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This was probably my most successful trip to the Dominican Republic. Seeing (or even encountering) every DR endemic is quite a challenge. The nightbirds especially present many difficulties. This year we managed quite well with good looks at Least Pauraque and an exceptional Ashy-faced Owl; unfortunately, it was a heard only for the nightjar. In years past, we have missed seeing Hispaniolan Crossbill or the siskin, but this year we persisted and had especially nice looks at both: the crossbill (at Aceitillar) and several siskins at Zapoten. The owl was the group's favorite, but other top honors included the crossbill (thanks to Tonya and Mike!), the Bay-breasted Cuckoo (just another 100 meters!), the tiny Broad-billed Tody (that lime green color is something else), the rare and threatened, Ridgway's Hawk, and Bicknell's Thrush (Karen especially wanted to see this species on its wintering grounds).
However, we all came away from this trip with other non-birding highlights, and some affected us in profound ways: the Haitian border comes to mind. We also saw some amazing night skies, shooting stars, and heard the ethereal, haunting sounds of the Rufous-throated Solitaire. The Sharp-shinned Hawk bathing in a small pool of water in the early morning was memorable for several. And Amy really liked all the hiking and walking we did! (Me too; in two days we did 17,000 steps!). Indeed, DR is always an experience.
Finally, I would like to thank Mike (our driver) and Kate Wallace for all their hard work. And I would also like to thank the group for spending a nice time with me in the DR. Let's do it again soon!
--Jesse a.k.a Motmot (from Edisto Beach, South Carolina)
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)
WEST INDIAN WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna arborea)
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
LEAST GREBE (Tachybaptus dominicus)
Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds)
WHITE-TAILED TROPICBIRD (Phaethon lepturus)
Fregatidae (Frigatebirds)
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD (Fregata magnificens)
Pelecanidae (Pelicans)
BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)
GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula)
LITTLE BLUE HERON (Egretta caerulea)
TRICOLORED HERON (Egretta tricolor)
CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis)
GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens)
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (Nyctanassa violacea)
Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus)
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
Pandionidae (Osprey)
OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (Accipiter striatus)
RIDGWAY'S HAWK (Buteo ridgwayi) [E]
RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo jamaicensis)
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
COMMON GALLINULE (Gallinula galeata)
Aramidae (Limpkin)
LIMPKIN (Aramus guarauna) [*]
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus)
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Tringa solitaria)
GREATER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa melanoleuca)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes)
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla)
ROYAL TERN (Thalasseus maximus)
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]
SCALY-NAPED PIGEON (Patagioenas squamosa)
WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON (Patagioenas leucocephala)
PLAIN PIGEON (Patagioenas inornata)
WHITE-WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica)
ZENAIDA DOVE (Zenaida aurita)
MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura)
COMMON GROUND-DOVE (Columbina passerina)
KEY WEST QUAIL-DOVE (Geotrygon chrysia)
Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
MANGROVE CUCKOO (Coccyzus minor)
BAY-BREASTED CUCKOO (Coccyzus rufigularis) [E]
HISPANIOLAN LIZARD-CUCKOO (Coccyzus longirostris) [E]
SMOOTH-BILLED ANI (Crotophaga ani)
