2012 Christmas Bird Count

Wilson's Plover.

We had a successful Christmas Bird Count yesterday around Les Cayes.  This 3rd annual event started with a talk Friday by the Haiti Audubon Society, lead by AUC graduate Anderson Jean.  Saturday four groups and about 18 participants saw  63 species in our 15 mile circle.  See the 2013 posting for results.

Anderson Jean and Sean Christensen organized this year's count.  (Photos by Debbie Baker and Sean Christensen). 

The Les Cayes bird count circle.

Seminar by the Haiti Audubon Society.

At mangroves east of Les Cayes.

Birding at 300m at Picot.

At sea level at Gelee Beach.

Counting the shore birds at Gelee Beach.

Student and teacher seminars

A teacher demonstrating visual aids.

Last week James and I held two bird conservation seminars at the school MEBSH de Simon.  Twenty-five high school students from 4 local schools attended the Friday afternoon seminar.  Saturday afternoon, 16 primary school teachers from 9 schools came to learn about the importance of birds.  One came from a school 1 hour away.  An AUC student assisted us that day.  We gave each teacher 2 posters donated by the Audubon Society of Haiti.  Several invited us to their schools to teach their students.  Stay tuned for an upcoming post about teaching in these schools with AUC student volunteers.

MEBSH de Simon

James teaching the high schoolers.

Bird identification training with IFTA

We had our last Institution Formation en Technique Agronomie (IFTA) lecture on Monday in which I spoke about conservation.  The finale was today in which we took the class birding west of Torbeck.  Thanks to the teacher Decossard for making the arrangements, and James for translating.  I taught the students about which features to pay attention to on the birds to help them more quickly identify birds.  We also talked about the logistics of being a bird guide.  We saw only about 7 species, and it was overcast and rainy.  But it was still a great teaching experience. 

Talk at AUC Wednesday 3pm

At 3pm on Wednesday Nov. 14 ecology Professor Debbie Baker will speak about the goals of the Audubon Center.  The forum will take place in the chapel on the 3rd floor of the American University of the Caribbean in Les Cayes.  Please join us if you would like to find out more about the environmental education we can bring to your organization!

Warblers at AUC

This morning I saw 3 warbler (ti tchit) species in the same clump of trees next to the pavilion.  It was raining, so the pavilion made excellent cover.

• Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)
• Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens) – male
• American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) – immature male

Ornithology seminar at IFTA

This month the Audubon Center is presenting a series of ornithology talks for the agronomy class at Institut de Formation Technique en Agronomie (IFTA) in Les Cayes.  Sean Christensen and Debbie Baker are giving four talks covering endemic and migratory birds of Haiti, how to identify birds, bird habitats in Haiti, and the causes of the decline of Haiti birds.  Thanks to IFTA director Decossard Guemy for inviting us.  For attending this 4-week series, his students will receive a certificate from the Audubon Center.

Christmas Bird Counts 2009-2011

Since 1900, the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) has brought together volunteers to survey birds throughout the Americas.  The Cayes CBC, like all CBCs, covers a 15 miles diameter circle.  Sean Christensen, Anderson Jean, and Enold Louis-Jean coordinated the surveys. The count area runs north-south from Marcellin (above Camp Perrin and below the "ramp" toward Jeremie) to the Cayes coastline and east-west from Chantal to La Porte.

The first count was provisional, in that it isn't entered into Audubon's official records, so year 2010 is officially the first Cayes CBC.

We have not had enough participants to cover the entire count area, so we have focused our efforts on the most profitable habitats, including:  Gelee Beach, La Toutrelle, Etang Laborde, Etang Ladwat, Etang Lachaux, Faugasse Rice Fields, Torbeck, Beraud and Picot. 

If you are interested in participating this year, please contact Sean Christensen (seanchr at gmail.com).  We need more team members who can cover other important areas, such as:  the hills of Bergaud to Morne Sicard, Islet Massey and Wharf Massey, Ducis, Toro, Caprau toward Camp Perrin, the entire area from Miserne to LaBeille.  We will train you to identify the birds and do this survey.

