Visit to The Bahamas - Part 2

14 February, 2026 

Governor's Harbour

     We were out and about early on our first morning on Eleuthera, having had a good night's sleep.

     Red Mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) looked serene in the early morning sun.

     A Great Egret (Ardea alba) cruised in on lazy wings to see what could be gleaned for breakfast.

     A flock of Eastern Willets (Tringa semipalmata) perched throughout the mangroves. 

     No doubt the feeding was good, for they returned every day, but I only ever saw them perched or in flight.

     I sat and talked to Andrew for a while, and Caroline and then Miriam, joined us.

     Finally we felt our stomachs rumbling and went inside for breakfast.

     Here is the bungalow with our rental van parked outside.

     These two shots will give you some idea of the interior.

     I am not sure whether it was Braden or Will and Holly who had laid in supplies for us, but Andrew made coffee and I had a toasted bagel and jam; Miriam had a toasted bagel and cream cheese. It all hit the spot!

     Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera) was very attractive and nearly every day a Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) or two could be found there.

     A dog, curiously named Egg, with two pups was a constant visitor, and always welcome.

     Egg was barely more than a pup herself and at times was stressed by her two rambunctious, demanding offspring. She was not a stray, but appeared to receive little care from her putative owners.

     This brilliant red hibiscus would seem to be a magnet for the endemic Bahama Woodstar (Nesophlox evelynae), and there were many blooms in the grounds, but I never even saw an insect on them let alone a hummingbird.

      They were nonetheless gloriously attractive and we appreciated them every day.

     We had no sooner finished breakfast and put the dishes away when Will and Holly arrived to take us on a tour around the area known as Governor's Harbour.

     Our first stop was at Norma's Gift Shop, well known and favoured by tourists and residents alike. We browsed but didn't buy! 

     Holly and Will have been on Eleuthera long enough to know where wildlife is likely to be sighted and they had been telling me of a location where they regularly see rays. It was mere steps from the gift shop and Will quickly spotted a Southern Stingray (Hypanus americanus).

    It was close by in shallow water and we were able to follow it as it swam up and down; a distinct thrill for me.

     There were also large schools of Redfin Needlefish (Strongylura notata), a species known to inhabit shallow bays and inlets.

     Marine life is fascinating and my education was growing exponentially!

     As best we could tell, you are permitted to drink anywhere in The Bahamas without the threat of legal sanction, and these two jovial fellow were enjoying an infusion of morning sunshine!

     Had it been later in the day I might have joined them for a swig or two!

     The colour of the ocean in The Bahamas has to be seen to be believed.

     And we never saw a crowded beach anywhere on Eleuthera; very often we had the beach to ourselves.

     Will and Holly -

     Is there a more evocative image than a footstep in the sand?

      You could be forgiven for concluding that the term "tropical paradise" was coined here.

     Braden had told us that he had signed on for another year at the Island School, and it's not hard to see why!

     The reports of this trip will be heavy on people pictures and you will soon know most of my family.

Holly, Caroline, Andrew, Will

     I am delighted to report that shortly after we left Will proposed to Holly - and she accepted - so here she is with her future mother-in-law.

     We had lunch at Squire's Village Restaurant, a charming spot, with great food. The smoked salmon in a wrap that I chose was delicious and Miriam said that her breakfast sandwich was, too.

     It was great to have Will and Holly as our guides (and Will doubled as our driver) since they knew various beaches and coves and inlets, and took us to quiet spots where we could immerse ourselves in the splendour of it all, and never have to jostle for a place on the beach.

     It was only our footsteps that left an imprint in the sand.

 

Andrew, Caroline, Miriam

     You have met everyone now, so I will not keep labelling the pictures.

     I am pretty sure that this is the spiny seed of American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua).

     It was probably washed in on the tide. The tree occurs in nearby Florida, USA and may be present in The Bahamas, but I could find nothing to confirm it.

     Hermit crabs fascinate me endlessly. This is Paguristes tortugae, sometimes known as Bandeye Hermit.

     Our adventures with marine life continued and we were gobsmacked to see a Giant Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) swimming close to shore in shallow water.

     With dogged persistence Miriam followed it and was able to get some really decent pictures.

     What a bonus!

     This interesting looking creature is a bivalve in the class Bivalvia, but you will not be surprised that I am unable to identify it specifically.

     While I am always keen to identify what I see, and spend countless happy hours following a trip researching, it does not diminish the pleasure of discovery by being unable to put a name to it. After all, the realm of the seashore is rarely experienced by someone who lives in the middle of the continent of North America.

     Conch (genus Conumurex, family Strombidae), seems to be intimately connect to Bahamian culture and culinary practice and shells were seen everywhere.

      Holly found this live animal and was able to show it to us.

     How utterly fascinating!

