Great Blue Herons Stand Out During 2024 Great Backyard Bird Count
From February 16 through February 18, I celebrated the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Great Backyard Bird Count with the rest of the world. Over the three days, I recorded 51 species of birds.
Great Blue Herons were seen at several locations in different stages of plumage. This species is an overwintering bird that arrives in October and leaves in April. It is a treat to witness the birds transitioning into their breeding plumage.
I recorded all of the Lesser Antilles Restricted Range Species as well.
Gray Kingbirds were seen across the island. Many were catching Grasshoppers and dragonflies.
Participants in the Wild Side Walk on the 18th recorded 25 species including this stunning male Green-winged Teal. The juvenile Little Blue Heron continues on East End Pond and is transitioning into adult plumage.
In summary, 7842 species were recorded in over 298,000 checklists. While the emphasis is not as great on this count as Global Big Days, the numbers are quite impressive.
Many thanks to all who joined me on the walk to count birds for this great cause!