Birding JAMAICA Endemics

February 2 – 8 2019

Flora & Fauna Field Tours
http://www.florafaunafieldtours.com
Reliable Adventure Jamaica - RAJ Tours
http://www.jamaicabirding.com/?page_id=4

Photo credits: Barbara and Bill Bowman

The Jamaican flag
“The sun shineth, the land is green and the people are strong and creative” is the symbolism of the colours of the flag. Black depicts the strength and creativity of the people; Gold, the natural wealth and beauty of sunlight; and green, hope and agricultural resources.

Flora & Fauna Field Tours Leader: David Milsom



RAJ Guides: Wolde Kristos, Veda Tate, Deceita Turner, Dion Powell

Our birding trip would take us from Montego Bay south to Luna Sea Inn at Bluefields then east to Bay View Eco Resort at Port Antonio…



Due to our West Jet flight cancellation for Friday, February 1, we did not arrive in Montego Bay until Saturday. Our group was birding in the Bogue sewage lagoons at Montego Bay all morning. We were fortunate to link up with them at lunch. Veda and Dion welcomed us at the Montego Bay Airport and drove us to a restaurant where we would meet our group.

We were a group of 10 participants – 8 from Canada and 2 from the US.

Front row, left to right: Wolde Kristos, David Milsom, Wayne Bullock, Deceita Turner, Diana Fruguglietti, Liz Milsom, Veda Tate, Bill Bowman
Back row, left to right: Ian Valentine, Ruth Ross, Bev Smith, Irene Neff, Barbara Bowman, Dion Powell


RAJ Tours Birding Trip Itinerary

Day 1 Friday 1 February: Fly from home at Ottawa to Montego Bay, Jamaica. Overnight : Doctor's Cave, Montego Bay.

Day 2 Saturday 2 February: 9 a m. Met by your guide and driver at Montego Bay accommodation. Wintering water birds and opportunity for West Indian Whistling Duck at Bogue Lagoon. Lunch in Montego Bay and visit Rocklands Hummingbird Sanctuary at Anchovy for close up views of Redbilled Streamertail, Mango Hummingbird, Orangequit and many more. Transfer to Luna Sea Inn. http://www.lunaseainn.com/ Lunch, dinner and overnight included Jamaica.

Day 3 Sunday 3 February: Early start for visit to Dean’s Valley Forest Reserve and then in woodlands above Whitehouse in the afternoon. Of the 29 Jamaican endemic species, we have
observed 21 in these areas, plus a further 13 endemic subspecies. Among the regular favourites on our tours in this area are the Jamaican Tody, Jamaican Spindalis, Orangequit, Jamaican
Euphonia, Jamaican Elaenia, Jamaican Pewee, Olive-throated Parakeet, Northern Potoo (sometimes seen at day time roost), Rufous-tailed Flycatcher, Jamaican Woodpecker, Chestnut-bellied
Cuckoo, Arrowhead Warbler, Greater Antillean Bullfinch. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight included.

Day 4 Monday 4 February: Early start for Black River Upper Morass which is part of Jamaica's largest wetland and an IBA. Present in the area are very rare residents including the
Spotted Rail and Yellow-breasted Crake. Also, at the site, West Indian Whistling Ducks, Masked Duck, Limpkin, Least Bittern, Purple Gallinule and many others are also there. Migrants include
Sora, Wilson’s Snipe, Great Blue Heron, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin and often flocks of Hirundines. Good numbers of wintering warblers are also present. In the late morning, we move to Black River and the Parottee Great Morass to check out wintering waders and ducks. Blue-winged Teal are the most common on the saline mud flats. Rarities in the migration periods can include Flamingos, Avocets, Phalaropes. Spotted Rail.

Day 5 Tuesday 5 February: Travel to Port Antonio (approx. 4 hours). Afternoon birds in hotel grounds and wooded environs , including Blackbilled Streamertail humming bird, Jamaican Oriole, White-chinned Thrush, Jamaican Spindalis. Evening search for Jamaican Owl at hotel. Overnight at Bay View Eco Resort and Spa, near Port Antonio, Portland. www.bayviewecoresort.com
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight included.

Day 6 Wednesday 6 February: Early start for birding at northern Ecclesdown Road, in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park. Lunch at Boston Bay. Target birds include endangered Jamaican Blackbird, near-endangered Crested Quail Dove, Ring-tailed Pigeon, Black-billed Parrot, Jamaican Lizard Cuckoo, Blue Mountain Vireo, Vervain Hummingbird, Jamaican Tody, Jamaican Becard, Jamaican Elaenia, Arrowhead Warbler, Yellow-shouldered Grassquit, Rufous-tailed Flycatcher, Olive-throated Parakeet, Greater Antillean Bullfinch, Jamaican Crow, and others of the 29 endemics that are in this area. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight included.

Day 7 Thursday 7 February: Cliff top watch for White-tailed Tropic Birds at Hectors River. The morning and afternoon birding then between the gardens at spectacular Reach Falls and
southern Ecclesdown in John Crow and Blue Mountain IBA. Lunch at Long Bay. Target birds for the day include Jamaican Blackbird, Crested Quail Dove, Blue Mountain Vireo, Jamaican Tody, Yellow-billed Parrot, Jamaican Becard, Jamaican Elaenia, Jamaican Woodpecker, Jamaican Spindalis, Jamaican Euphonia, White-chinned Thrush, White-eyed Thrush and Orangequit, Jamaican Lizard Cuckoo, Jamaican Pewee, Red-tailed Hawk and more. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight included.

Day 8 Friday 8 February: Early morning endemic birds on wooded trails at Fairy Hill/Goblin Hill and accommodation environs. Transfer to Doctor’s Bay Beach Hotel, Montego Bay for arrival by 4 pm. Breakfast and lunch. Overnight Doctor's Cave, Montego Bay.