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Bird Watching

By Lynda Lohr

With the Virgin Islands National Park as St. John's centerpiece, the island is perfect for bird watching. It has about 35 permanent resident species, including the green-throated Caribe and Antillean crested hummingbirds. They're both species not found in North America, which gives avid birders a chance to add to their life list.

The mangrove cuckoo, the smooth-billed ani, the great king bird, the kestrel and the brown pelican are also species native to St. John.

Year-round, birdwatchers can sight about 140 different species. Winter sees warblers, ducks and shorebirds migrating from North America. During the summer months, gulls and terns migrate to St. John from South America.

Bird watching is best at salt ponds scattered all over the island. "That's our wetlands. We have no rivers or lakes," says park ranger Laurel Brannick.

She suggests birders try the easy-to-reach salt ponds at Francis Bay, Frank Bay, Salt Pond and Chocolate Hole if they're short on time. Folks who don't mind a bit of a hike can trek out to Brown Bay, Lameshur and Europa Bays in hopes of spotting a feathered friend.

Avid birdwatchers can join Brannick or another park ranger for the year-round Sunday morning bird walk. It leaves at 7:30 a.m. from the Francis Bay ruins parking lot.

Others often join the Audubon Society of the Virgin Islands for the annual Christmas Bird Count. And all are welcome at the Audubon Society's monthly meetings, held the third Tuesday of the month from November through April at the Legislature building.

Call Brannick for more information at (340) 776-6201, extension 257.