For our tour description, itinerary, past triplists, dates, fees, and more, please VISIT OUR TOUR PAGE.
See this triplist in printable PDF format with media only on page 1.
Jamaican Tody was voted the favorite bird of the tour in a landslide. These charismatic sprites won us over with their vivid colors, bold behavior, and silly vocalizations. Photo by guide Eric Hynes.
Thank you very much for choosing Field Guides for your birding adventure in Jamaica. It was a pleasure birding with all of you. Hopefully you enjoyed birding in Jamaica as much as I do.
Our first day together was primarily focused on getting into position. Two birds stand out however: the pair of Jamaican Crows perched in Runaway Bay and the pair of Northern Potoos that joined us for dessert.
The next morning the endemics came fast and furious on the trails of Green Castle Estate (GCE). Yellow-shouldered Grassquit, Jamaican Tody, Streamertail, Sad Flycatcher, Jamaican Elaenia, Jamaican Woodpecker and Jamaican Vireo were on the list before we even sat down for breakfast. As the day went on, we continued to tally more endemics: White-chinned Thrush, Orangequit, Jamaican Mango, Rufous-tailed Flycatcher, Jamaican Euphonia and Jamaican Becard. A walk down to the reservoir seriously padded our day list with a number of waterbirds. Coots, grebes and ducks were on the water, while Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, Black-necked Stilts and an unexpected Solitary Sandpiper dotted the shore.
Day three began early as we headed to the far eastern end of the island. The John Crow Mountains are the only place where all the endemics can be found. We did not accomplish a sweep in one day (has it ever been done?) but we picked up a number of tricky targets along Ecclesdown Road. Dwayne's trained eyes found us a perched Crested Quail-Dove, the sometimes tricky Jamaican Blackbird showed up almost immediately, a Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo flew right in front of us with a lizard in its bill, we had scope views of the black-billed subspecies of Streamertail, and flocks of Yellow-billed Parrots kept flying by. After an exciting morning in the foothills, we descended to Boston Bay and enjoyed a traditional jerk meal of jerk chicken and pork, plus bammy, festival and other Jamaican treats. The hummingbirds in Port Antonio and the shorebirds at the mouth of the Spanish River helped break up our drive back to GCE and added to our rapidly growing list.
On Wednesday morning we made our way up to Vinery for a pleasant walk. Unquestionably, the highlight of the outing was the multiple encounters with cooperative pairs of Jamaican Tody. Several individuals were so close it seemed as if you could reach out and touch them. Back down in Annotto Bay we added Black-bellied Plover, Osprey, and Northern Jacana to our trip list at the mouth of the Wag Water River. Our afternoon was spent returning to the reservoir at GCE, a habitat tough to come by in Jamaica. After dinner, we took a good day and turned it great by scoring a pair of Jamaican Owls.
Hardwar Gap, up in the Blue Mountains, was our destination for day four. A Crested Quail-Dove walking in the road, a gorgeous male Jamaican Spindalis perched and a Sad Flycatcher at our feet got the outing off to a great start. Hearing and then seeing a Rufous-throated Solitaire was a highlight for many. The bird of the day however, was the obliging Blue Mountain Vireo. I don't think any of us will forget that individual pausing on the broad leaf in the open. Hearing from David Twyman about the operation at Old Tavern Coffee Estate during a tasting was interesting.
Still needing Black-billed Parrot to complete the sweep of endemic species, our destination for our final full day together was Cockpit Country. We managed to score the last target even before we arrived at our birding site -- another clean sweep! It sure made that walk more relaxed from a guide's perspective. Wilson's Plover, Willet, Least Sandpiper, Sandwich Tern, and Lesser Yellowlegs were all added as we made our way back to Montego Bay. We rounded out our adventure with a visit to Rocklands Bird Sanctuary. It was thrilling to be among so many native birds.
I would like to give a special thanks to all the wonderful Jamaicans I get to work with on this tour who worked so hard to make your experience in their country special. I am truly grateful to be working with local guide Dwayne Swaby, driver Raymond Condappa, the staff at GCE, as well as the staff at Mynt Retreat. I hope I get to bird with all of you again someday.
Cheers,
Eric
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
BIRDS
Vervain Hummingbird is nearly the smallest bird in the world. It's beak is only one centimeter long. In order to reach the nectar in big blossoms like on this Hong Kong Orchid Tree, it has to sneak around to the base. Photo by guide Eric Hynes.
One of the unforgettable moments of the tour was hearing a pair of Jamaican Owls. Seeing this one so well for about a minute was the cherry on top. Photo by participant Nancy Buck.
The coloration of the endemic Jamaican Mango is very unusual among hummingbirds. Photo by guide Eric Hynes.
Everyone getting glimpses of this skulking Blue Mountain Vireo seemed like a victory, until it perched on this leaf in the open and really blew our minds. Photo by guide Eric Hynes.
This Black-billed Parrot was part of a flock of over a dozen that we came upon while driving the last morning. Seeing this bird well kept the Field Guides clean sweep of the endemics on a Jamaica tour alive. Photo by guide Eric Hynes.
The orange throat patch on this male Orangequit is obvious in this image but most often in the field it goes undetected. Photo by guide Eric Hynes.
Jamaicans call the Jamaican Oriole: "Auntie Katie." It's musical song was heard frequently throughout the tour. Photo by guide Eric Hynes.
I still can't believe how good our looks were at Sad Flycatcher during our walk right after breakfast in the Blue Mountains. I thought this bird was going to land on my boot. Photo by guide Eric Hynes.
Al spotted this Crested Quail-Dove, a.k.a Mountain Witch, for us up near Hardwar Gap.
Streamertail is Jamaica's national bird. Not a bad choice I'd say. Photo by guide Eric Hynes.
Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo. Photo by guide Eric Hynes.
MAMMALS
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
While Jamaican Tody was the runaway favorite, Jamaican Owl, Blue Mountain Vireo, and Jamaican Spindalis tied for runner-up.
Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo and Black-billed Parrot also received multiple votes.
Totals for the tour: 112 bird taxa and 1 mammal taxa