Bermuda 2008 (1 Viewer)

[birderbill]

My partner has always wanted to go to Bermuda and we've agreed to go next year, 2008. Whilst there I'd like to fit in as much birding as possible!

Can any one help with best times to visit, birding friendly accomodation and general birding advice?

many thanks,

Bill.

 

[cmpigott]

Our local Audubon society's web page is http://www.audubon.bm/

Sep/Oct is a good time to visit for the fall migration.

 

[njlarsen]

Take a look at this link http://www.scscb.org/working_groups/Actions/bird_July_06_cahow.htm . Near the bottom of the page, there is a link to the author; I would be surprised if he did not want to answer any specific questions you might have

Niels

 

[birderbill]

Thank your for your replies.

Now saved the Adubon website as a favourite and will keep an eye on it regularly.

I've managed to track a few trip reports down and have ordered a couple of books on Bermuda and it's birds.

Looks like a trip at the end of September/ early October is on the cards, fingers crossed..!

Bill.

 

[stephennj]

Bill are you planning on hiring a bird guide for a day ? Actually I was wondering if that is possible in Bermuda ,in other words are there any bird guideds on the island ?! It looks like I will be there in the summer of '09 and I am looking into the possibilitiy of seeing the Bermuda Petrel , I also wanted to track down the Orange-cheeked Waxbill .

 

[njlarsen]

Stephen,
I don't know about bird-guides, but for more information on the Cahow, take a look at http://www.scscb.org/working_groups/Actions/bird_July_06_cahow.htm and http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2006/03/cahow.html (plus more links at the latter site). One important piece of information is that the Cahow is absent from the area during hurricane season, so spring is a better period for that species.

Cheers
Niels

 

[birderbill]

Niels, Stephen,

Thank you for picking up on this post.

I emailed the Bermuda Audubon Society a while ago for some advice on bird guides and meeting up with some local birders. However, I've not had any response yet. Not sure if this is because email is not being picked up. The website doesn't appear to have been updated for a long while (Oct 2007).

Can any Bermuda birders help out please?

Bill

 

[lewis20126]

I'd also be interest in knowing whether you can see the Cahow on a seawatch with a good scope? Perhaps in the evening from the nearest bit of land that overlooks the breeding island? Or it it best to charter a boat and hang around off the colony?

I may go for a few days the next year. Thanks, Alan

 

[njlarsen]

In the Bermuda Audubon site, it says that the cahow is sometimes seen from land, but that you are unlikely to see them (75 pairs is not a lot when the bird is nocturnal). There is also a bird-finding guide listed on the site.

Niels

 

[njlarsen]

Another story on the Cahow: http://www.royalgazette.com/siftolo...le.jsp?articleId=7d853b330030004&sectionId=48

Niels

 

[GDK]

Stephen, Alan et al,

This was something I briefly looked into doing sometime, had we not seen the species recently off its annual but not common occurance in the warm waters off North Carolina. Infact I would still potentially do it.

Have a look at this fascinating footage of the species. The first part of the video shows its possible to do them by boat and the final part sort of looks like it may possibly have been shot at dusk on or near the breeding island. There are two email links, and the film makers may be able to provide more detail. If someone does contact them please post details on here, not least to stop them being harrassed.

http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/birds/Pterodroma_cahow/Pterodroma_cahow_00.html?offset=0px

The place to see them would be from the southern tip of coopers island. It is a nature reserve in Castle Harbour and the birds breed on the off shore islets. Multimap provide good arieal coverage: http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=...,-64.65278|16|32&loc=:32.34748:-64.65292:18||

If you can get there I think you should hopefully see the petrel at the right time of year (and day!). They want to make it into a visitor centre I think. A potential problem may be access, it is a former US military site, but there seems to be some access. See also on this point the IBA factsheet http://www.birdlife.info/wbdbwebstaging/SitHarnessDetails.asp?sid=19779&m=0
Although it may be a little out of date now. Boats are the another option as mentioned.

White Tailed Tropicbird also breed in the area.

By the way the North Carolina pelagics on the Stormy Petrel II are well worthwhile. We did 6 in the last week of May/early June this year and saw Pterodromas every day, mostly black capped petrel, but 2 'Fea's' and a Bermuda. http://www.patteson.com/

 

[njlarsen]

Gareth,
could I please ask you to submit this image in the gallery section of this site? It is a great image, and there is not a single photo of Bermuda Petrel in there.

Niels

 

[stephennj]

Thanks for the info all and great shot Gareth -Wow!

 

[GDK]

Just a quick update to this thread if anyone is interested. I was birding in Poland early April with a mate who spent quite a bit of time living in Bermuda. He suggests that the Petrel is indeed likely from the southern point as described above, especially now numbers have built up because of the conservation efforts.

The Brian Patteson trips out of Hatteras, North Carolina this year have already recorded four Bermuda Petrels (including 3 on the 29th May with, Trinidade, Fea's and presumably a few Black Capped Petrel) And a European Storm Petrel… Not a bad day list for the lucky few.

Cheers