Cayman Birding

Birders unite for Global Big Day!

Join our virtual team and be part of the worldwide effort to count and conserve birds.
Together, we'll not only count & record species but also raise vital funds for Caribbean nationals to attend the BirdsCaribbean 24th International Conference in the Dominican Republic this July.

Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024
Time: 24 hours
Join Team Cayman Birding: https://shorturl.at/bmuM7
Donate: https://shorturl.at/bmuM7
More Info: Send us a DM or email [email protected]
BirdsCaribbean Website: https://shorturl.at/glyNW

Join Team Cayman Birding for Global Big on Saturday, May 11th, 2024 and help us harness the power of community to protect birds and their habitats.

With our collective action, we're not just counting birds – we're safeguarding their future.

Let's make our birding count for conservation!
This year, we are raising funds to provide travel scholarships for Caribbean nationals to attend the BirdsCaribbean 24th International Conference in the Dominican Republic this July.

This conference invaluable opportunity students and wildlife professionals to
1) build upon or gain new skills to address threats to bird conservation on their respective islands
2) network with the wider conservation community, share their work, and learn from others.
For Caribbean students, this experience will help to kickstart their introduction into the ornithological and conservation community and they will benefit from mentorship opportunities.

Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024
Time: 24 hours
Join Team Cayman Birding: https://shorturl.at/bmuM7
Donate: https://shorturl.at/bmuM7
More Info: Send us a DM or email [email protected]
BirdsCaribbean Website: https://shorturl.at/glyNW

BirdsCaribbean

JOIN TEAM CAYMAN BIRDING FOR GLOBAL BIG DAY!

It’s that time of year again! BirdsCaribbean is putting on its annual Global Big Day fundraiser on May 11th.

This year, we are raising funds to provide travel scholarships for Caribbean nationals to attend our 24th International Conference in the Dominican Republic this July.

BirdsCaribbean virtual teams will bird “together” and engage in friendly competition to see which team can: 1) collectively see the most species of birds on GBD, and 2) raise the most funds.

Last year was a resounding success, with 17 teams from 35 countries identifying 1,146 species and raising over $20,000 for the Caribbean Bird Banding program.

To Join Team Cayman Birding:
1. Click the link below
2. Click Join Team
3. Sign in OR Create an account with GiveButter (same platform as last year)
4. Select the Team Cayman Birding

https://givebutter.com/BCGBD2024/cayman-birding-2/caymanbirding

Once on a team, you can invite family, friends, colleagues, or members of your birding community to join your team or make a donation. Please note that you do not need to make a donation to join a team but we certainly would appreciate it if you did!

If you have any questions, send us a message or email [email protected]

There is a flamingo at Malportas Pond on Grand Cayman! It came in with the cold front so is probably a vagrant from Cuba. These birds can get caught up and transported in storms. This summer, Hurricane Idalia carried large numbers of flamingos across the eastern United States, with records as far north as Ohio and Pennsylvania, and as far northwest as Wisconsin. These vagrant populations likely originated from the Yucatan Peninsula, were caught in the storm while enroute to Cuba, and carried until the storm dissipated.

Ours may stick around until the winds die down, so go to North Side for a look! Today it was on the eastern end of Malportas Pond most easily accessed by driving down the new subdivision road after Suncoast Road before the North Side post office. While you’re there, also look for osprey, pelicans, frigate birds, grebes, and teal, as well as egrets and herons of al kinds. Happy birding!

Photo by Peter Davey

Happy October Big Day!

Over the next 24 hours, Birders will visit multiple locations across all 3 Islands to count and record as many species as possible while trying to break our October 2022 record of 125 species.
Locations will include ponds & wetlands to heavily forested areas & even our own backyards!

Follow along in real time to see our progress:
https://ebird.org/region/KY?yr=BIGDAY_2023b

Happy Global Big Day!

This year, Team Cayman Birding is one of 16 teams competing in the BirdsCaribbean Global Big Day fundraising competition.

Over the next 18 hours, our 9 team members will visit multiple locations across all 3 Islands to count and record as many species as possible while trying to break our May 2022 record of 79 species.
Locations will include ponds & wetlands to heavily forested areas & even our own backyards!

Follow along with Team Cayman Birding in near real-time as our participants submit their lists throughout the day: https://ebird.org/tripreport/124913

Only 2 Days left until Global Big Day!

Last year, 17 participants from Team Cayman Birding recorded a total of 79 species.
This year, with the help of our amazing community of birders, we’d love to try and beat that number!

We’ll need all three islands to participate so that we can record all of our endemic species, the red footed b***y, white-tailed tropicbirds, and the brown b***y.

Of course you don’t need to be out all day; just contributing 1 checklist from your favorite patch or hotspot is helpful.

Join our team here: https://givebutter.com/BCGBD2023

Or consider showing your support by donating or sharing our posts.
This year proceeds will benefit the Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network to build capacity for bird banding in the Caribbean.

If you have any questions, please let us know!

