The Birds of Bermuda

 

I didn’t have to go far to score a lifer bird right away in Bermuda. The Airbnb where we stayed in July had gorgeous Atlantic Ocean views. 

Called Longtails by the locals is a seabird known for its elegant, predominantly white plumage and long white-tail streamers, according to one online description. 

(See my previous posts about our Bermuda trip: "Five Things to Love About Bermuda" and "Bermuda Snorkeling: Swimming with the Fishes.")

All day long these (formal name) White-tailed Tropicbirds flew back and forth near the shoreline. It was a challenge to get quality in-flight images with my Canon SX70 “superzoom” DSLR. 

Occasionally a Longtail would pivot from shore patrol to fly to the limestone cliffs to visit their nests in the many cracks and crevices. Or maybe they are scouting future nest sites. 

These birds rarely stop flying, except to nest and rest, something I never witnessed. For food they will plunge dive into the sea to catch small fish, squids (yuck!) and crustaceans.

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron

Added this new photo taken in April 2011 at Magnolia Cemetery- a Yellow-Crowned Night Heron launching into flight.

My last post was on the Black-Crowned Night Heron.  This time the focus is on the Black's close but very different-looking relative:  the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron. 

The Yellow-Crowned is a species I have only seen a couple times. 
The above two photos were taken in September 2009.  The one below I took in Spring 2010. Both are at Charleston's Magnolia Cemetery, an excellent (and little known...so shhh!) birding spot. 

When you see this bird, you know it's something different, one you don't see every day. 

The Yellow-Crowned is considered more active during the day than its close relative, the Black-Crowned Night Heron (which I feature in the post prior to this one)

It's a striking, beautiful bird with large piercing orange eyes and with the namesake yellow stripe on its head or crown.

According to Wikepedia, the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron is called the American Heron and the Squawk.

I had my Yellow-Crowned encounter at Charleston's old and historic (and isolated) Magnolia Cemetery, located near the Cooper River.  The cemetery has two ponds surrounded by live oaks and other trees that attract numerous types of birds. 

Of late, a family of Black-Crowned Night-Herons has been calling the cemetery home.  The Yellow-Crowned hasn't been around but I do look forward to future encounters, wherever they may take place. The Yellow-Crowned, such a stately, magnificent member of the illustrious Heron family! 

New Photos Added: March 26, 2011.  Wow, a pair of Yellow-Crowned Herons in the same shot!

These Yellow-Crowned Herons were in the same tree as some Black-Crowned Herons.  I didn't realize these were Yellow-Crowned until I got home and really examined my pix.  The back coat of the Yellow helped me realize these weren't Blacks.  Take a look at the pair of Blacks below, then the Yellows above. 

This was definitely a birding first for me- Yellow and Black-Crowned Herons together in the same tree just one big happy family!