Rare Birds Sighting in Barbuda

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Thursday, 09 July 2009 14:19

By press release

A group of avid birdwatchers visiting from the UK were treated to a rare sighting of the Barbudan Warbler (Dendroica subita) on a recent trip to Barbuda. The 8 strong group of bird watching tour operators visited

Antigua & Barbuda as part of a 4 day familiarization trip with a view to developing the destination as a niche market for bird watching enthusiasts. The group was jointly hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority and the Barbuda Council.

During the course of the 4 day trip the group also visited various hotels, restaurants and bars in Antigua & Barbuda to get a feel for the islands and what we have to offer. However the majority of the trip was spent visiting birding sites to capture the birds in their natural habitat.  Mr. Joseph Prosper and Mr. Victor Joseph of The Environmental Awareness Group were on hand to offer local expertise. The group saw sea, land and song birds around the island and on trips to Bird Island, Wallings, Potworks and the Bethesda Dams.  

On Saturday the group took the 20 minute WinAir hop over to Barbuda for the day where on arrival they were transported by boat to Low Bay on the other side of the lagoon. While there they visited The Lighthouse Hotel. “Visiting The Lighthouse Hotel which sits on the award winning beach at Low Bay was a wonderful experience for the visiting agents. The group was enthralled by the sight of 17 miles of breathtaking, unbroken beach. The General Manager, Mr. Mohammed Sallah hosted a sumptuous breakfast. Believe me no brochure could adequately convey just how exclusive and luxurious the hotel is,” said Kimberley Bowers, Marketing Manager, Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.

The rest of the day was spent seeking out birds. The climax of the trip was a rare sighting of the Barbudan Warbler; the only species endemic to Antigua & Barbuda and found only on Barbuda. The bird was spotted in the Lime Tree area of River Road. There was also a second sighting at the Martello Tower.  

“The group was ecstatic about the sighting. They travelled all the way from the UK hoping to spot this bird and their hopes were realized. As a result of this trip, these birding tour operators and writers will now be in a position to help us to sell our destination to like-minded enthusiasts having experienced it first-hand,” said Mr. Colin C. James, CEO, Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority.

“The demographic of the typical bird enthusiast out of the UK is retired with high disposable income. Birders are passionate about their hobby and are quite eager to travel to add to the list of birds that they have seen. That is why we are keen to dialogue with this group for advice on how we can develop this potentially very lucrative niche market.”

While on Barbuda the group visited the Frigate Bird Sanctuary; the largest Frigate Bird sanctuary in the Western Hemisphere, where the photographers were able to get great shots of birds nesting. Many other species were seen including the Pearly-Eyed Thrasher at The Highland Caves. At lunch time the group visited WaO’moni’s Best Restaurant named after the Carib name for Barbuda. Local delicacies, lobster and stewed venison were served. They wound down the day’s activities with a stop

at No Mo’s beach bar adjacent to the famous Martello Tower. Here they were treated to true Barbudan hospitality by the proprietor Norris Morris Harris. June Taylor a member of the group commented “This was a perfect ending to a perfect day of bird watching and No Mo’s bar is a must stop for everyone who visits Barbuda”.

 

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