Window To Our Wetlands: September 2009

10/08/2009 23:58:00 Etc/GMT+1

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This photo of the Marbled godwit was taken by Jacqueline Cestero at Caul’s Pond.

(Anguilla National Trust, The Valley, Anguilla) - September was an excellent month for the ANT bird counts. Although the number of birds was not particularly high, the diversity of birds was spectacular with 35 different wetland birds being recorded. Due to the fall migration, we observed some out-of-the-ordinary species, including Pectoral sandpipers at the golf course and a Marbled godwit at Caul’s Pond. The Marbled godwit sighting was particularly exciting as it represents the first confirmed record of the bird in Anguilla.

Wetland Bird Monitoring Dates: Saturday 28 September – 30 September 2009

Wetland Pond	Bird Numbers	Species Numbers
Junk’s Hole Pond	5	1
Grey Pond	10	4
Mimi Bay Pond	4	2
East End Pond	162	11
Long Salt Pond	771	14
Bad Cox Pond	3	2
Caul’s Pond	91	7
Blackgarden Bay Pond	0	0
Katouche Pond	0	0
Forest Pond	4	3
Little Harbour Pond	23	7
Road Salt Pond	482	14
Blowing Point Pond	24	9
Rendezvous Salt Pond	24	8
Merrywing Pond	103	21
Cove Pond	124	18
Gull Pond	48	12
West End Salt Pond	141	13
West End-By-The-Sea Pond	2	2
Mead’s Bay Pond	23	7
Long Bay Pond	0	0
Total	2044	35

What to Watch For: Marbled Godwit

The Marbled godwit is a shorebird that breeds only in the prairies of the United States (US) and winters primarily along the eastern and northern coasts of the US. It has been rarely recorded in the Lesser and Greater Antilles. One Marbled godwit was sighted on Caul’s Pond in September 2009 and this represents the first confirmed record of the bird on the island.

This large shorebird is between 16 and 21 inches in length. It is a long-legged bird that also has a very long, up-turned, bicoloured bill. Its breeding and non-breeding plumage is relatively similar: the Marbled Godwit has brown feathers with black speckled and barred wings. Its underparts are a lighter brown although it has dark streaks on its neck and upper breast. Its bill is pink-orange closer to the base and black closer to the tip. Its long legs are grey-blue.

The Marbled godwit spends its time on mudflats and marshes. It tends to feed in both deep and shallow waters and can submerge its entire head as it probes for food. Earthworms, crabs, insects, spiders, and small fish make up the bulk of its diet. During the wintering months, it spends most of its time feeding.

For more information about the Anguilla National Trust’s monthly wetland bird monitoring programme or to learn how to become involved, please contact the Trust at 497 5297. To become a fan and to receive regular updates on Trust activities, search for the Anguilla National Trust on www.facebook.com .