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Archives of Past Events at Small Hope Bay LodgeWhat follows here is a listing of some events and special groups that have taken place at Small Hope Bay Lodge in the past. For further information about these events, email addresses have been provided. For information about current special events and group trips, please see our Calendar of Events.
Birding and Ecology Adventure with Dr. Mike Baltz
The week-long event, entitled Birding, Mist Netting & Ecology Exploration, offers even fledgling birders and nature lovers a chance to learn about West Indian birds and the ecology of a tropical Atlantic island. The program is designed to give participants an experience of the complete ecology of Andros Island--including not just the birdlife, but the land, the waters that surround it, and the people who live there. In addition to daily birding outings in search of Bahamian specialties and Neotropical migrants, the week will offer opportunities to see some of the famous Andros blue holes, take boat rides into the interior of the island, and to visit the settlement of Red Bays, home of the island's best basket weavers and wood carvers. A boat trip to the reef for snorkeling is also included. Free lessons will be given to first timers. In addition, there will ample opportunities to swim, snorkel from shore and SCUBA dive. Highlighting the week will be the chance to participate in mist netting, whereby bird are caught in nets, giving participants a chance to hold the birds, view them up close, photograph them and help tag and release them for future research. Participants in this past events recorded sightings of over 160 different species of birds, including the Bahama Woodstar, Bahama Yellowthroats, Cuban Emerald Hummingbirds, Great Lizard Cuckoos, Stripe-headed Tanangers, Banaquits and over a dozen species of migrant warblers. In addition to birding, the week includes daily slide shows and lectures on bird life as well as topics relating to the island, its ecology and its social environment. Participants also will have the time to enjoy the natural isolation of Small Hope Bay Lodge, and avail themselves of the use of complementary bicycles, kayaks, a small sailboat, windsurfers, beachfront hot tub and snorkeling equipment. Complimentary introductory dive lessons are also available to anyone wanting to try the sport. Dr. Baltz is a former resident of Andros. He is married to an Androsian, and in addition to being an experienced ornithologist and conservationist, is a certified diver. Cost for the seven night package is $1595 per person, and includes accommodations, airport transfers, all meals, bar drinks, beverages, hotel taxes, kayaks, bikes, nature trails, windsurfers, and an Escape sailboat plus daily birding and tour excursions and lectures. For details about this trip, contact Dr. Baltz at mbaltz@tnc.org For reservations contact Small Hope Bay Lodge, SHBmkt@SmallHope.com. For reports on previous Birding adventures, click here
Small Hope's Annual Halloween Party This annual event is a scream! Bodies rising up from the ground, monsters jumping out from behind bushes, spiders and bats flying out in the dark. That's some of what's in store for guests visiting Small Hope Bay Lodge on All Hallow's Eve this year. For the Inside the Lodge, the atmosphere is pure party, with witches, goblins and mummies drinking "spirits of the night". Outside the Lodge is shear terror. The pine grove to the north of the Lodge is turned into a haunted forest. Just follow the howls and the shrieks, and the lightning effect of the strobe lights. If you love Halloween as much as the people at Small Hope, come join the witches and warlocks on Andros. Small Hope Bay Lodge offers direct flights between Ft. Lauderdale and Andros. Cost is $120 each way. Dive package rates for this long weekend (3 nights/3 dives a day for 2 days + 1 night dive - weather permitting) are $645 per person. Non-Diver rates for this weekend (3 nights) are $525 per person. As always, Small Hope is all inclusive. For reservations or more information on the flights or accommodations at the Lodge, call (800) 223-6961 in the U.S. or Canada, (242) 368-2014 elsewhere, or email: SHBinfo@SmallHope.com 
