FIRST BIRDING COURSE - Abaco Journal April 1998

April 1998 Table of Contents - Current Issue of The Abaco Journal - Abaco Bahamas' Home Page

FIRST BIRDING COURSE HELD ON ABACO

On Friday 27th February, twenty-two participants graduated from the first Birdwatching Training programme held in Abaco. Sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism in co-operation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Bahamas National Trust, the four-day course took place from 24th-27th February. It was the first ever held in any of the Family Islands of The Bahamas.

The classroom instruction held at the District Council Office in Marsh Harbour included lectures and videos on Bird Identification; Important Bird Species Found in The Bahamas; Bird Guiding Etiquette; Importance of Neo-Tropical Birds; Native Flora; and Wild Life Legislation. Field trips included visits to the Abaco National Park, trekking through pine barrens and coppice in South and North Abaco, and a trip to Nettica Symonette's Different of Abaco. The group identified approximately forty species of birds during the two days of field trips. Lecturers included Alexander 'Sandy' Sprunt, retired Vice President of the National Audubon Society; Lynn Gape, Public Relations and Education Officer of the Bahamas National Trust; Dr Maurice Isaacs, Veterinarian Officer of the Department of Agriculture; and Pericles Maillis, a barrister and conservationist.

Some of the most important bird species identified by the group while in Abaco included the Bahama Yellowthroat, Cowled Oriole, Greater Antillean Peewee, LaSagre's Flycatcher, West Indian Woodpecker, Cuban Emerald Hummingbird, Smooth-billed Ani, White-cheeked Pintail, Red-Legged Thrush, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher and the Olive Capped Warbler. One bird they did not see was the Bahamian parrot which nests in Abaco National Park.

Mrs Angela Cleare, Director Business Development of the Ministry of Tourism was extremely pleased with the enthusiasm and commitment of the participants who included bonefish guides, eco-lodge operators, prospective nature tour guides as well as developers and government officials. She commented that since birdwatching has become one of the fastest growing recreational activities in the world, accounting for some $14.4 billion a year in bird trips and accessories, the Ministry of Tourism is placing a high priority on birdwatching as an ecotourism niche market which attracts an upscale, educated market.

Apart from the economic opportunities, Lynn Gape pointed out the environmental benefits. Birds control the spread of disease and seek out rich habitats of native flora and are an important indicator of the environmental health of a region. Birders are generally environmentally conscious and seek out pristine destinations. Abaco has special advantages in terms of Bahamian and West Indian species that birders want to see. The course is especially important to the Bahamas National Trust as they want the people of Abaco to benefit from the park and are hopeful that local people will be available and trained to conduct birding and other natural history tours in the park. The Trust is delighted to be part of the partnership between the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries in offering training courses such as this to local people.

Participants in the programme included Lensworth Bain, Hercules Clarke, Bruce Lightbourne, Stanley White, Paul Pinder, Nicholas Roberts and Patrick Roberts of Sandy Point; Cedric Albury, Marsha Lowe and Israel Williams of Different of Abaco, Casuarina Point; Debby Patterson of Marsh Harbour; Alice Williams of Crossing Rocks; Tom, Jane and Christina Roberts of Sugar Plantations Ltd, Nassau; Sherry Parker of the Abaco Tourist Office; Christina Maillis of Maillis & Maillis, Nassau; and Carl Smith, Director of Agriculture.

At the lively Graduation Ceremony, Stanley White spoke on behalf of the graduates. "We learned new names for the birds we have known from childhood," he said. "What we always called a crow or buzzard, we now know is a turkey vulture." The group sang Island in the Sun led by Nicholas Roberts and received congratulations from MP Robert Sweeting. There was a real party atmosphere and once again the people from Nassau - as happens over and over - had to agree that Abaco was the greatest place with the greatest people.

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