What Is Happening with the Blackbirds in Barbados?

Have I been missing it all these years and just suddenly noticed in the last six months or so that blackbirds fight? I don’t know, but all of a sudden I am seeing them fighting everywhere. And it’s vicious.

Perhaps I just didn’t notice, or I saw them fighting and didn’t realize what was happening. But they certainly seem to be doing it a lot now. Blackbirds always tend to be very noisy birds, so with dozens together in one area, it can be quite a cacophony of sound. And it’s not usually a nice melodic bird call, it’s more like squawking.

But it’s this fighting business that has me puzzled. I must just have been missing it, right? But what if I wasn’t, and they really are more aggressive now. What’s going on? Why’s it happening. More competition for food and nesting areas perhaps, and simple posturing is no longer enough to be the big chief? Hmmm.

I shall continue to observe the blackbirds, and perhaps other birds too, just in case there are any other changes in behavior that come to light. On the plus side, I did see a flock of at least fifty parrots yesterday, which was heartening and an unusual sight here in Barbados.

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.

Not a Breath of Air

Today’s post is not strictly about the flora and fauna of Barbados, but it is related. It’s shortly after 6 am and there is not a breath of air outside. Not a leaf is moving and, considering the very windy conditions we have been experiencing, the drop in the breeze is a sure sign of rain coming very soon.

Even the birds are quiet and keeping a low profile, though they will be out and about in force once the rain has passed as they will be foraging on the bounty of insects brought out by the rain.

Though it is the rainy season here in Barbados, we haven’t actually had that much yet. Most of the weather has been passing to the south of us, giving Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago and parts of South America more than their fair share of rain. It’s early days yet, we’ll get our bit too. The good part about no rain is … no mosquitos@

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.

Cloth of Gold

We had an exceedingly dry “dry season” this year that lasted for a solid 3 months, much longer and drier than we have seen for many years. Whilst people complained about the lack of rain, some flora have blossomed in ways that we have not seen for years, and Cloth of Gold is a prime example.

Cloth of Gold is a vine that grows prolifically over trees and mill walls, amongst other things. I remember as a teenager passing a mill wall every day on my way to and from school that, at certain times of the year, was absolutely covered in a sheet of gold flowers - a magnificent sight.

Then the flowering became more sporadic and less dramatic, until this year. It is easy to see how the vine got it’s name as it really looks like a cloth of gold covering a wall, structure or tree. Absolutely stunning. 

Flamboyants have also flowered magnificently this year, and you can see one contrasting with the Cloth of Gold. I hope we don’t have to wait another 30 or so years to see this kind of colour again.

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.

A Bounty of Food in One Tree

I have two palm trees beside my deck, and I often sit on the deck and watch the too-ing and fro-ing of creatures to feed on the tree. The tree seems to have flowers and berries all the time, so there’s always a small zoo on hand.

Wasps, bees and banaquits love the flowers. They hover around all day long, except the banaquits - they seem to prefer mornings and evenings. Late in the evenings, the moths come out to feed.

Then there are the lizards that live on the trees and feed on ants and other insects that are passing by. The sparrows seems to like the berries when they first come out and are very small. And higher up the food chain are the monkeys. Up until yesterday evening, I saw two from our local troop eating the berries - I guess they are like miniature coconuts about the size of a pine nut when fully grown.

It’s just never a dull moment, and I know that other creatures must find things to eat too, but maybe they are too tiny for me to see, or just plain shy and elusive.

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados

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