Tytonidae (Barn-Owls)
ASHY-FACED OWL (Tyto glaucops) [E]
Strigidae (Owls)
BURROWING OWL (Athene cunicularia)
Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
LEAST PAURAQUE (Siphonorhis brewsteri) [E]
GREATER ANTILLEAN NIGHTJAR (HISPANIOLAN) (Antrostomus cubanensis ekmani) [E*]
Apodidae (Swifts)
ANTILLEAN PALM-SWIFT (Tachornis phoenicobia)
Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
ANTILLEAN MANGO (Anthracothorax dominicus)
VERVAIN HUMMINGBIRD (Mellisuga minima)
HISPANIOLAN EMERALD (Chlorostilbon swainsonii) [E]
Trogonidae (Trogons)
HISPANIOLAN TROGON (Priotelus roseigaster) [E]
Todidae (Todies)
BROAD-BILLED TODY (Todus subulatus) [E]
NARROW-BILLED TODY (Todus angustirostris) [E]
Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
BELTED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle alcyon)
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
ANTILLEAN PICULET (Nesoctites micromegas) [E]
HISPANIOLAN WOODPECKER (Melanerpes striatus) [E]
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius)
MERLIN (Falco columbarius)
PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus)
Psittacidae (Parrots)
HISPANIOLAN PARAKEET (Aratinga chloroptera) [E]
HISPANIOLAN PARROT (Amazona ventralis) [E]
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
GREATER ANTILLEAN ELAENIA (Elaenia fallax)
HISPANIOLAN PEWEE (Contopus hispaniolensis) [E]
STOLID FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus stolidus)
GRAY KINGBIRD (Tyrannus dominicensis)
Vireonidae (Vireos)
FLAT-BILLED VIREO (Vireo nanus) [E]
BLACK-WHISKERED VIREO (Vireo altiloquus)
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
PALM CROW (HISPANIOLAN) (Corvus palmarum palmarum) [E]
WHITE-NECKED CROW (Corvus leucognaphalus) [E]
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
CARIBBEAN MARTIN (Progne dominicensis)
GOLDEN SWALLOW (Tachycineta euchrysea)
CAVE SWALLOW (CARIBBEAN) (Petrochelidon fulva fulva)
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
RUFOUS-THROATED SOLITAIRE (RUFOUS-THROATED) (Myadestes genibarbis montanus)
BICKNELL'S THRUSH (Catharus bicknelli)
LA SELLE THRUSH (Turdus swalesi) [E]
RED-LEGGED THRUSH (EASTERN) (Turdus plumbeus ardosiaceus)
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos)
Dulidae (Palmchat)
PALMCHAT (Dulus dominicus) [E]
Parulidae (New World Warblers)
OVENBIRD (Seiurus aurocapilla)
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Parkesia noveboracensis)
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (Mniotilta varia)
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (EASTERN) (Geothlypis trichas trichas)
AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla)
CAPE MAY WARBLER (Setophaga tigrina)
NORTHERN PARULA (Setophaga americana)
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER (Setophaga caerulescens)
PALM WARBLER (Setophaga palmarum)
PINE WARBLER (Setophaga pinus chrysoleuca)
PRAIRIE WARBLER (Setophaga discolor)
WHITE-WINGED WARBLER (Xenoligea montana) [E]
GREEN-TAILED WARBLER (Microligea palustris) [E]
Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies)
BANANAQUIT (CARIBBEAN) (Coereba flaveola bananivora)
YELLOW-FACED GRASSQUIT (Tiaris olivaceus)
BLACK-CROWNED PALM-TANAGER (Phaenicophilus palmarum) [E]
WESTERN CHAT-TANAGER (Calyptophilus tertius) [E]
EASTERN CHAT-TANAGER (Calyptophilus frugivorus) [E]
HISPANIOLAN SPINDALIS (Spindalis dominicensis) [E]
Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)
GREATER ANTILLEAN GRACKLE (Quiscalus niger)
HISPANIOLAN ORIOLE (Icterus dominicensis)
Fringillidae (Siskins, Crossbills, and Allies)
ANTILLEAN EUPHONIA (Euphonia musica)
HISPANIOLAN CROSSBILL (Loxia megaplaga) [E]
ANTILLEAN SISKIN (Spinus dominicensis) [E]
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) [I]
The Rhinoceraus Iguana (Cyclura cornuta) that we saw along the road on our return from Aceitillar is a threatened species of iguana found primarily on the island of Hispaniola, though two other subspecies are also found on Mono Island and Navassa Island.
Totals for the tour: 101 bird taxa and 0 mammal taxa