Saltwater Flyfishermen can hone their skills on Andros and team up with kindred anglers and a world-renowed expert this fall, when Al Caucci brings his Fly Fishing Clinics to Small Hope Bay Lodge for two five-day events. This is the seventh year in a row that Small Hope Bay Lodge has hosted these popular fishing workshops. Al Caucci is a fly fisherman of the highest order, bringing three decades of experience to his teaching skills. He is co-owner of the Delaware River Club Flyfishing Resort, and owner and director of the Al Caucci Flyfishing Schools including the Al Caucci Bahamas Bonesfish Schools, which he has been running since 1985. Al is co-author (with Bob Nastasi) of Comparahatch, Flytyers Color Guide, Instant Mayfly ID Guide, Hatches, and In his Andros clinics, Al offers hands-on instruction to both novices and experienced fishermen alike. The prey is bonefish, one of the most exciting light tackle game fish in the world. They are hard to spot, easy to spook, and very powerful once hooked. Catching them on a fly is an art. Learning how with Al is easy. These clinics do not have lengthy seminars or numerous casting clinics. Rather, after one day of critical clinics, fishermen head out to the flats, with instructors by their side. Andros Island has some of the best and most extensive bonefishing flats in the world. The island is literally laced with inland waterways, some of them slicing the island straight through, from east to west. Small Hope Bay Lodge offers the perfect venue for fishermen wanting something more than a fishing camp. Non-fishing companions can enjoy myriad activities, including diving, snorkeling, kayaking, biking, sailing, nature trails and hot tubbing. Program I runs March 10-16, 2002, Program II runs March 17-22, 2002 and Program III runs March 24-29, 2002. All programs are open to both the anglers and non-fishing spouses, please check with Al Caucci at ancfbn@1acc.com for rate information. Trip includes everything: ground transportation, 5 nights and 6 days in oceanfront cottages, 3 gourmet American and Bahamian meals per day, 1 day of fishing clinics, 3 days of guided tutored fishing from modern bonefish skiffs. Advanced fishers have 4 days of guided bonefishing. There's a FREE open bar, FREE guided snorkel trips and much more. For more information, contact Al Caucci at ancfbn@1acc.com or visit www.mayfly.com For information about Small Hope and reservations, contact Small Hope Bay Lodge, SHBinfo@SmallHope.com.
Birding and Ecology Adventure with Dr. Mike Baltz Ornithologist and one-time Andros resident Dr. Mike Baltz once again will offer his Birding and Ecology tours on Andros, using Small Hope Bay Lodge as base camp. This is the forth year in a row that Dr. Baltz brings his knowledge and experience of the Andros ecology and environment to Small Hope Bay Lodge guests. The week-long event, entitled Birding, Mist Netting & Ecology Exploration, offers even fledgling birders and nature lovers a chance to learn about West Indian birds and the ecology of a tropical Atlantic island. The program is designed to give participants an experience of the complete ecology of Andros Island--including not just the birdlife, but the land, the waters that surround it, and the people who live there. In addition to daily birding outings in search of Bahamian specialties and Neotropical migrants, the week will offer opportunities to see some of the famous Andros blue holes, take boat rides into the interior of th island, and to visit the settlement of Red Bays, home of the island's best basket weavers and wood carvers. A boat trip to the reef for snorkeling is also included. Free lessons will be given to first timers. In addition, there will ample opportunities to swim, snorkel from shore and SCUBA. Highlighting the week will be the chance to participate in mist netting, whereby bird are caught in nets, giving participants a chance to hold the birds, view them up close, photograph them and help tag and release them for future research. Participants in this past January's event recorded sightings of over 100 different species of birds, including the Bahama Woodstar, Bahama Yellowthroats, Cuban Emerald Hummingbirds, Great Lizard Cuckoos, Stripe-headed Tanangers, Banaquits and over a dozen species of migrant warblers. In addition to birding, the week includes daily slide shows and lectures on bird life as well as topics relating to the island, its ecology and its social environment. Participants also will have the time to enjoy the natural isolation of Small Hope Bay Lodge, and avail themselves of the use Dr. Baltz is a former resident of Andros. He is married to an Androsian, and in addition to being an experienced ornithologist and conservationist, is a certified diver. Cost for the seven night package is $1450 per person, and includes accommodations, airport transfers, all meals and beverages, hotel taxes and service charges, plus daily birding and tour excursions and lectures. For details about this trip, contact Dr. Baltz at mbaltz@tnc.org. For reservations contact Small Hope Bay Lodge, SHBinfo@SmallHope.com. For reports on previous Birding adventures, click here.
