Birding list from Acklins Island March 19-26 2011
Magnificent Frigate bird (reported by Jim and Garrett)
Laughing Gull
Royal Tern
Caspian Tern
Great Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Reddish Egret
Great Egret
Green Heron
Greater Flamingo (imm. & adults)
Plovers (not identified)
Killdeer
Short-Billed Dowitcher
Spotted Sandpiper
American Oystercatcher
Clapper Rail
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Northern Harrier
American Kestrel (Bahamas and Hispaniola races)
Osprey
Common Ground-Dove
Mourning Dove
Mangrove Cuckoo (sited on walk along-side gravel road in dry scrub)
Bahama Woodstar Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Mockingbird
Tropical Mockingbird
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Thick-Billed Vireo
Yellow-Throated Warbler
Parula Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Vitelline Warbler ? (not verifed)
Bananaquit
Black-Faced Grassquit (airport)
Surfacing bonefish!
Acklins Island, Bahamas March 19-26, 2011 DIY Bonefishing Adventure
I was fortunate to spend another wonderful week on Acklins island in the Southern Bahamas from March 19-26. My guests included Bob & Jill Croce from Maine, Hans Rackow from Calgary, Garrett Mcknight from Phoenix, Robert Yee from Toronto and Jim Dowd from Massachusetts. Bob & Jill, and also Garret, turned out to be avid birders too, and they sighted some cool bird species on Acklins, including the mangrove cuckoo, flamingoes . . . For the full bird list see below photos.The weather for our week started out quite breezy, and Monday turned out to be windy and overcast with some heavy showers. We still managed to catch some bonefish, as well as a few other species. After Monday the weather got increasingly nicer as the week progressed, and the last two days were picture perfect--80+ degrees and light winds.we fished beautiful flats and creek systems, and saw our share of bonefish. Garrett had a nice shot at a tailing permit early in the week, and Hans had shots at several permit one day. Of course, permit being permit, they were not eating their flies--no surprise there.
Some decent barracuda were landed on the fly by Jim Dowd, and both Garrett and Jim landed nice triggerfish too. Plenty of snappers and small jacks, along with bonefish, were also caught.
We also saw many of the usual flats suspects--sharks, lots of sea turtles, starfish, rays, oystercatchers, ospreys, gulls, herons and egrets. We even saw a comet one night!The gals at Ivels were fantastic! Hats off to Teresa and Mrs. Gibson for taking such good care of us. And Casey, the handyman at Ivels, built a beautiful rod rack to rinse down our gear each day.Ivels is such a great place to stay. The rooms and grounds are meticulously maintained. It's really almost too nice for fishermen, but we weren't complaining. It's nice to have a comfortable and clean place to stay and rest after a long day stalking bones on the flats.I have another group of three anglers there this week being hosted by Jim Dowd, and I am anxious to hear their fishing reports. Ivels is truly a gem in the rough on Acklins island, and is really a great place for DIY anglers looking to explore Acklins island.I will be hosting another trip to Acklins next Spring--stay tuned for details.
