Beez Neez now Chy Whella

Boys

Big Bear and Pepe Millard

Thu 17 Dec 2009 13:39

The Boys are Back in Town

I waited patiently for twenty eight weeks and one day to return to Barbuda with the express wish to see the Frigate Boys doing their stuff. The last time we were here we got to see the mums and babies - the boys had been in Mexico with their mistresses. As soon as the anchor was set I was on the phone to Foster, hoping he may say this afternoon would be the perfect time to go. "Ten in the morning", "are the boys in their glory?" "The place looks like Christmas trees".

So I had to wait another twenty hours, Bear somehow knew I wouldn't sleep well. Camera batteries charged, empty memory cards and bed. Up at silly o'clock, too fidgety for words. Bear had launched Baby Beez and put the electric motor on so we could hoist her up the beach. Foster met us on the lagoon side and off we went. Tripod up and ready. Off we roared on Foster's parogue with the pink interior and his very quiet 75 hp outboard.

As we approached the sky was full of these enormous Frigate Birds. Soon enough we saw them - gulars at the ready - all puffed up

These enormous birds have a wingspan of eight feet and a body weight of three pounds. They fly at speeds of around twenty two miles an hour at heights up to two thousand feet. They cannot take off from the sea or the ground. They have to use their wings to land on a branch and often look clumsy when others land near them. Frigate birds are relatives of pelicans, cormorants and boobies. The males are glossy black, females have white breasts. The immature bird has white heads and necks. The oldest known bird is thirty four years. They feed on fish from Barbuda's lagoons and interior ponds. Also flying fish, jelly fish and small turtles taken from the ocean. Adults chase other sea birds to grab their catch, hence the names, Frigate Bird and Man-o-War Bird.

This one had gone so overboard with his inflation skills he couldn't see anything. This one was quite heart-shaped and dare I say - attractive

Males blow up their scarlet throat sac - gular - to the size of a small balloon, this takes about twenty five minutes, done to attract the females. When the female approaches the male trembles his wings showing the under surface, flashing in the sunlight and making drumming noises and beak clacking. In a colony there are three twig nests average in an area of nine by twelve feet. There is lots of arguing over landing rights, perch ownership or who owns each twig. One male and three females produce two young every two years. One white egg is laid sometime between mid-September to late March. Incubation is seven weeks, the chick is born naked but soon acquires white down. The chicks are fed by regurgitation. They fly at about twenty five weeks after hatching. They are six before they breed.

This one was happy sunning himself. They seemed completely unbothered by just how close we got to them, so close we could smell the aroma of fish that they give off

These liked to be in a tidy row

Very exhausting this showing off business

The girls look on with amusement and some need a look from above

Can the boys fly inflated? Course we can

Can they land like it? No. They seem to love living in close proximity, returning to the very bush where they were born

Lots of preening to look their best

We saw a group of Cormorants who had joined the preening group. A few preferred to live a little less crowded

One of the first of the seasons chicks wanted to know if he would grow up to have one of those red pouches. No one will know until he is at least a year old. Juveniles and females have the same colouring.