		30-Dec-09	27-Dec-10	17-Dec-11
	# of Field Observers:	10	13	21
Nom anglais	Nom latin
Canard / Oie
West Indian Whistling Duck	Dendrocygna arborea
Gadwall	Anas strepera
Eurasian Wigeon	Anas penelope	1
American Wigeon	Anas americana	49	8	138
Blue-winged Teal	Anas discors		5	386
Northern Shoveler	Anas clypeata
White-cheeked Pintail	Anas bahamensis		6
Green-winged Common Teal	Anas crecca			50
Canvasback	Aythya valisineria
Redhead	Aythya americana
Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris	21	3	26
Lesser Scaup	Aythya affinis			7
Ruddy Duck	Oxyura jamaicensis	56	14	12
Plonjon
Least Grebe	Tachybaptus dominicus
Pied-billed Grebe	Podilymbus podiceps	66	63	55
Les Oiseaux du marécage
White Ibis	Eudocimus albus
Glossy Ibis	Plegadis falcinellus	100	90
Yellow-crowned Night Heron	Nyctanassa violacea	1		17
Green Heron	Butorides virescens	3	16	13
Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis	194	311	763
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias	26	2	12
Great Egret	Ardea alba	18	23	7
Tricolored or Louisiana Heron	Egretta tricolor		3
Little Blue Heron	Egretta caerulea	16	21	12
Snowy Egret	Egretta thula	9	20	8
Black-necked Stilt	Himantopus mexicanus	38	32	296
Les Oiseaux de la mer
Red-billed Tropicbird	Phaethon aethereus
White-tailed Tropicbird	Phaethon lepturus
Magnificent Frigatebird	Fregata magnificens
Brown Pelican	Pelecanus occidentalis			2
Neotropical Cormorant	Phalacrocorax brasilianus
Double-crested Cormorant	Phalacrocorax auritus
Malfini
Turkey-Vulture	Cathartes aura	12	6	30
American Kestrel	Falco sparverius	17	8	17
Merlin	Falco columbarius
Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus
Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	2	3	2
Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis	3	2
Poul de l'eau
Purple Gallinule	Porphyrio martinica
Common Moorhen Gallinule	Gallinula chloropus/galeata	32	9	48
American Coot	Fulica americana	10	35	5
Caribbean Coot	Fulica caribaea	63	71	57
Northern Jacana	Jacana spinosa	7	14	16
Pluvier
American Golden Plover	Pluvialis dominica
Black-bellied Plover	Pluvialis squatarola	40	11	37
Semipalmated Plover	Charadrius semipalmatus
Wilson's Plover	Charadrius wilsonia
Killdeer	Ardea alba		4	5
Piping Plover	Charadrius melodus
Kentish Plover	Charadrius alexandrinus
Bécasseaux
Common Snipe	Gallinago gallinago
Short-billed Dowitcher	Limnodromus griseus	5
Long-billed Dowitcher	Limnodromus scolopaceus
Hudsonian Godwit	Limosa haemastica
Marbled Godwit	Limosa fedoa
Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus
Upland Sandpiper	Bartramia longicauda
Greater Yellowlegs	Tringa melanoleuca	1	7	2
Lesser Yellowlegs	Tringa flavipes		1	57
Solitary Sandpiper	Tringa solitaria
Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularius	24	1	7
Willet	Catoptrophorus semipalmatus		3	8
Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres	14	8	38
Red Knot	Calidris canutus
Sanderling	Calidris alba		33	46
Semipalmated Sandpiper	Calidris pusilla			2
Western Sandpiper	Calidris mauri
Least Sandpiper	Calidris minutilla			1
White-rumped Sandpiper	Calidris fuscicollis
Baird's Sandpiper	Calidris bairdii
Pectoral Sandpiper	Calidris melanotos
Dunlin	Calidris alpina
Stilt-Sandpiper	Calidris himantopus			15
