Birding West Jamaica Endemics

Thursday, February 7: Portland Parish

Hector's River and Southern Ecclesdown Road
Bay View Eco Resort

Bird of the day: Sad Flycatcher

This day our early morning balcony birding yielded a Loggerhead Kingbird and a White-chinned Thrush. After an identical breakfast to Wednesday’s, we gathered out front. This time Black Swifts filled the sky and a Red-tailed Hawk was soaring overhead.



We boarded our bus and drove south for Hector’s River. There was (fortunately) a single White-tailed Tropicbird on a nest in a faraway hole in the cliff. Other Tropicbirds were out to sea. The sea cave below the tropicbird was completely full of discarded plastic bottles and other garbage. There was more garbage on the ground where we were standing. This was the only place we had seen such litter.



Wayne showed us Hermit Crabs.



Barbara and Deceita went to the primary school beside us to observe two classes of children and leave them some Canada pencils.



A Red-tailed Hawk was being pursued by two American Kestrels. When the former left, one of the kestrels came and perched in a tree right beside us. In an adjacent tree, a Jamaican Mango sat motionless. Good luck.



We left the school and headed north to pick up the southern end of the Ecclesdown Road. Right away we saw Black-billed Parrots; check. The road was full of puddles from an overnight rain. We had to tread carefully, but unfortunately Dave got a soaker.



Veda called and called for a Blue Mountain Vireo. Most of us had not seen the previous short appearance. Finally, one did co-operate, and our endemics list was complete.



So we drove on to Boston Jerk Centre for lunch again. We asked Wolde if the local guy selling Blue Mountain coffee roasted and packaged by Portland small farmers would be back. He made a call, and two younger fellows showed up to get our order and Wayne’s order. They still had not come back when we were ready to leave, but Wolde said that they would deliver it to the resort.

We drove back to the Bay View Eco Resort. Before going to our room, we photographed a Jamaican Mango in the trees across from the resort. Before we were done, the two young guys came walking up the road with our coffee. That was good service!



We dumped our packs in the room and met Deceita on the path who got us on a White-eyed Thrush right near the restaurant.

Then we walked up the road to try for better photos of some endemics. A Black-chinned Streamertail was visiting a tree up the hill regularly, but getting good photos was becoming frustrating. A group of Nutmeg Munias was across the road – they were easier subjects. Meanwhile Barbara got a White-crowned Pigeon and Black-chinned Streamertail at a flower near the resort.



Finally satisfied with the hummingbirds, we joined others further up the road. We saw Olive-throated Parakeets and a very cooperative Sad Flycatcher.



This evening was our final dinner together with the whole group, so we decided it was a bit of a celebration for our good week together. Wayne contributed some green ginger wine and he also had Friskies for the resort cats.

February 7 Birds

Bayview Eco Resort, Portland, JM
Feb 7, 2019 8:11 AM - 8:12 AM
Protocol: Stationary
2 species

Black Swift  120     Hovering. Calling, matches sound recording
Red-tailed Hawk  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S52783086

(18.027, -76.276), Portland, JM
Feb 7, 2019 9:09 AM
Protocol: Incidental
2 species

Yellow-faced Grassquit  1
Scaly-breasted Munia  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S52783041

A4, Hordley, Portland Parish, JM (18.007, -76.264), Portland, JM
Feb 7, 2019 9:31 AM - 10:03 AM
Protocol: Stationary
5 species

Vervain Hummingbird  1
White-tailed Tropicbird  1
Turkey Vulture  11
Red-tailed Hawk  1
American Kestrel  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S52783012

Ecclesdown Road, Portland, JM
Feb 7, 2019 11:07 AM - 12:49 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.938 kilometer(s)
21 species

White-crowned Pigeon  3
Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo  1
Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo  1     Heard
Jamaican Mango  1
Vervain Hummingbird  1
Streamertail (Black-billed)  1     Perched, dark head, no streamers
Turkey Vulture  7
Jamaican Woodpecker  1
Black-billed Parrot  10
Yellow-billed Parrot  26
Loggerhead Kingbird  1
Blue Mountain Vireo  1
Jamaican Vireo  1
Rufous-throated Solitaire  1     Heard only
Jamaican Blackbird  1     Heard only, saw and heard well yesterday
Common Yellowthroat  1
American Redstart  4
Northern Parula  1
Bananaquit  1
Orangequit  1
Greater Antillean Bullfinch  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S52782915

Bayview Eco Resort, Portland, JM
Feb 7, 2019 3:52 PM - 5:08 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.821 kilometer(s)
17 species

White-crowned Pigeon  2
White-winged Dove  1
Zenaida Dove  1
Black Swift  50     All circling. Calling
Streamertail (Black-billed)  1     Regularly seen here. Pics
Turkey Vulture  6
Jamaican Woodpecker  1
Olive-throated Parakeet  2
Sad Flycatcher  2
Loggerhead Kingbird  3
White-eyed Thrush  2
White-chinned Thrush  2
Jamaican Spindalis  2
Jamaican Oriole  1
American Redstart  1
Orangequit  3
Scaly-breasted Munia  6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S52782864