Twice a year, during peak migration times (once in spring & once in fall) birders around the world go out, often in small groups to multiple locations within a 24-hr period to observe as many bird species as they can.

The checklists that the global community collects & submits to eBird are hugely valuable for science and conservation. This annual event raises the profile of birds & conservation issues, & gathers a snapshot of bird distribution around the globe.

Each year for Global Big Day, BirdsCaribbean hosts a competition where teams around the Caribbean compete against each other to see who can record the most species, raise the most money, enter the most checklists, take the best photos, etc.

It’s a fun activity for birders but it also raises funds that are contributed towards important initiatives.

This Global Big Day fundraiser will benefit the Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network. The goal of this new initiative is to build capacity for bird banding in the Caribbean. This includes hosting training workshops, sponsoring internships, providing banding supplies, and growing our community of scientists that are advancing research & conservation of Caribbean birds.

There are 3 ways that you can help, see the slides below for more information!

BirdsCaribbean

Team Cayman Birding is ready for Global Big Day on Saturday, May 13, 2023; the only thing missing is YOU!

Here's how you can participate:

🦜 Join our team - Help us record as many birds & species as we can on Saturday, May 13, 2023 - https://givebutter.com/BCGBD2023

🦜Share - Share this post!

🦜Donate - This Global Big Day fundraiser will benefit the Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network. The goal of this new initiative is to build capacity for bird banding in the Caribbean.
You can find more information on this exciting initiative here: https://bit.ly/42fHcAu

For inquires or to receive additional information send us a DM, email [email protected] or visit https://givebutter.com/BCGBD2023

Cayman Birding is excited to be participating in the BirdsCaribbean Global Big Day event for the 4th year!

Aside from some friendly competition, we love participating in the BirdsCaribbean Global Big Day because of the incredible impact that they have in the Caribbean birding community!

BirdsCaribbean works tirelessly to provide as many opportunities as possible for their members to pursue their passions and excel in bird related fields.

We’d love your support in raising funds to benefit the Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network. The goal of this new initiative is to build capacity for bird banding in the Caribbean. This includes hosting training workshops, sponsoring internships, providing banding supplies, and growing our community of scientists that are advancing research and conservation of Caribbean birds.

Join our team or donate to this amazing initiative here:
https://givebutter.com/BCGBD2023

It’s World Wetlands day, and the worlds wetlands are still disappearing at an astonishing rate. ⁣
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Not only are our wetlands vital for humanity, they are vital for the survival of many species. ⁣
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40% of the world's species reliant in some way on wetlands, the loss of these valuable places is forcing many species to the brink of extinction.⁣
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Birds use wetlands for breeding, nesting, as a source of drinking water and for shelter, social interactions and rearing their young.⁣
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Some bird species use wetlands for only part of their lives while others require wetlands within their geographic range to survive. ⁣
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For wetland-dependent species, habitat loss in breeding areas may directly result in loss of birds. ⁣
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Some of the major factors responsible for the loss of wetlands include: filling, drainage, diversion and pumping of water, pollution, and vegetation or timber removal. ⁣
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Now, more than ever, it’s important for our generation to maximize awareness of these issues and take steps to protect local wetlands and restore degraded ones.⁣

Dust off those water boots and get your binoculars ready for the 14th annual BirdsCaribbean Caribbean Waterbirds Census!

The census starts tomorrow, January 14th and runs through February 3rd.

CWC counts can be conducted in any wetland areas you can access.
Freshwater swamps, marshes, mangroves, salt ponds, lagoons, bays, sandy or rocky beaches, coastal areas, mud flats, tidal flats, rivers, estuaries, canals, sewage treatment plants, and many more.

Anyone can participate and every observation is valuable!

For more details and resources, click the link provided below.
https://bit.ly/3ZvSrEh

The results are in!

During Birdfest 2022, our amazing participants submitted 74 checklists and recorded 84 species including 2 first records for Little Cayman & 1 second record for the Cayman Islands!

Happy Halloween!

Only treats this year for the birding community!
We’re having an amazing migratory season so far featuring numerous first records for the Cayman Islands including our most recent visitor, this Lesser Black-backed Gull.

The wait is over!
Birdfest 2022 is finally here!

This year, we’re so excited to be hosting Birdfest 2022 in Little Cayman.

Aside from Little Cayman being the smallest of our three islands, it’s also the most understudied.
Some of our goals for Birdfest 2022 include:
• Monitoring migratory bird species & abundance
• Assessing endemic population & abundance
• Contributing important information to the eBird database

Birdfest aims to provide bird nerds with an opportunity to connect with other like-minded & passionate people while collecting important data that aids in new data-driven approaches to science, conservation and education.

Each day participants will visit various locations & hotspots throughout the island in groups of 3.

We will conduct bird surveys to count and record as many species in each location as possible.
Data from each location is then entered into the eBird database to provide scientists, researchers & amateur naturalists with real-time data about bird distribution and abundance.

We'd love for you to experience Birdfest with us!
Follow along on our Instagram stories to explore with us, participate and see what birds we’re finding!