Small Hope's Annual Halloween Party This annual event is a scream! Bodies rising up from the ground, monsters jumping out from behind bushes, spiders and bats flying out in the dark-that,s some of what,s in store for guests visiting Small Hope Bay Lodge on All Hallow's Eve this year. For the Inside the Lodge, the atmosphere is pure party, with witches, goblins and mummies drinking "spirits of the night". Outside the Lodge is shear terror. The pine grove to the north of the Lodge is turned into a haunted forest. Just follow the howls and the shrieks, and the lightning effect of the strobe lights. If you love Halloween as much as the people at Small Hope, come join the witches and warlocks on Andros. Small Hope Bay Lodge offers direct flights between Ft. Lauderdale and Andros. Cost is $110 each way (special price for the long Halloween weekend). Dive package rates for this long weekend (3 nights/3 dives a day for 2 days + 1 night dive - weather permitting) are $645 per person. Non-Diver rates for this weekend (3 nights) are $525 per person. As always, Small Hope is all inclusive. For reservations on the flights and at the Lodge, call (800) 223-6961 or 242-368-2014 or email: SHBinfo@SmallHope.com. For pictures from last year's party click on October 2001 What's Up.
Yoga Retreat with Marcia Miller Small Hope Bay Lodge will once again be a venue for a week long Yoga Retreat with Marcia Miller, a 20-year-plus-veteran of Yoga instruction. From March 17 -24, 2001 Ms Miller and the staff of Small Hope Bay Lodge will offer participants the chance to refresh body and spirit in this fourth annual winter event. Participants will be supported by daily yoga classes, as well as the chance to scuba dive, snorkel, and enjoy walks along empty beaches and on trails through the Bahamian bush. Each participant will have the option of attending three hours of yoga classes daily--one hour in the morning and two in the late afternoon. In addition, there will be several planned excursions and activities, such as a boat safari up an inland creek in search of wild dolphin, a trip to an inland blue hole, and a tour of the Androsia Batik Factory where the colorful island garments are made. People of all ages (including children) and abilities and yoga experience are welcome. Cost for the seven night retreat is $1215 for adults, $350 for children under 12, and $630 for teens ages 13-17. Rate includes beachfront cottage accommodations, all food and beverages (including alcohol and wine with dinner), daily maid service, round-trip airport transfers, and all hotel taxes and service charges. The rate also includes three hours of yoga instruction daily, complimentary use of kayaks, bicycles, windsurfers, and small sailboat; use of beachfront hot tub; and free intro SCUBA and snorkel instruction. Additional activities will include the boat safari, Androsia tour, night time bonfires, and an evening slide show about the marine biology and ecology of Andros. For participants who would like to combine SCUBA diving with Yoga, a special dive package rate of $1455 includes one dive a day. Extra or individual dives may be purchased at a discounted fee. This is the fourth consecutive year that Small Hope Bay Lodge has hosted Marcia Miller's Yoga Retreat. Based on last year's success, the week long event is expected to sell out completely and early reservations are recommended. For information and reservations, contact Marcia Miller Integral Yoga Center 1085 Bryden Road Columbus, OH 43205; tel: 614-252-0827 email: rwm@worldnet.att.net Click here to read first-hand reports from the previous "Yoga Retreat with Marcia Miller."
