The Aftermath of Hurricane Tammy Spells Trouble for Shorebirds on Anguilla
Wader Conservation World Watch 2023
While Hurricane Tammy was like Winny the Pooh and the Blustery Day, her backside resembled the biblical Great Flood. Accompanied by severe thunder and lightning, it dropped at least six inches of rain across Anguilla.
Because of this, the island’s wetlands are overflowing. This leaves little space for our shorebirds to feed.
On November 4th and 5th of 2023, I participated in the 10th annual Wader Conservation World Watch. Sponsored by Wader Quest in the U.K., this event aims to show you care about the world’s wader (shorebird) species.
During the counting period, I spotted sixteen species of shorebirds across eleven different sites.
Some sites were inaccessible due to flooded roads and pathways. At some locations, there were no waders present.
Road Salt Pond and Cove contained the most birds. This is likely due to grass and rock areas where the smallest species could rest and feed safely.
Counts performed on shorelines and beaches were interrupted by people walking dogs. In one case, I had to abandon the count completely as the dog flushed all the birds. They did not return to the site.
Two missing species included the resident Wilson’s Plover and the American Oystercatcher.
My thanks go out to Wader Quest for bringing attention to the plight of the world’s shorebirds. I look forward to year eleven of the Wader Quest World Watch!
Just back from quick visit to Anguilla and noticed how full the ponds were, especially by Meads and by Cap/Altamar. Saw many waders, but also first time seeing big green iguanas overrunning Cap’s grounds. Thank you for this post! Grateful for your observations and insights 🙏🏽
Thank you for introducing me to new world of birds. The Killdeer are so nicely coloured and cute...