March 13-19, 2026 with Jesse Fagan
What a wonderful journey across the island of Puerto Rico! This fantastic group made the tour feel like a true Caribbean holiday—relaxed, full of laughter, and packed with memorable birds. We enjoyed tremendous success, seeing every possible endemic species beautifully, savoring delicious local food, and taking in some spectacular scenery. The weather treated us kindly, too, which was a welcome escape from the lingering winter up north.
The birding highlights were plentiful: Elfin-woods Warbler, Puerto Rican Bullfinch, Puerto Rican Amazon, and the ever‑stylish Antillean Crested Hummingbird. And of course, the trip wasn’t just about birds. We enjoyed mahi‑mahi tacos at Annie’s while gazing out over turquoise Caribbean waters, admired sweeping views from the lighthouse and the tropicbird cliffs, and soaked up the easygoing atmosphere at our Parguera hotel. There was so much to love about this tour.
We traveled counterclockwise around the island, and our first morning delivered a cascade of “firsts”: Puerto Rican Amazon, Puerto Rican Bullfinch, Puerto Rican Lizard‑Cuckoo, and Adelaide’s Warbler. The theme was clear—if it had “Puerto Rican” in the name, we found it! Stops at Río Abajo Picnic Area and Cambalache State Forest set the tone for the trip, followed by a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean at El Mirador de Guajateca, where tropicbirds floated effortlessly on the breeze. They made soaring look easy.
We reached La Parguera in the late afternoon and settled in for two nights. The lively band next door seemed just as happy to have us as we were to be there. Over the next two days, we explored several excellent birding spots within an hour of the hotel.
Our first full day took us to Maricao State Forest, where the morning carried a mix of anticipation and excitement. We had several key targets—and we absolutely delivered. The very first bird we saw stepping out of the van was the Elfin-woods Warbler, described to science only in 1972. From there, we quickly added Puerto Rican Tanager, spindalis, and vireo. Other tough species—Puerto Rican Oriole, Lesser Antillean Pewee, and euphonia—followed soon after.
We wrapped up the evening at “Tom’s Secret Nightjar Spot,” where we enjoyed solid views of Puerto Rican Nightjar and even tried some UV scorpion spotting with success. Very cool indeed.
On our final morning in La Parguera, we visited Cabo Rojo NWR and enjoyed a scenic walk to the lighthouse. (How many steps was that again?) Lunch may have been the real highlight, though—fish tacos, cold beers, and a warm Caribbean breeze. Caribbean Martins were new for the trip here as well.
Heading east for the final stretch, we focused on cleaning up the remaining targets. A spontaneous stop at an auto repair garage produced two new hummingbirds—Antillean Crested Hummingbird and Green‑throated Carib—thanks to whoever planted those flowering trees in the parking lot. You still need to wonder how guides find these places. We also discovered that the grounds of our hotel held surprisingly good birding, with a mix of introduced species, shorebirds in the culverts, and a handsome White‑cheeked Pintail.
On our last morning, we visited Protected Area Medio Mundo y Daguao, where we enjoyed better looks at Puerto Rican Tody and Adelaide’s Warbler, plus more orioles. We celebrated the end of the tour with—yes—more fish tacos (no complaints here) and a final afternoon on the water.
Thank you all again for making this such a delightful tour. I look forward to traveling with you again somewhere down the road. Wishing you wonderful adventures in 2026 and beyond.
You can see my complete trip report on eBird at this link: https://ebird.org/tripreport/504316
You can download a combined PDF of this page and the eBird report at this link: https://fieldguides.com/triplists/ptr26bTRIPLIST.pdf
-- Jesse Fagan (aka Motmot) from Lima, Peru