Birders on all three islands were up before the sun for October big Day last week Saturday (October 8th) to count and record as many bird species as possible in a 24 hour period.

Our goal was to surpass our 2021 record of 115 species across all three islands and sure enough, we did!

The Cayman Islands recorded 124 species making us #4 out 25 sub-region countries in the West Indies and #84 in the world!

What an incredible achievement that wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our amazing birding community.

Thank you to everyone who participated.

BirdsCaribbean Global Birding

October Big Day starts tomorrow - an entire day dedicated to bird watching and counting!

Last year, the Cayman Islands recorded 115 species.
This year, we’d love to try and beat that number and I think that we’ll have a good chance with all of the amazing finds already this migratory season!

We’ll need all three islands to participate so that we get all of the endemics, the red footed b***y and the brown b***y.

Of course you don’t need to be out all day; just contributing 1 checklist from your favorite patch or hotspot is helpful.

If you have any questions, please reach out!

October's biggest day in birding is right around the corner. Enjoy birds for 5 minutes or the entire day and eBird what you find! You'll be celebrating World Migratory Bird Day and Global Bird Weekend. Where will you go birding this Saturday, 8 October? https://bit.ly/3V2zjLH

Cayman Birding is excited to be participating in October Big Day this Saturday, October 8th along with eBird & Global Birding

🐦 Here’s how to participate:
October Big Day (October 8th) runs from midnight to midnight in your local time zone.
You don’t need to be a bird expert or go out all day long. You can report birds from anywhere in the world—even 10 minutes in your backyard will help.
Record your sightings on eBird making sure to use the Caribbean portal (for those in the Caribbean).

🐦 If you do not have an eBird account, you can register using this link: https://bit.ly/3M1vbrn
🐦 For more information see the link: https://ebird.org/news/october-big-day-2022

Cayman Birding Club is getting ready for the Global Shorebird Count with a shorebird walk on which we will be identifying and recording shorebird species!

DATE: Sunday, August 28
TIME: 7:00 AM
LOCATION: Barker's National Park
WHAT WE'RELOOKING FOR: Shorebirds!
MEETING LOCATION: https://goo.gl/maps/vSZ9u295yGN6Ts8A9

Cayman Brac Loves Birds!

If you are concerned about any of the potential airport activities being conducted by The Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) including but not limited to: airport relocation, airport building expansion, runway extension and the destruction of natural habitats that are vital for both our local and migratory species please complete the Community Outreach Survey and have your say on the future of each Island's airport infrastructure.

“A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead

The survey can be found here: https://forms.office.com/r/fCWSTWD5DK

Survey will close on August 7th, 2022.

This year, we’re so excited to be hosting Birdfest 2022 in Little Cayman.

Aside from Little Cayman being the smallest of our three islands, it’s also the most understudied.

Some of our goals for Birdfest 2022 include:
• Monitoring migratory bird species & abundance
• Assessing native population & abundance
• Contributing important information to the eBird database

There will be a maximum of 12 participants who will be divided into small groups each session to conduct bird surveys.

For us bird lovers, an event like this is already everything we could ever dream of, but we’ll also have plenty of free time to relax, play games and spend time bonding with other like-minded people in the birding community!

We will be emailing more information about Birdfest 2022 on Monday, July 25th at which time we will be accepting RSVP’s.

If you’re interested in receiving more information about this event, please email [email protected]

Without habitat, there is no wildlife. It’s that simple.

Habitat loss—due to destruction, fragmentation, or degradation of habitat is the greatest threat to the variety of life on this planet.

Every day there are fewer places left that wildlife can call home.

Protecting natural habitats is vital for a healthy living environment, not only for humans, but also for plants and animals. Without the essentials - food, water, shelter, and space - life cannot thrive.

We must come up with a better solution to identify, protect, and conserve areas of significance so that we do not continue to lose our flora and fauna especially those that are endemic to our islands.

The Grand Cayman Thrush was once endemic to Grand Cayman, abundantly inhabiting mangrove ecosystems and wetlands. Unfortunately, as a result of habitat destruction its last confirmed sighting was in 1938 and it was declared extinct a short 50 or so years after it was first described in 1886. As it was considered a particularly beautiful species of thrush (as is the case with many of our Cayman Islands animals and plants!) it was popular with collectors. However now, only 21 specimen exist in Natural History Museums around the world.

The Cayman Islands Airports Authority Community Outreach Session
Tuesday, 12 July 2022 - Little Cayman

Do you know the answer to today’s Trivia Tuesday question?
Comment your answer below!

If you are concerned about any of the potential airport activities being conducted by The Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) including but not limited to: airport relocation, airport building expansion, runway extension and the destruction of natural habitats that are vital for both our local and migratory species please consider voicing your concerns by attending the public to Community Outreach session in your area.

The community is also invited to complete the Community Outreach Survey and have their say on the future of each Island's airport infrastructure.
The survey can be found here: https://forms.office.com/r/fCWSTWD5DK
The survey will be open for 30 days.