Birding and Ecology Adventure with Dr. Mike Baltz Ornithologist and one-time Andros resident Dr. Mike Baltz once again will offer his Birding and Ecology tours on Andros, using Small Hope Bay Lodge as base camp. This is the third year in a row that Dr. Baltz brings his knowledge and experience of the Andros ecology and environment to Small Hope Bay Lodge guests. The week-long event, entitled Birding, Mist Netting & Ecology Exploration, offers even fledgling birders and nature lovers a chance to learn about West Indian birds and the ecology of a tropical Atlantic island. The program is designed to give participants an experience of the complete ecology of Andros Island--including not just the birdlife, but the land, the waters that surround it, and the people who live there. In addition to daily birding outings in search of Bahamian specialties and Neotropical migrants, the week will offer opportunities to see some of the famous Andros blue holes, take boat rides into the interior of th island, and to visit the settlement of Red Bays, home of the island's best basket weavers and wood carvers. A boat trip to the reef for snorkeling is also included. Free lessons will be given to first timers. In addition, there will ample opportunities to swim, snorkel from shore and SCUBA. Highlighting the week will be the chance to participate in mist netting, whereby bird are caught in nets, giving participants a chance to hold the birds, view them up close, photograph them and help tag and release them for future research. Participants in this past January's event recorded sightings of over 100 different species of birds, including the Bahama Woodstar, Bahama Yellowthroats, Cuban Emerald Hummingbirds, Great Lizard Cuckoos, Stripe-headed Tanangers, Banaquits and over a dozen species of migrant warblers. In addition to birding, the week includes daily slide shows and lectures on bird life as well as topics relating to the island, its ecology and its social environment. Participants also will have the time to enjoy the natural isolation of Small Hope Bay Lodge, and avail themselves of the use Dr. Baltz is a former resident of Andros. He is married to an Androsian, and in addition to being an experienced ornithologist and conservationist, is a certified diver. Cost for the seven night package is $1250 per person, and includes accommodations, airport transfers, all meals and beverages, hotel taxes and service charges, plus daily birding and tour excursions and lectures. For details about this trip, contact Dr. Baltz at BaltzME@missouri.edu. For reservations contact Small Hope Bay Lodge, SHBinfo@SmallHope.com. For reports on previous Birding adventures, click here
Two Al Caucci Fly Fishing Clinics Slated for Small Hope Bay Lodge Saltwater Flyfishermen can hone their skills on Andros and team up with kindred anglers and a world-renowed expert this fall, when Al Caucci brings his Fly Fishing Clinics to Small Hope Bay Lodge for two five-day events. This is the seventh year in a row that Small Hope Bay Lodge has hosted these popular fishing workshops. Al Caucci is a fly fisherman of the highest order, bringing three decades of experience to his teaching skills. He is co-owner of the Delaware River Club Flyfishing Resort, and owner and director of the Al Caucci Flyfishing Schools including the Al Caucci Bahamas Bonesfish Schools, which he has been running since 1985. Al is co-author (with Bob Nastasi) of Comparahatch, Flytyers Color Guide, Instant Mayfly ID Guide, Hatches, and In his Andros clinics, Al offers hands-on instruction to both novices and experienced fishermen alike. The prey is bonefish, one of the most exciting light tackle game fish in the world. They are hard to spot, easy to spook, and very powerful once hooked. Catching them on a fly is an art. Learning how with Al is easy. These clinics do not have lengthy seminars or numerous casting clinics. Rather, after one day of critical clinics, fishermen head out to the flats, with instructors by their side. Andros Island has some of the best and most extensive bonefishing flats in the world. The island is literally laced with inland waterways, some of them slicing the island straight through, from east to west. Small Hope Bay Lodge offers the perfect venue for fishermen wanting something more than a fishing camp. Non-fishing companions can enjoy myriad activities, including diving, snorkeling, kayaking, biking, sailing, nature trails and hot tubbing. Program I runs November 5-10, and Program II runs November 12-17, 2000. Both programs are open to both the anglers and non-fishing spouses, with rates of $2,195 per angler, and $995 per non-fishing person. Trip includes everything: ground transportation, 5 nights and 6 days in oceanfront cottages, 3 gourmet American and Bahamian meals per day, 1 day of fishing clinics, 3 days of guided tutored fishing from modern bonefish skiffs. Advanced fishers have 4 days of guided bonefishing. There's a FREE open bar, FREE guided snorkel trips and much more. For more information, contact Al Caucci at ancfbn@/1acc.com or visit www.mayfly.com For information about Small Hope and reservations, contact Small Hope Bay Lodge, SHBmkt@SmallHope.com.