     It was a brave man who first decided it would be good to eat!

     A couple of white morph Reddish Egrets (Egretta rufescens) provided great entertainment for us, as they pranced, danced and preened as only Reddish Egrets can!

     Here is a Six-keyhole Sand Dollar (Leodia sexiesperforata).

     We left to return home late afternoon, having decided to go to Walter's for dinner. 

     Let me tell you about Walter's. It is barely more than a shack on the beach, the service is slow, there is a general air of lassitude about the place, it is not especially cheap - yet it is loved by everyone, especially by the staff of the Island School and the various research facilities on Eleuthera. And we got to love it, too.

     Fittingly, I had conch fritters for dinner.

     As we waited for our food we watched the sun go down across the bay.

     

     Not a bad way to end the day, I think you will agree!  

Visit to The Bahamas Part 1

 13 February, 2026

Maberly, ON - Ottawa, ON - Nassau, Bahamas to Eleuthera, Bahamas

      Miriam and I had driven to Maberly on 12 February, where my daughter and son-in-law live, to fly out together from Ottawa via Air Canada, direct to Nassau. Our alarms were set for 01h:30 to make the one-and-a-half hour drive to the airport and comply with the requirement to be there three hours before the flight. 

     I snoozed in the back seat for a good part of the journey, so it went quickly for me. The roads were clear and the drive was uneventful with little traffic on the road most of the time. 

     We all were in need of a coffee or a tea and lined up at Tim Horton's for about thirty-five minutes to get one! There was one person behind the counter to do everything. Sheer madness it seems, at a busy airport.

     The flight was uneventful and it was wonderful to arrive in Nassau to await our ongoing flight to Eleuthera. 

     Everyone was cheerful, friendly and welcoming and we were able to go outside the terminal and enjoy the bright sunshine.

     There were many House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) around the terminal and we felt they were there to welcome us with their cheery song. Here is a handsome male.

     Ironically, we did our best birding of the trip right there at the airport. I am not fully aware of the bird distribution on other islands in the Bahama chain, but Eleuthera seemed depauperate of birds. 

     There was lots of activity at this modern, busy, efficient airport.

     Have you ever been picked up in a Rolls Royce?

     It was interesting to see this statue commemorating Sir Lynden Pindling and to learn a little of the history of The Bahamas.

     We last saw a Curly-tailed Lizard (genus Leiocephalus) at Marea del Portillo in Cuba several years ago, so we were especially delighted to have this individual keep company with us for a while.

     Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polylgottos) took full advantage of the lush greenery and at least two were singing and displaying.

     This Century Plant (genus Agave) is not native to The Bahamas; nevertheless it contributed to the subtropical nature of the place.

     One of the exceptional discoveries, totally unanticipated, was a Mangrove Cuckoo (Coccyzus minor); it was not shy either.

     I assume that its mangrove habitat is not far away, but it has benefitted from foraging at a bustling airport.

Some species are adaptable, after all.

     Here is a second Northern Mockingbird.

     The flower of this Orchid Tree (genus Bauhinia) is exceptionally beautiful.

     Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum), not surprisingly, was very common.

      Gastropods in the genus Zachrysia are air-breathing land snails, primarily endemic to Cuba and, presumably The Bahamas.

     This species is probably Zachrysia provisoria but I am open to correction on that. My knowledge of the taxon is scant, but my curiosity is boundless!

      The discovery of a Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) in Ontario is unusual enough that it is a cause for a happy dance, but in The Bahamas it is described as a common migrant and non-breeding resident.  

     We were excited to see this individual which showed no hesitation to glean for insects for an extended period right before our eyes.

     The short flight from Nassau to Eleuthera took only around twenty minutes; barely were we aloft than we were coming in to land again.

     My grandson, Will, and his girlfriend, Holly, who is teaching there for a year, came to meet us, bringing the van we had rented, and it was a grand reunion at the airport. This was the reason for our visit, and (am I really saying this?) birding was secondary.

     Holly's brother, Braden, is also a teacher at the Island School, and had, with great magnanimity, moved out of the little bungalow he occupies so that Andrew, Caroline, Miriam and I could stay there. 

     It was perfect for us and we would be very comfortable there, with everything we needed. I think that at least once a day we reminded ourselves of our good fortune. When Braden returns to Canada we hope to be able to repay his kindness.

     The tide was out and we could have walked out into the mangroves had we chosen to do so.

     The setting sun dipped lower on the horizon and the sky was suffused with colour.

     We all went inside; some to have a cold beer, me to have a glass of wine, and settled in to our digs.

     Will and Holly brought over all the ingredients for a fine dinner, which Will cooked for us, and it was delicious. 

     What a fine young man he has grown up to be. What a fine couple in fact.

     We are indeed a lucky family!