Shorebirder

From the perspective of a North American birder, the island of Aruba, which lies adjacent to Curaçao and Bonaire and merely 15 miles from Venezuela, may not be the sexiest of island birding destinations. Why not? Well, perhaps the biggest draw of island birding is the high degree of endemism that one usually encounters. There are, sadly, no bird species that are endemic to Aruba. But arguably the second most appealing reason to get excited about island birding is the disproportionately high density of vagrants that might be found. Islands serve as terra firma oases surrounded by uninhabitable ocean. Birds that accidentally find themselves over water will take refuge anywhere, and islands present irresistible opportunities for much-needed rest and refueling. Aruba is well-located for vagrants, positioned to receive birds from multiple directions. Vagrants may be migratory species from North America, or they may stray from nearby mainland South America. I would also imagine that certain...