One doesn’t normally think of swifts as birds found in the Caribbean, but there certainly are some here in Barbados.
I am presently working on the east coast of the island on a property that sits at the top of a 90 foot cliff. Recently, we have been noticing a family of swifts in the area. They swoop and climb and dive at high speed as they catch tiny insects. The speed and control is impressive (me and my camera cannot keep up with them … sorry).
We had a day of rain recently which brought even more insects out, so these birds were in their element. There seems to be three pairs, perhaps nesting in the cliff face itself, and they have endless energy.
I love to stand and watch them do their acrobatics - I totally get the excitement of a wing suit … hang gliding or paragliding just don’t come close.
The swifts also have a very recognizable call, especially when one of the household cats is prowling. At the end of my work day I spend a few moments watching them dive and swerve, feeling every movement as if I were a part of them, before I return to reality and start my journey home.
If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.
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