March 18 - 25, 2000 Small Hope Bay Lodge will once again be a venue for a week long Yoga Retreat with Marcia Miller, a 20-year-plus-veteran of Yoga instruction. From March 18 - 25, 2000 Ms Miller and the staff of Small Hope Bay Lodge will offer participants the chance to refresh body and spirit in this third annual winter event. Click here to read first-hand reports from the previous "Yoga Retreat with Marcia Miller. "
January 8 - 15, 2000 Between January 8 -15, 2000 birding expert Dr. Michael E. Baltz will lead his third annual in-depth Birding, Mist Netting & Ecology Exploration at Small Hope Bay Lodge. Click here to read first-hand reports from previous "Birding, Mist Netting and Ecology Exploration with Dr. Mike Baltz" For a list of birds spotted in past Birding Adventures click here, click here Report from Small Hope:
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In addition, there will be several planned excursions and activities, such as a boat safari up an inland creek in search of wild dolphin, a trip to an inland blue hole, and a tour of the Androsia Batik Factory where the colorful island garments are made. People of all ages (including children) and abilities and yoga experience are welcome.
breezes rustle the palm leaves overhead. We walk to the lodge for our first hour of yoga, already entranced by the sights and sounds of the morning. It is so easy to move and breathe deeply with the rhythm of the ocean waves in the background. It seems so obvious that there is an ebb and flow to our lives and our breath; that in everything there is a coming and a going. Holding our breath or holding tensions in our bodies is as unnatural as trying to
 A guest gets creative - in a costume of palm leaves and seagrapes |
 Small Hope staff get into the spirit |
 Face painting for the costume-challenged |
The Pine Grove was the scene. In a setting not unlike the atmosphere from the Blair Witch Project, we invaded this wooded area with strobe lights, screaming monsters, ghosts descending on pulleys and zombies rising up out of the ground. We caused more than a few guests to scream their hearts out.
Friday night was the build-up. A magician and self-described "deceptionist," Adam strolled the lounge performing all sorts of unbelievable tricks. The hand was definitely quicker than the eye.
Saturday afternoon was face painting and party time for the kids in the community. There was lots of magic and candy to go around, to make sure everyone was sugar-shocked.
Saturday night belonged to the adult spirits. Everyone got into costume one way or the other. We had more than one cross dresser, as well as a glamorous forest nymph who put the leaves of seagrape and palms to good use! Those that needed help went to Beth Turnbull who applied her art to their faces.
Nearly 80 people descended on the pine grove after dinner, where acts of unspeakable terror reigned. After that we danced, stomping our feet, shaking out hips, beating the nightmare back into the ground for another year.
Watch Calendar of Events for details on Halloween Weekend 2000.
Small Hope's Annual Halloween Party
October 31, 2000
This annual event is a scream!
Bodies rising up from the ground, monsters jumping out from behind bushes, spiders and bats flying out in the dark-that,s some of what,s in store for guests visiting Small Hope Bay Lodge on All Hallow,s Eve this year. For the 
third year in a row, the staff and family of Small Hope host a wild and wicked Halloween Party. The date is Tuesday, October 31, 2000. The festivities begin with an afternoon Halloween party for kids, with candy, games and magic. Then, after a day of diving and snorkeling and fishing and relaxing, all guests are invited to don a costume and join in the evening Halloween fun.
