With 10 years as a Senior Science Officer at the Bahamas National Trust under her belt, a regional conference could easily feel like business as usual for Giselle Deane. Instead, this year’s BirdsCaribbean gathering in Trinidad felt like a warm family reunion—complete with new conservation partnerships, familiar friends, and a high-stakes birding quest to hit 500 species on her life list. Read on for Giselle’s firsthand account of the 2026 conference!

A Caribbean Homecoming

Going to Trinidad for the first time was a lot like coming home. Even the flavours of the food, which are very different from typical Bahamian cuisine, felt comforting and nostalgic to me. Growing up in a mixed Caribbean background, I often felt like I was different from everyone else. However, BirdsCaribbean constantly reminds me that we are united in both our differences and our commonalities. 

As a mid-career conservationist, getting to present at and attend BirdsCaribbean Conferences feels like one of the pinnacles of my professional experience. As a Senior Science Officer at the Bahamas National Trust, where I recently celebrated 10 years, this was my third BirdsCaribbean conference. Getting paid to study and protect the birds I love? I feel like I’m working what could only be described as my dream job. 

Old friends, new ideas—and a little sneaking away

The conference was nothing short of wonderful and magical. Arriving on Wednesday afternoon, I immediately hit it off with new friends and was greeted by others I hadn’t seen in years. It felt a lot like a family reunion and was something I had been looking forward to as a highlight of my year. 

Living by my own personal rule of “not attending professional conferences unless I have something to present,” I spoke about my Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Small Grant Project, which explored the impacts of prescribed fire management on birds within the Abaco National Park. It was generally well received, although I personally thought I could have practiced a bit more before presenting!

Cuban Parrot, The Bahamas. (Photo by Elijah Sands)

The Bahama Swallow feeds mainly on flies and beetles. (Photo by Elijah Sands)

Bahama Warbler (Photo by Beth Hamel)

I was also invited to participate in the Sargasso Shearwater Road 2 Recovery (R2R) Workshop on Monday afternoon. This collaboration was great because it gave me ideas for future projects and potential local funding opportunities for the species. (Although I will admit, I did sneak out for a few minutes to watch the Sing-Like-a-Bird  Competition — sorry Will and Jennifer!). 

Aside from the professional business, I helped out at the merchandise table. It was a simple task, but a great way to meet a lot of people!

The quest for 500

My favourite part of the conference, though, was the birds. Two days before I left, I realized I needed to see 73 new bird species to make it to 500 lifers. I thought, “Maybe that’s doable since I’m going on a few field trips.” 

As it turns out,Trinidad’s unique geographic location on the edge of the Caribbean and South America made it incredibly easy! A week later, I found myself at 513 species, including 91 life birds — and I’m still missing a list or two! 

Of course, I also intend to defend my title in the conference photography contest’s “Fun With Birds and People” category with my new camera lens, so stay tuned for that!

Birds connect people, too

Now that I am back home in The Bahamas, I feel rejuvenated (and a bit overwhelmed) by all of the good work going on in the region. I have been inspired to continue working not only professionally, but in a casual capacity too. I’ve made new friends and reconnected with others. Birds connect places, but I also think that people can be connected through birds. 

This year, the Bahamian contingent was bigger than ever, with 19 of us representing the 242! Most of the group were newcomers, including four officers from the Bahamas Wildlife Enforcement Network (BahWEN) and four members of the Bird Club of New Providence. 

The conference sparked discussions and planning for new collaborations back home, including starting an educational bird banding program to build local capacity and supplement our Motus network. Several of us also attended the Sargasso Shearwater R2R Workshop, which will hopefully result in visits to two of the more accessible breeding sites in the Exuma Cays. BahWEN has also requested a donation of native plants to attract more bird species to—and beautify—their base. 

I am so hopeful about the future of collaborative bird conservation as we continue to realize just how important, accessible, and connected these creatures are.

Home again, inspired again

BirdsCaribbean Conferences are like going home to a new place, and this time felt more so than ever. Getting to see familiar faces again and meeting new ones is something both expected and exciting. Being united by birds is what connects the region, and I am excited to continue my conservation career after this wonderful experience.

Giselle’s conference attendance was supported in part by the donors and supporters of our Global Big Day 2026 fundraiser. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this experience—and the regional collaboration it inspired—possible!

Biography: Giselle Deane calls herself a tropical ecologist and currently works at the Bahamas National Trust as a Senior Science Officer, where she is responsible for terrestrial and bird projects across the country’s 33 national parks. Her professional interests include modern-day dinosaurs (birds and reptiles), geographic information science (maps and data), and conservation technology (drones, wildlife cameras, and audio recording units).  Outside of work, she still likes birds—a lot—and is currently President of the Bird Club of New Providence. She also dabbles in fiber and craft arts and enjoys reading fiction. You can find her on Instagram @nesophlox, LinkedIn @giselle-deane and Facebook @giselle.deane.