion could be avoided. So remember: the Yellow-throated Warbler has a yellow throat AND is otherwise black and white, with streaks. Erm, just like a…

BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER

BAHAMA YELLOWTHROAT

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT

ABACO’S 37 WARBLER SPECIES (GUIDE)

Credits: RH (1,7,8,9,10); Bruce Hallett (2, 3); Erik Gauger (4); Becky Marvil (5, 6). Thumbnails: Gerlinde Taurer, Bruce Hallett, Dan Pancamo, Tom Sheley, Wiki

AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO ABACO’S 37 WARBLER SPECIES

September 29, 2014 by Rolling Harbour

Yellow-throated Warbler, Abaco

AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO ABACO’S 37 WARBLER SPECIES

The winter warblers are arriving on Abaco right now, and a couple of people have already sent me ID queries. Until a couple of years ago, I lazily believed all of the warblers were near identical, differing only in their extent of yellowness. Not so. I know better now. Their arrival now has prompted me to devise a general guide to all the various warblers, so that the great diversity can be appreciated. The photos that follow show an example of each warbler, where possible (1) male (2) in breeding plumage and (3) taken on Abaco. Where I had no Abaco images – especially with the transients – I have used other mainstream birding resources and Wiki. All due credits at the foot of the post.

Abaco has 37 warbler species recorded for the main island and cays. They fall into 3 categories: 5 permanent residents (PR) that breed on Abaco (B), of which two are endemics; 21 winter residents (WR) ranging from ‘everyday’ species to rarities such as the Kirtland’s Warbler; and 11 transients, most of which you will be lucky to encounter. The codes given for each bird show the residence status and also the likelihood of seeing each species in its season, rated from 1 (very likely) to 5 (extreme rarities, maybe only recorded once or twice).

PERMANENT RESIDENTS

BAHAMA YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis rostrata PR B 1 ENDEMIC

YELLOW WARBLER Setophaga petechia PR B 1

OLIVE-CAPPED WARBLER Setophaga pityophila PR B 1

PINE WARBLER Setophaga pinus PR B 1

BAHAMA WARBLER Setophaga flavescens PR B 1 ENDEMIC

WINTER RESIDENTS (COMMON)

OVENBIRD Seiurus aurocapilla WR 1

WORM-EATING WARBLER Helmitheros vermivorum WR 2

NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH Parkesia noveboracensis WR 1

BAHAMAS - Northern Waterthrush - Oct 2010 Becky Marvil

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER Mniotilta varia WR 2

COMMON YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis trichas WR 1

AMERICAN REDSTART Setophaga ruticilla WR 1

CAPE MAY WARBLER Setophaga tigrina WR 1

NORTHERN PARULA Setophaga americana WR 1

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER Setophaga caerulescens WR 2

PALM WARBLER Setophaga palmarum WR 1

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER Setophaga coronata WR 2

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER Setophaga dominica WR 1

PRAIRIE WARBLER Setophaga discolor WR 1

WINTER RESIDENTS (UNCOMMON TO RARE)

LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH Parkesia motacilla WR 3

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER Vermivora cyanoptera WR 3

SWAINSON’S WARBLER Limnothlypis swainsonii WR 4

NASHVILLE WARBLER Oreothlypis ruficapilla WR 4

Nashville Warbler, Abaco - Bruce Hallett

HOODED WARBLER Setophaga citrina WR 3

KIRTLAND’S WARBLER Setophaga kirtlandii WR 4

MAGNOLIA WARBLER Setophaga magnolia WR 3

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER Setophaga virens WR 3

TRANSIENTS

PROTHONOTARY WARBLER Protonotaria citrea TR 3

TENNESSEE WARBLER Oreothlypis peregrina TR 4

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER Oreothlypis celata TR 4

CONNECTICUT WARBLER Oporonis agilis TR 4

KENTUCKY WARBLER Geothlypis formosa TR 4

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER Setophaga castanea TR 4

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER Setophaga fusca TR 4

CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER Setophaga pensylvanica TR 4

Chestnut-sided Warbler talainsphotographyblog - Version 2

BLACKPOLL WARBLER Setophaga striata TR 3

WILSON’S WARBLER Cardellina pusilla TR 4

YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT Icteria virens TR 4

PHOTO CREDITS (1 – 37) Bruce Hallett (Header, 3, 9, 12, 14, 17, 21, 22); Tom Reed (1, 4); Tom Sheley (2, 7, 10); Alex Hughes (5); Gerlinde Taurer (6, 11, 18); Becky Marvil (8, 20a); Woody Bracey (13, 24); Peter Mantle (15); RH (16); William H. Majoros wiki (19); talainsphotographyblog (20b, 26, 34); Charmaine Albury (23); Craig Nash (25); Ann Capling (27); Jerry Oldenettel wiki (28); Dominic Sherony wiki (29); 10000birds (30); Steve Maslowski wiki (31); MDF wiki (32, 33); Avibirds (35); Michael Woodruff wiki (36); Emily Willoughby wiki (37)

CHECKLIST based on the complete checklist and codes for Abaco devised by Tony White with Woody Bracey for “THE DELPHI CLUB GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF ABACO” by Keith Salvesen