Inside the Lodge, the atmosphere is pure party, with witches, goblins and mummies drinking "spirits in the night. Outside the Lodge is shear terror. The pine grove to the north of the Lodge is turned into a haunted forest. Just follow the howls and the shrieks, and the lightning effect of the strobe lights.
If you love Halloween as much as the people at Small Hope, come join the witches and warlocks on Andros. Small Hope Bay Lodge offers direct flights between Ft. Lauderdale and Andros. Cost is $110 each way. For reservations on the flights and at the Lodge, call 242-368-2014 or SHBmkt@SmallHope.com
October 30-November 1, 1998
Halloween Weekend
By A. Hag
What a frightfully delicious weekend!
Everyone (who was ghoulishly anyone) was there. There were the walking Dead, witches, goblins, a mummy, bludgeoned cheer leaders, murderous football players, two m&ms, a walking present, Cleopatria, the Devil himself, and me--an old hag with talons for finger nails and a skeleton for a face! I even saw an evil looking clown painting faces, creating all sorts of creatures of color and horror.
The Games Room became a bloody laboratory, where dissection and decapitation were the order of the day. The Mad Doctor was pulling out lizards and bones from a cadaver. He chopped off legs and heads. Lots of blood, lots of screams!
We dove, we fished, we partied, we danced--and by dawn on Monday, we scared all the beasties and ghosties away!
You simply must come to next year's party--that is if you dare!
Contact Small Hope Bay Lodge for future Halloween Weekend Dive Package & Party, SHBInfo@SmallHope.com
Report from the field:
Birding, Mist Netting & Ecology Exploration with Dr. Mike Baltz
January 3-10, 1999
by Dr. Mike Baltz
photos by C. Beidleman
Rather than recounting all the glorious details of this second annual birding adventure, I thought that this year I would give you the details of our "pseudo" Big Day.
What is a Big Day?
It is an attempt by birdwatchers to see as many bird species as possible. Our goal this year was to break last year's record of about 55 species. I have dubbed our efforts "psuedo" Big Day because we are not really hard core. During our days in the field we always take time to appreciate the totality of Andros' unspoiled beauty, talk with genuinely friendly and interested locals, and most of all, have fun.
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| Daniel Mackey holding a Red-legged Thrush |
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| Mike talking to the group near Lighthouse Marina on Fresh Creek |
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| Mike banding a LaSagras Flycatcher |
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Group member Hank O'Brien holding |
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We leave Small Hope Bay Lodge for Staniard Creek about 8 AM, noting the Royal Tern and Brown Pelican that fly by . Daniel Mackey, an eco-guide in training at Small Hope Bay Lodge, accompanies us. He has spent most of the week with us learning the birds. He is a bright and interested young man with a promising future in ecotourism. The morning is sunny and calm and promises a great day of adventure. First stop is Staniard Creek, my favorite settlement on the island. There are a couple of hundred residents, most of which live on a long, thin cay accessible by a bridge that spans the Creek. To the east is beach, to the west, mangrove We walked the mainland side of the creek until about 10 AM. We enjoyed great looks at several Neotropical migrants, including the Prairie Warbler, the American Redstart, the Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Cape May Warbler, and Northern Parula. We also had satisfying looks at Black-cowled orioles (an Andros specialty), Cuban Emerald Hummingbirds, Mangrove Cuckoos, and smooth-billed Anis.
For the next hour we explored the main settlement, looking for Bahama Woodstars, the endemic hummingbird. We staked out an area where I previously saw a female Woodstar. While we were waiting for her to appear, we saw the shadow of a bird flying overhead, and heard a "cluck-cluck-cluck" just like an American Robin in flight. Several in the group agreed that the bird sounded just like a Robin. We saw it again just down the road sitting on a phone wire: Clearly an American Robin--a first record for Andros.
We lunched at the home of Zippy and Margaret Frazier, enjoying our meal al fresco in the shade of a giant rubber tree. The Frazier's yard is full of ornamentals, and here we sighted a beautiful male Bahama Woodstar that was visiting pigeon pea flowers. He eventually landed on a clothes line and flashed us a magnificent lavender gorget!