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	Tryngites subruficollis
Ruff	Philomachus pugnax
Wilson's Phalarope	Phalaropus tricolor
Red-necked Phalarope	Phalaropus lobatus
Goéland / Sterne
Ring-billed Gull	Larus delawarensis		1	1
Great Black-backed Gull	Larus marinus		2
Herring Gull	Larus argentatus
Lesser Black-backed Gull	Larus fuscus
Bonaparte's Gull	Larus philadelphia
Laughing Gull	Larus atricilla	52	14	7
Franklin's Gull	Larus pipixcan
Black-legged Kittiwake	Rissa tridactyla
Gull-billed Tern	Sterna nilotica
Caspian Tern	Sterna caspia
Sandwich Tern	Sterna sandvicensis		3	2
Royal Tern	Sterna maxima	5	13	4
Roseate Tern	Sterna dougallii	20
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo	68
Forster's Tern	Sterna forsteri
Least Tern	Sterna antillarum	5	1
Bridled Tern	Sterna anaethetus
Sooty Tern	Sterna fuscata
Black Tern	Chlidonias niger
Brown Noddy	Anous stolidus
Black Skimmer	Rynchops niger
Pigeon / Ramier
Rock Pigeon	Columba livia
White-crowned Pigeon	Columba leucocephala
Scaly-naped Pigeon	Columba squamosa			5
Plain Pigeon	Columba inornata
Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura	8	17	17
Zenaida Dove	Zenaida aurita	4
White-winged Dove	Zenaida asiatica		9
Common Ground Dove	Columbina passerina	5	14	22
Gray-headed Quail-Dove	Geotrygon caniceps
Key West Quail-Dove	Geotrygon chrysia
Ruddy Quail-Dove	Geotrygon montana
Tako
Black-billed Cuckoo	Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	Coccyzus americanus
Mangrove Cuckoo	Coccyzus minor
Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo	Saurothera longirostris	4	1	12
Smooth-billed Ani	Crotophaga ani	17	4	48
Hibou/Chouette
Barn Owl	Tyto alba			1
Ashy-faced Owl	Tyto glaucops
Burrowing Owl	Athene cunicularia
Stygian Owl	Asio stygius
Short-eared Owl	Asio flammeus
Petonvwa
Northern Potoo	Nyctibius jamaicensis
Common Nighthawk	Chordeiles minor
Antillean Nighthawk	Chordeiles gundlachii
Least Pauraque	Siphonorhis brewsteri
Chuck-will's Widow	Caprimulgus carolinensis
Greater Antillean Nightjar	Caprimulgus cubanensis
Martinet
Black Swift	Cypseloides niger	4
White-collared Swift	Streptoprocne zonaris			1
Chimney Swift	Chaetura pelagica
Antillean Palm Swift	Tachornis phoenicobia	7		27
Ouanga Négresse
Antillean Mango	Anthracothorax dominicus	x	6	11
Hispaniolan Emerald	Chlorostilbon swainsonii	1	1	4
Vervain Hummingbird	Mellisuga minima	7		3
Pipirit Rivye
Belted Kingfisher	Megaceryle alcyon	3	7	6
Kolibri
Broad-billed Tody	Todus subulatus	3		4
Narrow-billed Tody	Todus angustirostris		1	5
Charpentier
Antillean Piculet	Nesoctites micromegas
Hispaniolan Woodpecker	Melanerpes striatus	16	24	40
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	Sphyrapicus varius
Pipirite
Greater Antillean Elaenia	Elaenia fallax
Hispaniolan Pewee	Contopus hispaniolensis	1	1
Gray Kingbird	Tyrannus dominicensis	14	8	22
Loggerhead Kingbird	Tyrannus caudifasciatus
Great Crested Flycatcher	Myiarchus crinitus
Stolid Flycatcher	Myiarchus stolidus
Vireonidae
White-eyed Vireo	Vireo griseus
Thick-billed Vireo	Vireo crassirostris
Flat-billed Vireo	Vireo nanus
Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireo flavifrons
Red-eyed Vireo	Vireo olivaceus
Black-whiskered Vireo	Vireo altiloquus
Corneille
Palm Crow	Corvus palmarum	29		5
