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!