After lunch, we continued north to San Andros Airport in search of more Bahamian specialties. En route we found a falcon that proved a challenge to identify. We spotted it first flying over a citrus orchard. It landed in the adjacent pine forest and a pair of eagle eyes in the group located it perched in a pine. We were all quickly on it and the debate began: Peregrine or Merlin? It had a blue-gray back, streaked underparts and a dark teardrop. It looked like a perfectly good Merlin except that it appeared too big. The mystery was resolved when the bird flew. Banded tails equals Merlin!
When we arrived at the airport, it was raining--so we headed to Mastic Point, out-distancing the rain briefly. Mastic Point is a close-by settlement with a large brackish pond. Here we saw Green Heron, Common Gallinule, Little Blue Heron, Blue-wing Teal, and an immature White Ibis. Then the rain found us, so we circled back to the airport. The San Andros Airport has a pond, a small body of fresh water that sits between the tarmac and the runway. It is one of the best places I know to find several species of fresh water birds. We got great looks at Least Grebe, American Coot, more Blue-wing Teal, and two Gadwalls. In addition, several Bahamas Swallows flew low over the pond. This is a Bahamian endemic that looks like a Tree Swallow with a forked tail.
In the grass around the pond there were a couple of Savannah Sparrows, uncommon migrants on the island. There were also Yellow-rumped Warblers everywhere, feeding on berries of the non-native Brazilian Pepper Tree.
The big find of the afternoon were Limpkins in the "junk yard" near the airport. These are large chocolate-brown birds with wailing calls that suggest the Jurassic. They are often hard to see, but today we have three in plain sight. Like the rest of us, there were trying to dry out, and sat with wings partly open to dry wet feathers.
Next stop was the blue hole north of the airport. Blue Holes are rather rare geological formations that are found in abundance on the island. They are essentially water filled sinkholes, often with associated cave systems. Today water from the recent rain was running off the limestone and falling the two meters or so into the blue holes, creating several little waterfalls that made beautiful music. Against this splendid backdrop we saw wet Cuban Pewees, Blue Gray Gnatcatchers, and lots of Palm Warblers.
We returned to Small Hope Bay Lodge around 5 PM. It was a great day in the field and many were ready for a small rest before dinner. A few hardcore enthusiasts however, wanted to press on, so we headed south to the Lighthouse Club and Marina and the Tarpon Ponds of Fresh Creek. In the dimming light of dusk we saw several species of shore birds--Black-bellied Plover, Semi-palmated Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, and lesser Yellowlegs.
The day's species total species has crept up to 65--crushing last year's total and setting a new Big Day record for the Bahamas. But we weren't finished.
It was 6:10 PM and we had turned back toward Small Hope Bay Lodge, knowing that conch fritters hors d'oeuvres would be served in the Lounge in about 20 minutes. In a flash of inspiration, however, I turned the van into Queen's Park, a little used sports complex between Fresh /Creek and Small Hope. I was in search of Burrowing Owls. They are uncommon residents on the island, remnants of a time when the Bahamas were much drier, during the last Ice Age. I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen them on Andros. But the gods were with us. Sure enough, at the far end of the parking lot, sitting on a fence pole near the track, we sound a beautiful little Burrowing Owl illuminated by the van's headlights.
The perfect ending to a great day!
This report was written from the diaries of Dr. Mike Baltz, email: C623359@showme.missouri.edu
For information about this and other birding events on Andros, contact Jeff Birch at Small Hope Bay Lodge , SHBinfo@SmallHope.com
October 24 - 36, 1998 -- Audoban Naturalist Society (Chevy Chase, MD) Birders Group
For a list of birds spotted in past Birding Adventures click here, click here
For more information and/or reservations regarding any of the above special programs please do not hesitate to contact Small Hope Bay Lodge via Email: SHBinfo@SmallHope.com.
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