White-necked Crow	Corvus leucognaphalus	17	2	26
Zwazo maske
Cedar Waxwing	Bombycilla cedrorum
Zwazo palmis
Palmchat	Dulus dominicus	9	x	59
Hirondelle
Bank Swallow	Riparia riparia
Tree Swallow	Tachycineta bicolor
Golden Swallow	Tachycineta euchrysea
Purple Martin	Progne subis
Caribbean Martin	Progne dominicensis
No. Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica
Cliff Swallow	Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Cave Swallow	Petrochelidon fulva
Ti zwazo
Bananaquit	Coereba flaveola	20	21	47
Moqueur / Grive
Northern Mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos	3	2	4
Red-legged Thrush	Turdus plumbeus		3
Madan Sara
Village Weaver	Ploceus cucullatus	3	12	11
Estrildidae
Nutmeg Mannikin	Lonchura punctulata			2
Black-headed Munia	Lonchura malacca
Fringillidae
Antillean Siskin	Carduelis dominicensis
White-winged Crossbill	Loxia leucoptera
Ti Kikit / Paruline
Golden-winged Warbler	Vermivora chrysoptera
Blue-winged Warbler	Vermivora pinus
Tennessee Warbler	Vermivora peregrina
Nashville Warbler	Vermivora ruficapilla
Northern Parula	Parula americana	4	x	4
Chestnut-sided Warbler	Dendroica pensylvanica
Yellow Warbler	Dendroica petechia	2
Blackpoll Warbler	Dendroica striata
Bay-breasted Warbler	Dendroica castanea
Blackburnian Warbler	Dendroica fusca
Magnolia Warbler	Dendroica magnolia
Cape May Warbler	Dendroica tigrina	5	1	11
Black-throated Blue Warbler	Dendroica caerulescens	2	3	9
Yellow-rumped Warbler	Dendroica coronata
Black-throated Green Warbler	Dendroica virens
Yellow-throated Warbler	Dendroica dominica
Prairie Warbler	Dendroica discolor	1		2
Pine Warbler	Dendroica pinus
Kirtland's Warbler	Dendroica kirtlandii
Palm Warbler	Dendroica palmarum	1
Black-and-white Warbler	Mniotilta varia	x	x	5
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla	8	5	13
Prothonotary Warbler	Protonotaria citrea
Worm-eating Warbler	Helmitheros vermivorum
Swainson's Warbler	Limnothlypis swainsonii
Ovenbird	Seiurus aurocapilla	3	x	3
Northern Waterthrush	Seiurus noveboracensis
Louisiana Waterthrush	Seiurus motacilla	7
Kentucky Warbler	Oporornis formosus
Connecticut Warbler	Oporornis agilis
Mourning Warbler	Oporornis philadelphia
Common Yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas	1
Green-tailed Warbler	Microligea palustris
Hooded Warbler	Wilsonia citrina
Wilson's Warbler	Wilsonia pusilla
Canada Warbler	Wilsonia canadensis
Yellow-breasted Chat	Icteria virens
White-winged Warbler	Xenoligea montana
Icteridae
Greater Antillean Oriole	Icterus dominicensis	1
Shiny Cowbird	Molothrus bonariensis
Tawny-shouldered Blackbird	Agelaius humeralis
Greater Antillean Grackle	Quiscalus niger			7
Zwazo kann / Bruant
Yellow-faced Grassquit	Tiaris olivaceus	x		14
Black-faced Grassquit	Tiaris bicolor		3
Greater Antillean Bullfinch	Loxigilla violacea
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	3	8	1
Tangara
Summer Tanager	Piranga rubra
Scarlet Tanager	Piranga olivacea
Western Tanager	Piranga ludoviciana
Gray-crowned Palm Tanager	Phaenicophilus poliocephalus	4	5	2
Western Chat-Tanager	Calyptophilus tertius
Eastern Chat-Tanager	Calyptophilus frugivorus
Hispaniolan Spindalis	Spindalis dominicensis
Antillean Euphonia	Euphonia musica
	total species	68	64	72