Let's go Bird Watching Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

BermudaIslandGeocach: This one is gone missing again.. time to archive and give room for other Geocachers to put out caches in spital pond

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Hidden : 3/15/2013
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Lock n lock container... Room for trackables and trading

Spittal Pond is widely regarded as the best birdwatching location in Bermuda. Two species of birds are resident on Spittal Pond. There are several pairs of Mallard and Common Gallinule (Moorhen). Moorhens are often seen on the small woodland pond, or feeding on the edge of the main pond. Resident birds in the woodland include great Kiskadee, Grey Catbird, White-eyed Vireo, Northern Cardinal and European Goldfinch. During the winter months the trees and thickets provide shelter for a number of winter species such as Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Ovenbird and Northern Waterthrush. Indigo Buntings are common and the males are already gaining their blue spring plumage. The pond provides a feeding ground for waterfowl, notably Blue-winged Teal. Regular duck species include Green-winged Teal, American Black Duck, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup and Hooded Merganser. Uncommon duck species visiting in recent years have included Northern pintail, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Greater Scaup, Oldsquaw, Surf Scoter, Common Goldeneye and Ruddy Duck. American Coots usually winter on the pond and there are often at least a dozen Pied-billed Grebes.

The margins of the pond are important for herons and egrets. The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron is resident. It feeds at night on land crabs. Please respect its privacy and remain as quiet as possible when observing its daytime roosting site. Other herons (Great Blue, Little Blue and Green) and egrets (Great and Snowy) are often seen feeding during the day and some roost here at night. Cattle Egrets are often with cattle on the farm. .

If you were to visit in late summer or the early fall, the exposed mudflats would host numerous species of migrant shorebirds including plovers, yellowlegs and sandpipers. Overhead you might see swallows and martins. Migrant warbler species are common in the casuarina woodlands at both ends of the pond. .

Finally, do not forget to look out to sea. The White-tailed Tropicbirds (Longtails) can be seen from February to October. Shearwaters pass off-shore (south-west to north-east) during spring migration and can be seen during periods of on-shore winds (especially south-easterlies). Manx Shearwaters appear from February, but Cory’s, Greater and Sooty are not regularly seen before mid to late April. Humpbacked Whale migration peaks in mid-April and Spanish Rock at Spittal Pond provides a good vantage point.


SPITTAL POND IS OWNED AND TAKEN CARE OF BY THE BERMUDA CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT

photo conservationdeptofbermudalogo.jpg


photo conservationdeptofbermudalogo2.jpg

To go to their website, please click here: Bermuda Conservation Department


This cache was put out by the Bermuda Island Geocachers... for more information check out our websites Click here to go to the BermudaIslandGeocachers website BermudaIslandGeocachers or their facebook page BermudaIslandGeocachers

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ubyybj

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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