Sunday, April 3, 2022

Return to the mangroves in St. Michel/Camp Louise

In March 2022 I returned to Université Chrétienne du Nord d'Haïti (UCNH) in northern Haiti to reconnect and teach a short biology course. I also visited the mangroves that I surveyed in March 2020 under a small BirdsCaribbean grant. This time, Elio took me to the shore side of the mangroves. We walked the mile-long stretch which was a narrow (<1m) strip of sandy shore covered in plastic trash for almost the entire length. Two of the 3 paths that we followed into the mangroves led to areas cleared for charcoal. We heard several yellow warblers in the mangrove, and saw one sandpiper along the shore, along with washed up pieces of coral and sponges. In the mainland side of the mangrove, we saw glossy ibis, greater yellowlegs, and black-necked stilts.

Sponge




Cleared for charcoal

Spotted sandpiper

 

Trash on the beach.
Black-necked stilt, glossy ibis, greater yellowlegs in front.